understand. You and Matt
are finished, right? He sounds
mean, but his eyes are pleading.
“I love you, Kyle. Not Matt.
I could never be with him
again.” His grip does not
loosen, so I quickly add,
“But my knees are killing me.”
Everything about him relaxes,
and he laughs. Why didn’t you
say so? As I slide to one side,
he suddenly gets the picture. Gain
an amazing girl. Lose a best friend.
THAT MAKES HIM WANT
A cigarette. He reaches into
the glove box for a pack
of Marlboros. Want one?
I shake my head. “Don’t
smoke. It’s seriously
bad for my asthma.”
He looks at the cigarette
he’s about to light up.
Asthma? Does he think
it’s a test? “Yeah. But go
ahead if you need to.
Not like it’s anything new.”
He thinks about it for
a second or two. Put your
shirt on. Let’s take a walk.
It’s a brisk fifty degrees