I feel as one

Just when you think it's safe to go back in the water.
It's not; it never will be, there is always going to be more to challenge the rational reasonable mind set.
Jack has come out, in that he has decided he would like to follow some aspects of a certain religion. With that disclosure has come some mighty nasty stuff at school. And, being in eighth grade, the time when people are at their best, he has experienced a variety of emotions in dealing with the intolerant bag of fun.
One such method, was to tell his friends that he was done; what he meant and what they took it to mean are two very different things, and they acted on what concerned them, which helped Jack to undestand that he's not in any of this mess on his own and that he is loved, liked and in some cases reviled for who or what he is.