Page 127 of Pride High 2: Orange
“I don’t know how to drive,” Ricky said.
“Even better. I can’t wait to see his face.”
After a couple of hours, the novelty of the auto shop had worn off. Ricky sat on the sidelines and mostly watched him, although he didn’t seem bored exactly. He had that same hungry look in his eyes. Something inside Diego responded to it, as always. A need that he didn’t want but couldn’t deny. Please let this time be different!
“Let’s get something to eat,” Diego said. “Then I’ll take you home.”
Ricky nodded eagerly. He seemed especially interested once they were standing in front of a few beat-up lockers and Diego began unzipping his coveralls.
“I was wondering if you wore anything beneath them,” Ricky said.
He did today. Jeans and a T-shirt. “It’s freaking cold in here, you perv. But it also gets hot in the summer, so you aren’t completely wrong.”
“Wow. Really?”
“Yeah,” Diego said while reassessing him. “I can’t figure you out.”
“What do you mean?”
He glanced around to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard. “You always seem like you’re in the mood, but whenever I give you the green light, you hit the brakes.”
“Oh.”
Ricky didn’t offer any more explanation than that, so Diego didn’t pry. Although he brought it up on his own as they drove across town.
“Have you ever had a girlfriend before?” Ricky asked.
“Yeah.”
“Did you love her?”
Diego snorted. “Which one?”
Ricky blinked in surprise. “Any of them, I guess.”
“Nope.”
“You didn’t even think about it!”
“I didn’t need to.” Diego glanced over at him. “Have you ever had a boyfriend?”
Ricky nodded sullenly. “Just one.”
“Did you love him?”
“Yeah. He’s the reason why. It’s his fault.”
Diego furrowed his brow in confusion.
“Iwantto sleep with you,” Ricky explained. “Really bad. But I don’t want to get hurt again.”
Diego’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “This guy hurt you?”
“I don’t think he meant to. Although he was a jerk the last time I called him. That was right before I took all those pills.”
Diego pushed down on the accelerator. “Wait, you called him when you were feeling suicidal? And he was an asshole about it?”
“He didn’t know. It was more the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
