Page 24 of Pride High

Omar stood suddenly. “Let’s get out of here. We can talk at the park.”

“Okay.” Anthony felt nervous without knowing why. He understood the request though. There was no such thing as privacy with siblings around. He used to eavesdrop on his brothers, mostly to collect blackmail material, or to get revenge for whatever petty hell they had recently put him through.

They left the house and walked a couple of streets over, where a park filled an entire block with a basketball court, a small public pool, and a playground. They aimed for the path that circled the edge of the park before winding through a thin layer of trees.

Once beneath the protective shadow of the leafy branches, Omar asked, “Do you know anything about AIDS?”

A disease associated with gay people. “Why would I?” Anthony asked defensively.

“No reason. I just hoped you paid more attention than me, because I really need to know how people catch it.”

“By having unprotected sex,” Anthony replied.

Omar breathed in sharply, like his worst fears had been confirmed. “Simple as that?”

“No. The other person has to have it first. I think. Yeah. It’s contagious, like any STD.”

“Oh shit, I didn’t think of that! Even if it’s not AIDS…” Omar broke off and groaned again. “I need to get tested. That’s possible, isn’t it?”

Anthony stopped walking and grabbed his friend’s arm to yank him around. “What are you talking about? What happened?”

Omar grimaced. “I got a blowjob.”

“From who?”

Omar’s eyes went wide. But he didn’t say anything.

“Jesus! At the record store? Or did you go home with her last night?”

Omar only shook his head in response. Maybe he was being chivalrous by not sharing the details.

Anthony felt like he wanted to throw up. Or throw a tantrum, but that wouldn’t help, so he forced himself to calm down. “Okay. Why do you think you have AIDS? Have you had any symptoms?”

“No. I feel fine. How long until I’d start to feel sick?”

“I don’t know. We could go to the library and find out.”

“On a weekend?”

Anthony shrugged. “I can’t think of any other way to look it up. Unless you want to ask a teacher on Monday.”

They both made “blech” expressions simultaneously.

“I shouldn’t have been so stupid,” Omar moaned. “Everything just sort of happened and I didn’t worry about any of the bad stuff until later.”

“Do you have any reason to think that Silvia has an STD?”

“No,” Omar said instantly. “There’s a way to get tested, right? I don’t want to go to my doctor. You know he’ll tell my parents.”

A jogger came running down the path. They moved out of his way, Anthony’s thoughts racing just as fast as he pressed his back against a tree. He couldn’t believe that Silvia had slept with Omar so soon. Not that he couldn’t imagine why she’d want to. Anthony had literally fantasized about— No! Not a good train of thought. His friend needed him. Focusing on that was more important.

“Do you think she’s slept around a bunch?” Anthony asked.

“What the fuck?” Omar growled.

“Well you have to admit that it was awfully quick. You don’t even know each other!”

“It just sort of happened,” Omar spat. “Stop making this about her!”

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