Page 53 of Bad Boy
It's obvious Remi is lying. My eyes dart to Dr. Benson next. I blink rapidly, awaiting his response.
A heavy sigh escapes him, and he shakes his head in that disappointed-parent way that I hate so much.
“Connor?” Dr. Benson asks, expecting to hear his side of the story.
“It’s true,” he says between tightly clenched teeth. “I. . .fell.”
“Gus? Do you have anything more enlightening to share with the group?”
“Nope.”
Dr. Benson pinches the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes and inhaling a long breath before releasing it as an exasperated sigh. And I don’t blame him. I would be frustrated, too. Hopefully, Remi will open up to me later. I really don’t want him to be in trouble.
“Well, if no one needs medical attention, there’s nothing else to do here. Go eat.” He waves his hand in defeat and stalks away, muttering under his breath.
Remi plops down next to me, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He stares into the campfire, seemingly lost in thought.
Connor is on the other side of the fire pit from us, flames dancing across his skin and mirrored in his normally dull eyes. They’re alight with vengeance, searing me with promises of future pain. Whatever happened between the three of them, I’m pretty sure it had something to do with me. I swallow roughly and try to get Remi’s attention.
“What happened?” I whisper, nudging his leg with my own.
He gazes at me intently, the pale moonlight reflecting in his dark eyes ominously.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m handling it tomorrow.” A slow smile curls his lips until he grins with all his teeth.
I frown but don’t push for answers since we’re surrounded by so many curious eyes. I’ll just ask again later. When we’re alone. Because I’m not so sure I like the sound of that. And Idefinitelydon’t like the look in Connor’s eyes as he shoots lasers at us from across the fire.
* * *
It’s a mild October this year, and the summer’s warmth has lingered longer than normal. The fireflies continue their dance, the flickering lights putting me in a trance as the crickets join in on the evening concerto.
The fire hisses and pops while hot dogs sizzle and marshmallows burn.
Classic American camping food at its finest.
Not that I would know.
“You ever had a s’more?” Remi asks as he side-eyes my attempt to spear a hot dog with my skewer. I stab three holes through it before I finally get it secured.
We’ve been having a good time since Connor quickly made his food and stormed away with Gus hot on his heels. I don’t think anyone here wanted his negative energy around anyway. I don’t know how Gus puts up with him, acting as his keeper like that. Connor is a loose cannon, and he’s always aimed at me.
Remi leans down to whisper in my ear. “You’re scaring me with the way you’re handling that weiner, Preppy.”
I giggle, holding the massacred hot dog over the open flame anyway.
“I’ve never cooked hot dogs like this. And no, I’ve never had a s’more, either,” I admit, answering his earlier question.
He makes a whistling noise through his teeth. “All kinds of firsts for you this week, huh?”
I can’t stop the laugh that pours out of me, even as a hot flush burns my cheeks, scalding my skin with embarrassment.
Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. Dr. Benson watches me from two logs over with an unreadable expression.
My smile falters. I’m not ready for my favorite teacher to know I’m gay. I only came out to Remi a few days ago; I can’t just jump into the deep end. I need to wade in slowly. And the only two people who I can think of to come out to next are Grady and Sierra. I know they’ll accept me for me, and I probably should have told them by now anyway.
“So, you’re okay with losing an hour of life just to have dinner tonight?”
“Huh?” Remi’s strange question pulls me from my inner dilemma.
