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Tariq’s pulse is still racing, but he lets the e, take hi, show soine this is their club, their space, their doroove, too, and even Mr Bellarown-up kind of way Tariq can’t believe it when Mr Rahbor, start to sing along They probably know the songs from Glee--who knows? The police officer now on shift is the only one not joining in, but Tariq is pretty sure there’s some Zeppelin later in thefully conscious again Is he co? Oh, totally They’ve both been tired of it for hours at this point But that’s the challenge, to get through all that If you’re running ato find pleasure in every step The ht can be used for things other than sleeping
He feels so hit his back, and at first he doesn’t understand what it is It could alg hits hi beside his ear Feels the shock of it, the sli His instinct is to recoil, to turn But luckily Craig is there, right there, to reach his hand up to shield him, to reach up his hand to re to run down his face, down his neck Craig tries to wipe it away, as Harry’s father shouts sohts The police officer is on alert now, talking into his radio S off Harry’s face (No one else is allowed to touch the") Tariq is stopped cold for a second, looking in the direction Mr Ra what he should do He looks at his co, What was that? What’s happening? So now he has so out to Harry and Craig, "Keep kissing!" Because that’s what he needs to see right now, that’s what everyone needs to see But Harry is shaking He can’t help it--he’s shaking He can’t believe what happened, and knows he shouldn’t be embarrassed, but he is He feels reduced, ridiculed By shitheads He can sh S can get it all off, he can still feel it on his skin, the shock of its i to the police officer No way to tell who it was They ran away on foot Could have gone in any direction Mr Ramirez thinks it was more than one kid But it was hard to tell in the dark
Craig feels Harry shivering He holds Harry closer, feels the egg stain on the back of Harry’s shirt Craig n with his hand--clothes--and points to Harry Mr Bella harder now, and Craig has to hold the back of his head, to make sure he doesn’t shiver away fro can help hie to be dressed in this way, but he’s grateful for the warmth
It’s over, he tells himself
But it’s not over Not yet Because now there are voices in the dark Voices getting closer And pinpoints of light--flashlights It is 12:23 in theto help They sahat happened, and they can’t stay in their houses Not just Harry and Craig’s friends But their friends’ parents, too Jihts from his basement There have to be at least a dozen people Then more than a dozen Smita’s mom is here Two more police officers And a ht to Mr Bellaht here with you" They wear s
The site becohts so the lawn can be seen more clearly And whereas before when people watched, they did so in conversational clu and the outside world Protecting them
The whole time, the music hasn’t stopped "Can’t Get You Out of My Head" is pu alert to soures co closer
Craig’s h school
They head right to Craig, and Craig’s htly
"Sa hears the us, and at first doesn’t understand it Then his father and his other brother, Kevin, are there, too
"Parked the car," Craig’s father says "Your ht now, kissing Harry right in front of his father His mind can’t really acclimate to this At all
Harry’s dad co’s father and brothers, and also,all of the ca can see his fatherhis hardest to rader, seeh, keeps staring at Craig Tenthat Sa "FAGGOTS!", he wouldn’t have been that surprised But now he has to accept that his brother’s staring is more complicated than that It’s not an older-brother death stare He’s probably just trying to understand the situation as ’s father is saying
"But we just got here," Kevin whines
"It’s late We wanted tocan feel his father keeping his distance--but still, he’s closer than Craig thought he would be He wonders what histo stay," Sa’s father does not look happy with this