The Other Side of the Ocean

By: J.D. Netto

So much of who I was had to be hidden. I wondered how it would feel to let that part of me be on full display. Maybe I’d be given the chance to feel. To forget. Or even to breathe…

For most sixteen year olds, life is all about friends, fun, and family. But for Matt Franco, it's different. Because Matt and his family are undocumented immigrants—like many other Brazilian emigres in his town. And that means he can't get a job, he can't get a driver's license, and as for college? Get real. But Matt is also carrying a burden much closer to his own heart.

Matt is gay.

And right now, he’s the only one who knows it. But that changes when handsome, kind-eyed, and charming transfer student James Alberte walks into class. Because James isn’t just some queer teen crush. He’s everything Matt could ask for—and it’s James’ love, strength, and support that helps Matt finally come out to the world.

Unfortunately, love doesn’t necessarily make Matt’s situation any easier. He’s still stranded by his immigrant status, with a future that seems headed for a dead end. And if he’s ever going to be happy, Matt will have to decide what he wants, where he’s headed—and who he is at heart.

It won’t be simple. And it certainly won’t be easy.

But when it comes to life, love, and everything in between, what is?