Authors: Fabio Bueno
“With Boulder?” s
he asks, as if the thought had never occurred to her. “He isn’t the boyfriend type. He’s always looking for the next girl.”
That’s not what he told me, and I
know
he was telling the truth. “Really? What if he… changed? What if he wanted to be with you?” I
realize
it’s not fair to Priscilla, because I know she’s lying.
She eyes me. “What is this all about?”
It’s my turn to shrug, upsetting the rocks on my back. “I don’t know. Girl talk. I mean, you can have any guy you want
, so why don’t
you just
pick one?”
Priscilla doesn’t answer at first. I’m glad I
chose
this moment
:
she’s
actually
pinned down and cannot run away. Finally, she says, “If I can have
any
guy I want, I’d like to have
every
guy I want.”
“What do you mean?”
She gives me an exasperated look. “I’m only seventeen, Skye. I’m not looking to settle down just yet.” She
probably
misunderstands
my shocked expression, because she
adds
, “I mean, I’m not saying you’re wrong or anything, but it’s just not me, you know?”
I keep my mouth shut, hoping I didn’t say anything inappropriate.
Priscilla goes on, unprompted, “I see my parents. They’re l
ike these empty shells. They go
to work, all right, but they set some time for fun too, right? They have friends, go on vacations all the time,
Dad goes golfing in Scotland, Mo
m goes to charity
events
. It’s all
scheduled fun. Nothing spontaneous. And their passion—it’s gone too. I saw their pictures from college; I heard their stories. They were more complete people back then. Do you understand?”
I give a half-nod, because I half-understand. But she want
s
me to understand it
fully
.
“They were in love;
they did all kind of crazy things
. Now they go through life as if it’s a to do list: gym
three times a week
, sex on Tuesdays, friends over on Fridays. I see them. They’re not enjoying themselves. While they’re throwing a dinner party, they’re not
in the moment
; they’re already planning the next fun thing they will
most certainly
not enjoy
either
.”
She turns her head and looks away from me. She
seems
sad and mad at the same time. After a while, she
turns back and
says in a low, serious tone I’ve never
heard
her use before. “I’m not a spoiled girl…” Her voice
is
fragile, all pretense of privacy abandoned long ago. “I’m not doing this for attention. I just want to enjoy life. Because if you don’t, what’s the point?”
I raise my eyes
and see the
pocket-sized
sadistic
masseuse,
beyond
Priscilla’s
line of
sight, nodding along.
Sunday morning I still don’t want to call Skye. I just drop by Boulder’s, back to my old life for a while.
Sean and B
oulder are playing an intense one-on-one basketball game.
“Where we at?” Sean asks Boulder.
“
Nineteen
-six. I know you know
the score.” Boulder is not amused.
Sean cackles and says.
“
Just checking. Join us, D-Man.
”
“I don’t play
. Y
ou know that.”
“Maybe when you grow some chest
hair
,” Boulder teases.
Sean is faster, a far better player, but Boulder is Shaq, complete with hard fouls and swagger.
“I’ve got ball skills, big man,” Sean ta
unts, dribbling the ball between his legs.
Sean proceeds to school Boulder, and Boulder make
s
things rough. A missed block becomes a hard foul. A drive to the basket has Boulder running over Sean.
But it’s not a problem to Sean: he goes down laughing every time
. H
e seems
to be
on a Zoloft diet. It makes Boulder madder.
When Sean charges the lane, Boulder body
slams him. Sean goes careening over a hedge. Boulder sighs deeply and helps Sean up.
Sean is smiling. “Ready for another?”
Boulder shakes his head and laughs. “Nah. Hydration time.”
We go inside the garage, and Boulder opens the old fridge. “Gatorade for me,” I say.
Boulder gets a Red Bull and
hands
me a Gatorade.
Sean’s choice is
Mountain Dew
.
At least they’re not drinking beer.
“So… Drake finall
y got him some girl. Well done,
” Sean says, raising his
can. Boulder and I join him in the toast.
“That’s my man!” Sean says, putting
his hand on my shoulder. “It’s four
th-and-one
, Drake.”
“Yeah, go for it,” Boulder says.
Oh, yeah, the
four
th-and-one
pledge. We promised
one another
that we
’d always be bold
. If faced with a safe decision or a riskier decision with better payoff, alw
ays go for it. Never punt on a four
th
-and-one
situation.
Boulder takes a swig and
presses
his cold
soda
can
to
his forehead.
