You can’t feel that way.
Rage-fueled words froth
from my
mouth. “That’s
exactly how I feel, and if
you don’t like it, fuck you.”
NIKKI’S EYES
Go wide, and I realize what
I just said. “I’m sorry,” I try.
I reach for her, but she slaps
my hand away. She stands,
goes to the closet for clothes.
Her voice is dead calm
when she says, You never tell
me how you feel about anything,
Hunter. You never communicate
at all. In fact, you might want
to rethink your major. And while
you’re doing that, you’d better rethink
you and me. If we can’t talk about
things like your “previous mother,”
we don’t have much of a future together.
I don’t know what to say.
All this because of Kristina?
I watch Nikki slip into jeans,
a curve-hugging jade green
sweater. For the millionth time,
I think how beautiful she is.
But what is it with women
and talking? Some things were