Page 10 of Nights Without Night
“Are you demented? You used to love him!”
“Sleaze-ball. And the lie is number two. Drink.”
“Oh my God,” I say, putting one hand on his face and taking my shot with the other. “Silence be gone!” I gasp as the vodka burns through me.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Isadoro laughs.
“I meant to say ‘silence’ and ‘demon be gone’ at the same time. Shut it, I’m perfect. It’s your turn,” I say. He looks at me quietly for a moment, an odd little smile on his face.
“I was the one who told Jamie Lanson to back off,” Isadoro says.
“What the fuck.”
“He was bad news, Iván.”
“What the fuck?”
“He was bad news,” he repeats. I gape at him. I’d had a crush on Jamie Lanson when I was sixteen and Jamie was nineteen and amazingly enough, he’d seemed interested too. Until he wasn’t. His attention had cut off abruptly and I’d been devastated. Back then, I would have been furious if I’d known that was Isadoro’s doing. In retrospect, however…yeah. Jamie Lanson had been bad news.
“You are so overbearing, did you know that?”
“Yep,” Isadoro replies, popping thePobnoxiously.
“Urgh, go away. What’s your next one then?”
“I’ve jerked off in your bed.”
“What in the fuck is going on right now.”
“And I had a crush on your mom growing up.”
“Youjerked offin mybed?!” I shout.
“Is that your answer?”
“No, obviously the lie is that you had a crush on my mom—what the fuck, man? Where did that even come from. I am disturbed.”
“She’s hot.”
“Stop talkingyesterday,” I growl. Isadoro laughs. “Now onto more pressing matters; youjerked offin mybed?! Why!” I say in a calm and collected voice and not at all a screech. Isadoro shrugs, taking the shot. “Asshole. You’re an asshole. Which bed?”
“All of them.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I say but can’t help but laugh. My life is a joke. “Wait,” I say, “including this one?”
“Okay, except this one,” Isadoro acquiesces. I sigh in relief. I struggle to sleep already—I would not be able to take it if I had to lay down where I knew Isadoro has jerked off.
“Do notjerk off in my bed,” I order, pointing my finger in his face.
“Can’t make any promises,” he smirks. I throw my hands in the air.
“Uh, yeah you can! Look, read my lips.I will not jerk off in your bed.See? Easy!” I say. His look lingers on my lips and then drags slowly to my eyes. He hums lowly. I feel a flush from the alcohol rush to my cheeks.
“Shut the fuck up,” I say nonsensically. “My turn. One, I jerked off inyourbed,” I snark. Isadoro snorts. “Two, I kind of hated your grandad.”
“What a revelation,” Isadoro drawls.
“Three, I’ve been Eiffel Towered,” I say. The easy smile on Isadoro’s face fades slowly as he looks at me, eyes going dark. I wait, but he says nothing.
