Mark Cooper versus America by Henry Lisa & Rock J.A

Author:Henry, Lisa & Rock, J.A. [Henry, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBT, New Adult, Contemporary
ISBN: 9781623005832
Publisher: Loose Id LLC
Published: 2014-01-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

“Ricketts Glen? That’s awesome,” Deacon said, looking over the brochure Mark had handed him. “Maybe you’ll see a bear.”

“A bear?” Mark said.

“Yeah, there’s lots of wildlife there. Great nature trails.”

“A bear?” Mark repeated.

Deacon glanced up, setting the brochure aside. Mark looked horrified, though Deacon wasn’t sure why. His own pledge retreat hadn’t been anywhere near as cool as Ricketts Glen. The Phi Sigs had taken a bus to Hagerstown, which had had fuck all in the way of places to eat or things to do, and stayed in a motel. “You have a problem with bears?”

“Yes, I have a problem with bears! Bears eat people.”

Deacon laughed. “Hardly ever.”

“Bullshit. I’ve read about grizzlies. They crush your skull, and you’re still alive to feel it.”

“You won’t see grizzlies at Ricketts Glen. Black bears. They’ll just gnaw your leg.” He reached out and snagged a handful of Mark’s khakis.

“Don’t!” Mark yelped as Deacon tugged him forward and onto his lap. They were in Deacon’s room, since Deacon’s roommates were out for a while at some club meeting, and Deacon was sitting at his desk. Mark couldn’t stop sneaking wistful glances at Deacon’s bed. He perched on Deacon’s thigh, and Deacon wound an arm around him.

“You look seriously pale. Are you actually scared of bears?”

“Yes.”

“Bears are adorable. You have way more terrifying shit in Australia, don’t you? Sharks, crocodiles…wombats.”

“Wombats are not terrifying.”

“What am I thinking of? Wolverines?”

“Probably.”

“Do you have wolverines in Australia? Or am I just thinking that because Hugh Jackman’s Australian and he’s Wolverine?”

“We don’t have wolverines.”

“Tasmanian devils?”

“That’s us.”

“See? And you have giant snakes and rabid bugs…”

“Okay, it’s not the set of Tremors, Deke. Sharks and saltwater crocs can get you if you go in the water. Bears can get you anywhere.”

“Climb a tree if you see one,” Deacon suggested. “No, wait, black bears can climb.”

“Stop!” Mark struck his shoulder, and Deacon laughed.

“Grizzlies can climb too, for that matter. Just not as well as black bears.”

“Not funny.” Mark was now smacking Deacon hard enough to qualify as assault.

Deacon snickered as he flinched away from the blows. “What?” he asked mock-innocently. “I’m only trying to help.”

“Fat lot of help you are. I do not want to spend two days at a state park with a bunch of pledges, and I definitely don’t want to do it if there’s even a five percent chance I’ll get eaten by a bear.”

“It’ll be good for you.” Now that Mark had stopped trying to brutalize him, Deacon was able to pull Mark closer against him. “You’ll get to know your fellow pledges, get to know the Pennsylvania wilderness… Plus it’ll be gorgeous this time of year, with the leaves. ”

Mark grumbled, resting his head on Deacon’s shoulder. “Where are you taking your pledge group?”

“Phi Sig stopped doing pledge retreats last year. Don’t really have the money.”

“Oh.”

“Which is why we can only afford modest venues for our semiformals, like the Jameson House, unless some other kindly, deep-pocketed fraternity invites us to share their country club.”

Mark grinned. “It’ll be like we’re going to prom together, Deke.

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