Page 6 of I Can't Even Think Straight

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on a sun lounger in Larnaca,

and not watching this through a screen

or reading it in a book.

The way Adonis looks

directly at me, into me,

I wonder if this could be

my moment.

“Me?” I say.

“Yes, you.” Adonis laughs.

“Who are you?”

His “who” and “you” in his Cypriot accent

sound like the hoot-hoot-hooting of an owl

that echoes in my mind,

and reminds me of something I once read.

I remember it’sSkellig,

my favorite book in primary school

and possibly my favorite book ever.

But unlike Skellig,

Adonis doesn’t appear to be

any kind of angel.

Back to School:

London, United Kingdom

Monday: Queer Talk—Lunch Hall

I talk to Matt in the hushed tone

we always use for queer talk at school.

We’re sitting at our regular table

in the lunch hall, just the two of us as usual.

“And then Adonis asked me

if he could borrow Vass.”

Matt puts down his slice of pizza

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