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I punch hiet covers her face with her hands and buries her head in the couch cushion I think she says soht Sparkle, but it’s hard to hear her with her ainst the leather

"Dude," Krishna says "That was epic"

"Right?" West is so, 30 percent swinging dick "I should get a uys want a ruler?" I ask "You know, foryour penises?"

Krishna makes a dismissive noise "He’d win"

Froet makes this noise that’s like a scream crossed with a squeak

"Do you want soot to offer I don’t have one of those laser-gun things that can erase ht

"Yes," she says "But only if you have the kind with the pretzels with peanut butter in the middle and chocolate on the outside, in the vanilla ice cream with peanut butter stripes"

"Chubby Hubby"

"Yes Or I guess I’d take mint chocolate chip But not that terrible stuff you had before with the fruit in it, because you kno I feel about fruit in ets up I expect her to cli the path between the coffee table and the kitchen, but instead she goes the long way around and doesn’t look at hiht Sparkle, huh?" West says to Krishna "Is that what’s got you two all hot and bothered?"

"No, it’s that picture your ood as the video I got frorandma"

"That’s what your sister said when she wanted her turn"

"Oh et says "Make it stop"

My head’s already in the freezer I take it out to call, "Settle down, boys! You’re both pretty"

I try to sound scornful, but it’s hard to pull off when you’re s so hard that your cheeks hurt

The week after Sex-Picture Day is crazy

Spring break is co up West and I both havewith Student Affairs because , except once he’s in thehe doesn’t say a word It’s this weird repeat of the firstbut with more people in the roo into uess they’ve found -up , insane threats I have to screen all my calls, delete three-quarters of my texts I decide to suspend ether

All of it has to be docu needs to be tracked I’m already tired of it I wish I could just switch off the phone, turn off the coe that h, West can’t get his mom on the phone Frankie hasn’t sent hi I can do

I’ hated, worn out fro he can do

We stick together like we’ve been glued to each other

We’re at the bakery when his phone finally rings I’ of flour to dump into the bin Since I’m closer to his phone, I look at the screen "It’s Bo"

He drops the blade on the floor IBo, his mom, someone, will call him back

"Hey What’s up?"

I turn my back to adjust the volume on the music, and the ten seconds the job requires is all the time it takes for the color to drain froth of the table as he listens

"Did you try to talk her out of it? Or … No, I know… No All right And what about Frankie, is she--"

His shoulders sag

His fingers are white where they curl around the phone

"All right Thanks It was decent of you to call I’ll … I’ll take it fros up, he just stands there

He stands there for so long, I’m afraid to touch him

"West?"

"She took hi took him back"

This is the possibility he’s been afraid to na

"How did it happen?"

"I don’t know Bo didn’t even--he didn’t kick her out He ca she was sorry but she had to follow her heart" He pounds his fist on the table "Her heart"

"Did they leave town, or … ?"

"They’re at the trailer park Her and Frankie They moved in with my dad"

"Oh"

I’m not sure what to say There aren’t any words that will fix the defeat in his posture The heavy dead sound of his voice, like soht out of him

I know it’s bad because, when I stand in front of hiainst h that I have to lock ives hier than that--and then pulls away

He doesn’t look at o home"

"Sure" He’ll have to make sure they’re safe Talk to his mom Check on his sister "Tell me what I can do to help"

"I have to fly Pack up ht after this shift’s over"