Page 33 of Paint Eater
Nisha tilted her head back, laughing. “Wow. So youdohave fangs. Good to know, puppy.”
“Shit, sorry. I—”
“Oh, don’t ruin it. Ice cream. Come on.”
They followed Nisha even though Jay was the one with the directions on his phone.
They settled on stools inside the Van Leeuwen, looking out the glass wall at the people walking past, alone or in groups, walking their dogs, looking down at their phones with music in their step. It was getting dark, and it was nice and cool inside as Nisha told them a story about her cousin. How she’d gotten pregnant by some guy from a small village in Peru, and then was promptly cheated on not long after she gave birth because he was, as Nisha put it, ‘butthurt’ that she wouldn’t sleep with him.
“After pushing ababyout of hervagina.”
Logan shook his head. “That’s messed up.”
Jay nodded. “Yeah, fuck that guy.”
Nisha scoffed, arm in the air, a speck of Earl Grey ice cream splattering the wall. “And she’s all like, ‘Oooh, should I go back to him? I love him.’ Girl. No.”
“Where does she live?” Jay asked.
“In Nashik.”
“Where?”
“In India, fool.”
“Oooh. Damn, fuckbois be everywhere, huh?”
“They sure are, fuckboi.”
“Don’t even joke,” Jay cried out.
Nisha laughed. “All right, you’re right. The only fuckboi here is this guy.” She pointed her thumb at Logan. Jay laughed, leaning past her to look at Logan, who was, of course, rolling his eyes.
“If anybody’s a fuckboi, it’s you,” Logan replied, looking pointedly at Nisha.
“Asif.”
“Oh, no? What about Charlie? Or was it someone else that fucked him and then dropped him the minute he got attached?”
“I’m an independent woman, Logan. Get it right.”
Logan snorted, throwing his ice cream cup into the trash. “I gotta go.”
Jay groaned. “Already?”
Nisha looked at Logan as he got off his stool. “Parentals being assholes again?”
Logan grunted, shrugging. Jay wanted to ask, but evenheknew when to keep his mouth shut.
Sometimes, at least.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Logan said, dropping a kiss on Nisha’s head before yanking on a strand of her hair.
“Ow, you bitch!”
Logan hopped out of the way as she swiped at him.
Jay shook his head. “You guys have the weirdest relationship.”
