Fallout (Crank 3)

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