“
When is the big
night?”
he asks.
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it.
“I hadn’t thought about it,” I say.
“Right…”
Sean snickers.
I feign indignation.
“Why do you give me so much grief? Get off my case!
You two don’t have girlfriends.
Actually, you hang out all the time. People talk, you know…
”
“Not cool, Drake,” Boulder warns me.
I can’t let it go. “Yeah,
I
keep hearing you go to the gym to
spot
,
”
I make the air quotes.
“Well, my point is, I have a girlfriend
,
and you guys don’t.”
Sean nods.
“Yeah, but it’s a conscious decision. It’s just because one-nighters are actually much less drama than a relationship.”
I th
row my hands up in the air.
“
It’s
impossible
to win a discussion with you guys
.”
“And yet, you still try
,” Sean says.
***
Soon
, it
’s
9:30 p.m.,
it’s dark, cold,
and Boulder and I are standing in front of a tattoo stud
io that just closed its doors. I
n our faces.
Boulder
talks
to the closed door. “
Come on, man, ink me. The other shop did it, look!
” He shows his Gears of War
tat
. To
a closed door
.
“
Kid, I already told you. Go away.
”
That’s the voice of
the
woman who just
kicked us out
.
“
Ink me!
” Boulder yells
.
“You’re drunk,” a man’s voice says from inside the shop. “
Don’t make me call
the cops. That would
be very
uncool
, man.”
“
Ink
meeeeee
!
”
We’re in a loop. “Do NOT
ink him!
”
I yell.
Boulder looks at me, his eyes glazed. “Hey, back me up
here.”
“I am! Just not in an obvious way.”
Boulder pokes me in the chest.
“I ne
ed this tat, and I need it tonight
.”
“
Believe me, Boulder, you don’t need a naked Pri
scilla p
ermanently on your back,” I say
, before realizing that probably came out wrong.
“
Where did you get this sketch anyway?
”
“I drew it from memory,” he says, s
i
t
t
ing
down
on the curbside.
It’s getting late, and this part of
Shoreline
is somewhat seedy. Some people, a few of them drunker than Boulder, are already coming in our direction.
It’s bad enough babysitting a drunk guy who
weigh
s way more
more
than
I do
, but having to negotiate drunken conversations with strangers is really annoying. I’m tired
,
and I stopped having fun hours ago.
I try to lift him by the arm.
“Dude, I’m taking you home.”
He swats me away.
“I can drive back! I did it before.”
“Yeah,
and
you parked i
n your neighbor’s garage.
”
“
So
?”
He cocks his head.
“
Without opening the garage door?
”
That’s my closing argument.
Boulder shrugs. “Those houses all look alike.”
“Just promise me you’ll never, ever drive after a beer, you stupid ogre. Give me a call. I’ll get you. Just don’t drive.”
Boulder’s eyes are glazed, but he nods solemnly. “Okay, mommy.”
I should be mad at him. I want to. But it’s nice for a change to have his back. In my mind
,
I
imagine Boulder and I are best friends.
Why am I thinking this now?
Best friend is just a label, Drake. Just another label.
I drag him to my car and drive him home.
***
When
I turn the corner on my street
, a sight
freezes
the blood in my veins.
Jane is right in front of m
y house
, sitting sideways on her red bike. She smiles—she actually
smiles
—
at me
.
Rage is pouring from me.
I walk
up
to her.
She straightens up and face
s
me. When I come closer, she raises her hand
s
, not in a gesture of defiance, but as an offering of peace. Yeah, right.
“Listen, Jane—”
“I need to talk to you,” she says, interrupting me. The urgency in her voice gives me pause, but I come to my senses in a second.
“You psycho bitch!
” I never use the
se words, but if someone deserves them, it’s her.
I keep my hand
s
alongside my body
to suppress my urge to punch her.
“Can we forget that for just a moment? We need to talk.”
Her voice is firm
.
My anger means nothing to her.
I don’t want to listen. “
Are you insane?
I have nothing to talk with you
.
You tried to kill Skye!
”
“
Your precious witch
,” she says, staring into my eyes.
“
What did you say?
” My blood freezes for a moment
.
“
I know you know, Drake. You told me that night.
Ritual in the woods? Ring any bells?
Love potions make you trusting. You told me
everything I ask
ed
.
I know
she saved you
with magic. And you’ve seen me perform my little ritual at the pool, didn’t you?
”
I remember how important the Veil
is
to Skye. “Are you
high
? What you’re saying makes no sense.”