13 Chapter 13

“I picture you a sexual beast, Justice Becker.”

“Freddie!” I wondered if I could still blush.

“I picture it often, in fact.”

“Not so loud.”

“Was I loud? I really can’t tell.”

“A little,” Curtis said, rejoining us.

“Well…” Freddie did lower his voice. “I was just trying to evoke some sort of emotion in Justice here.”

“Did you succeed?” Curtis mussed my short but dark curly hair, as if my age was just a number, relative, less than his and Freddie’s but inconsequential in any other way.

“We know full well love is something he believes in,” Freddie said softly. “At least you did once.”

* * * *

“Can you love me someday, Justice? Someday…if not now?”

“I love you now, God damn it!”

“Then why can’t we be together?”

* * * *