Page 26 of The Chance

“Shit, I’m—” Shaking myself from the shit in my head, I dash across the in-house gym to the paper towel dispenser on the wall and tear off a giant stream.

Wadding it, I pass it to Peach who accepts and drops to the ring, crisscrossing his legs.

Guilt washes over me and I sit with him, though I can’t quite sit like he does so I let my legs stretch out in front of me and rip off my own gloves. “I’m sorry.”

“Uh-huh,” Peach mumbles, though it comes out nasally. “You guyshaveto stop breaking my nose. The shit hurts.”

I hang my head, and he hisses.

And then something crunches, and I nearly throw up at the idea that the fucker just reset his own nose.

He lets loose a deep groan, his eyes watering when I look back up, confirming my suspicions.

“Now fucking spill, you dick.”

I pull my knees up and rest my elbows on top of them. “Should I get med for that?”

“No. Stop stalling.”

Huffing, I stare right into the daggers he’s throwing at me with his green eyes.

And my mouth just opens.

“How did you know … y’know …” I trail off and throw a hand out, though I have no clue what I’m gesturing to.

I feel the heat creep up my face.

“Know what?”

“That you’re …” I swallow hard. “Like bi or whatever.”

My stomach rolls.

Peach’s spine snaps straight.

“How didyouknow?”

I think I might throw up.

Peach’s head tilts like a dog trying to hear me better and though he might look like a funky Pomeranian with all the ink and piercings and highlighter orange hair, he’s actually more like a German Shepherd.

“I shouldn’t have asked that. I’m so—”

“No, no. Don’t take it back now.” He drops the paper towels, unveiling his crimson grin. “It’s called gaydar, boo, and clearly you got one.”

I blink.

“What’s that mean?”

Peach just shakes his head and tries his best to clean up his face with the already fucked wad of paper in his hands.

With a smile.

“Yes, I’m bi,” he confirms.

I swallow. “How’d you figure it out?”

He shrugs like it’s no big deal to suddenly have that questioning thought gnawing at the back of your mind as if you’ve been missing a piece to this fucking puzzle you have no clue was lost to the void of life.

---