He turned and walked into his office, slamming the door behind him.
“What the fuck?” Rico asked succinctly.
“Jealous prig,” Tanner muttered.
“Shut the fuck up, Tanner,” Chris warned, glancing over at me.
I just stared at the closed door.
“I’M SORRY,” I told Gordo later. “For whatever I did.”
He sighed. “It’s not on you, kiddo. I need…. Can you find different friends? Why aren’t we enough?” He sounded miserable.
“It’s not the same.”
“You need to be careful.”
“Why?”
“Forget it, Ox. Just watch yourself.”
“GOT A strange call from Gordo,” Mom said one night.
“What?”
“Wanted me to keep you away from next door.”
“What?”
She looked confused. “Said they were bad news.”
“Mom—”
“I told him to leave it alone.”
“Something crawled up his ass,” I said.
She frowned. “Watch your mouth. You’re not at the shop.”
I BURST through the office door. “What the hell is your problem?”
“You’ll thank me one day,” he said. He didn’t look away from the computer. Like he didn’t have the fucking time of day.
“Too bad she doesn’t give a shit what you think. She said I’m old enough to make my own choices.”
That got his attention. He was pissed.
I stormed out.
HE WANTED to drive me home every day after work. I laughed and told him to fuck off.
“OX! LOOK how many french fries I can fit in my mouth!” Joe then proceeded to shove at least thirty into that gaping maw, making little snarly sounds as he did.
“Gross,” Carter groaned. “This is why you don’t get to go out in public.”
/> Kelly snorted. “You’re just trying to impress the waitress.”
Carter punched him on the shoulder. “She’s hot. She go to our school, Ox?”