“But her overprotective single mom couldn’t shield Kaya from getting a reputation as a Grade A weirdo. Kaya was the white buffalo of our town. To most people, she was sort of creepy, but also sort of sacred. Locals were proud to claim her, in a queer way—she’d even been featured in a People magazine story about teenagers who can’t feel pain—but they kept their distance because she was taboo. No one wanted to be the white buffalo. Or even party with the white buffalo. Better to corral her off, keep her as offbeat eye candy.”