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I wonder if this day could get any weirder

Mercifully, no one ends up sitting on anyone’s face We play sobefore either of us realize it After I take a shower (in his cluttered, tiny bathroom) and free myself from the paint-stained memory of why I’m even here, I put on a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt froht snacks from the kitchen to take back to his roo la that comes to mind He mutters on about football and what a jerk his stepdad is between fistfuls of chips I wax poetically about my own drunk stepdad and his hatred ofa soda And when our yawns start outperfor our stories, we let the noise of another infomercial about the next best exercise machine take over as we drift off just after 5 o’clock

Any weirdness, I’role in that when she returns pro to play Candy Castle on his Xbox Hoyt upholds his pro ame on his s out (or hiding out, depending on how you look at it) with Hoyt When the afternoon rolls around, I find myself seated at the table with Hoyt’s family—stepfather included, who behaves just as Hoyt described: aloof and quiet We enjoy aspread of discount turkey froreen beans, and sweet potatoes, to the tune of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving blasting at full volu room TV for Gemma’s benefit “Eat your fill,” Hoyt warns onna be turned into so-stew concoction we’ll be forced to eat over the weekend” I chuckle and obey, going for seconds

And when everyone is digesting in the evening, I findon a narrow slab of cement that extends from his back door with my phone out, alone My( ive me space, but wanted to know if I’h I doubt she’s as worried as she ought to be anyway Then I text Lee to find out how the situation at home really is and whether “our dad” has cal the text, I can’t help but feel like an outsider checking in on my own life And it’s even weirder when Lee replies back with a cheery: “Everything’s OK! Marly cried last night but all is OK now Are you co back home soon?” I stare at his question for an eternity before sending back a shrug emoji

Then I thuine the extravagant spread his parents prepared for Thanksgiving Then again, realizing his ine what his day has actually been like Should I call him? Or send a text, at the very least?

“No,” Hoyt weighs in, unasked, when he joinshis weed-ridden backyard “That city boy’s been bad news for you since the start You sahat he tried to do to my man Julio”

I give him a look “Only after Julio ruined o with Billy to their house by the lake to change into a clean set of clothes—their house was a totalon—and Iforward to co in”

“Julio didn’t mean to do it It was an accident”

Again, with the accident crap The truth is, I don’t know if it was deliberate or if Julio really did buuess the punch station was kinda flimsy …”

“Very fliainst hiht be kinda nuts, we ht not be the sensitive crowd you’re used to, but at least you knohat you’re gettin’ with us Vann? He’s … He’s a loose cannon He isn’t like us He isn’t from here”

I hug my knees to my chest “I think that’s the exact reason I fell for hi like this place”