Page 83 of The Good Boys Club

“Of course he does, I’m his favourite uncle,” Mash had said.

“Not you, he looks up to Ci,” she’d replied.

I understood because I’d seen a lot of myself in Felix, and Mash was . . . well, Mash. He was too perfect. Never had a problem nor worry in his life. Except maybe this whole alpha stuff.

“Sure, we’d love to,” I said.

Later that day, we picked Felix up from Lykos Academy and drove straight to the jetty on the lake, where we set up three chairs and three rods on the deck. We tried to “have a chat” with Felix but we were met with one-word answers.

“What’s it like being back at school?” Mash asked.

“Fine,” Felix said, staring out at the smooth surface of the water.

“Does Mrs Brown still teach there?”

“Yeah.”

“What about Mr Wheeler? He was . . . a character.”

“Retired.”

“What kind of hobbies do you have, Felix?” I asked.

“Gaming.”

It was painful. “What’s your favourite game?”

Felix shrugged.

“So, uh,” Mash began, “Have you tried drugs yet?”

“Mash, fucking hell!” I said.

Felix perked up. “No. Have you got any?”

“I’m not giving my fourteen-year-old nephew drugs. Come back when you’re sixteen.”

I pelted Mash with my empty cola can.

“Eighteen then, fuck.” Mash leant back in his chair to look at me over the arch of Felix’s spine and mouthed, “Help me.”

“So . . .” I began, but Felix started speaking.

“Ci, can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“How old were you when you realised you’re gay?”

Behind Felix, Mash mouthed, “Oh,shiiiiit.”

“Um . . .” I thought about it. “I think on some level I’ve always known. Like even when I was young. I just found myself drawn to male cartoon characters, and male movie stars and pop stars, and then when I started to want . . . things, I only ever pictured guys.”

Felix hummed to himself. Evidently, it wasn’t the answer he’d wanted to hear. He turned his attention back to the lake.

“Have you ever liked any of the girls at your school?” Mash asked.

“Oh, I’m not talking about me. This is about . . . my friend.”

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