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Joe’s voice, pointed and sharp, with a tone of victory that I knew froh school Sa A cadence I didn’t re insideWould he ever talk tofamiliar and casual was in his tone, the way you talk to a best friend or an inti in the band with Trevor, and Joe, and Liae a relationship with all of them in a way that I couldn’t understand Liam I knew all too well and Joe I’d debated over the years Trevor was a bit of a mystery to me--hot as hell, and confident and cocky, but ere just on a waving and a ‘hi’ kind of level

I heard Joethat I had as I heard Saers Darla The way she had tongue fucked Joe and Trevor on that stage and then turned to Saether could smash her Who the hell was she? Some kind of band whore you pass around? That friendly affect and the whole fakey-fake Midwestern thing made my stomach turn She’d come over to my table and been all friendly and nice and then, it turned out, she was just another hole for the band

At least, that’s how it seemed

"Darlashare" Joe said I couldn’t catch the rest

Share? Sam and Joe and Trevor shared Darla?

What?

Sauy who did that Polyaaain, four years is a long tiirl at that debate But whatever they were saying was intense, their words hushed then loud Daet closer

Turning my head slowly, I saw that they were behind a bush There was no way that they could see me My shoulders dropped and I stretchedhow tense I’d been My heart slalimpse of Sam, his arging his hips, those long legs relaxed They were twenty feet away froe that I could catch as rown out in that slightly long look that so uys had now His eyes were narrowed and focused on Joe, who stood a few feet away, gesturing with his hands Sam just nodded slowly and then said a feords, Joe interrupting him repeatedly

Suddenly, Sa tendons popped out in his forear to hands that tapped out so oner, wasn’t I? I stood and picked up my thermos and walked closer, still hidden by the shrubbery Phrases like ‘can you take over for me?’ and ‘Darla’about swapping this woman? What exactly was his relationship with her? What were all of their relationships with her? So? Was that even possible? This wasmy head hurt

A pluh ets three ht er drained out as my eyes remained riveted on the two of them and I let myself explore that idea--just for a moment--because, why not? Ideas aren’t inherently bad There’s nothing wrong with letting yourself i new that you could do, even if you never, in a ht that you’d actually act on it

What would it be like to have Lia me? Hands onlower, finding a very eager red nub Six hands

And one me

Sam

Joe’s phone buzzed in his pocket He reached in, took a look, and said, "Oh, shit I have to go--it’s my mom"

"Dance, monkey boy, dance"

"Shut Up" He looked me square in the eye and shook his head slowly "Sam, you know for years I really felt sorry for you"

I pulled my head back "What?"

"You and all the shit that went doith your dad our senior year"

A cold flush poured overfrom? I didn’t need pity

"It’s just with this," he held up the phone, "and s, souts that you have, uts to tell ure all this out on ht I didn’t really have a choice It was that, or watchat

"Joe, at least you have a ives a shit"

"I know She’s justshe’s just too weak to leave hi really aard and weird about the fact that Joe was having this after school special moment with me

"I’m too much of a pussy, aren’t I?" he said Back to Guy Talk "You’re a total pussy, Ross"

"Hey, I owned up to it You don’t need to dig it in" He rolled his tongue inside his cheek and punched o out to Ohio and rescue Trevor"

"I didn’t rescue Trevor--Darla rescued us both"