King Geordi the Great by Gene Gant

Author:Gene Gant [Gant, Gene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: young adult
ISBN: 978-1-64080-093-9
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2018-01-09T05:00:00+00:00

AROUND MIDAFTERNOON, in my room, Toff was surfing comic book sites on my iPad while I hunched over my phone, texting with Jake. So far, Toff hadn’t said anything about going home, and he hadn’t checked for messages from his dad. I didn’t have the first clue on how to get him to open up.

ButchJake: Need to c u.

LaForge: Y?

ButchJake: Got stuff to talk about.

LaForge: Text.

ButchJake: No. Talk. Face 2 face. I’m outside your house.

I sat up like a dog at attention.

LaForge: NOW?

ButchJake: Yes now.

LaForge: Somebody drove u?

ButchJake: Took Mom’s car, drove myself.

LaForge: WTF?

ButchJake: No license, no permit. Go 2 jail if caught.

LaForge: U r crazy!

ButchJake: Really need to c u. Can I come in and talk?

LaForge: Not a good time. Friend is here. What up?

ButchJake: Really confused 2day. Want so bad to do stuff with a guy.

My heart skipped.

LaForge: Maybe u should go ahead, try it.

ButchJake: Who with?

LaForge: ???

ButchJake: U got a gay friend 4 me?

I didn’t know a single gay dude aside from Toff, and I wasn’t about to share him. Not that he wanted to be shared.

LaForge: Sorry no.

ButchJake: OK. Maybe we can talk another time?

LaForge: Another time 4 sure.

ButchJake: Going now.

I listened. Outside, a car engine churned to life, the sound muffled by the walls of the house. The sound receded and faded out. When I tossed my phone aside, I noticed Toff watching me. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“You look like you’re angry or something. Kinda sad.”

“No, I’m okay. Come on. Let’s go to your house.”

Toff sighed and looked away. “I don’t want to.”

“You have to go home eventually. Might as well be now.”

“Why? Can’t we just hang out some more, you and me?”

“Come on, man. Grab your backpack and let’s go.”

We walked the distance to Toff’s house in silence. As I expected, his father’s car wasn’t in the driveway. Toff tossed his backpack on the porch and sat down on the steps. He leaned forward, forearms braced across his knees, staring at his feet.

I stood in front of him. “Where’s your dad, Toff?”

“I don’t know.”

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

Being back at his house seemed to change him. The shell he’d put on at my place fell away. Fear surfaced in his eyes, so sudden and strong it made his face go pale. Panic was only a few heartbeats away. He put his hand over his mouth as if to smother a scream.

My own panicky feelings started up, a frantic flutter in my stomach. I sat down beside Toff and put my arm around his shoulders. “What is it, man? Please tell me. If you really want me for a boyfriend, you can’t shut me out. Tell me what’s going on with your dad.”

Toff squeezed his eyes tight, his hand still over his mouth. After a moment, he pulled his hand away and opened his eyes. “He left me,” he said in a quiet voice.

“What?”

“My dad left me. I checked his room yesterday. All his clothes and stuff are gone. He must’ve had them packed in the trunk that morning he said he was going off to fish.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.