Swimming Sideways by CL Walters

Author:CL Walters [Walters, C L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781734256833
Publisher: Mixed Plate Press

Twenty-Two

The Freak And The Slut

Nothing in my life is going right. Nothing. Despite the afternoon I’d spent with Seth when I thought maybe, just maybe, the storm had finally turned in my favor; it is clear now that was just the eye of a hurricane. Now, the winds are just swirling in the opposite direction. My parents’ fight, my dad leaving, my brothers’ disappointment in me, and now, Seth. He didn’t pick me up to surf the following morning. He hasn’t called. He’s not answering my calls or texts, and he hasn’t been to school. I’m sure something is wrong. The only one I have in my life is Hannah, and for her I’m so grateful, but she doesn’t know about Seth’s father. Only one other person does: Gabe. He’s the only one I can go to for help.

I find him exactly where I think I will, in the junkyard, but the chill in the air is adamant about attention. Instead of sitting on top of the wreckage, Gabe is sitting in the car. He must see me walking across the lot but doesn’t make any indication. When I reach the passenger side, he watches me struggle to open the door and smiles.

“Funny?” I ask from the outside and shoot him a dirty look.

He nods and reaches across to open the door. “I couldn’t resist.”

“Thanks a lot.” I climb in and am pleasantly surprised about how warm it is in the interior of the car.

“Anytime.”

“It’s so cold outside.”

“Is that why you came out all this way? To talk about the weather. Oh, wait. You’re a junkyard dog now too, right.”

“You saw it, then?” I blush, embarrassed.

“Who hasn’t.” He says it so matter-of-factly, without judgement or rancor so any tension I might have felt is gone.

“Looks like I have usurped your title. Jealous?” I joke.

“Fat chance. You’ve got fifteen minutes. I’ve been running this game for three years, sister.”

I laugh despite myself.

He smiles too.

“You okay, though?” He asks, suddenly serious. “For real.”

“In what way?”

He’s confused by my response, glances at me, and his brow creases. “All?”

“I don’t think you’re interested in that train wreck.”

“Try me,” he says and pulls food items from his bag. “But let me get my entertainment fodder together to enjoy the drama.”

I laugh despite the bleakness of it all. “Where to start? You already know that I’m the resident ho.”

Gabe feigns a yawn. Then he smiles and takes a bite of his lunch.

“Stop,” I laugh again. “Who knew you were a comedian?”

He raises his eyebrows and watches me as he takes another bite, urging me forward.

“My dad moved out.”

“Whoa. Wait,” he says and sits up. He swallows the bite. “What the… What happened?”

“I think it has been happening for a while, but it was a couple of nights ago. He hasn’t been home since.”

“Damn. I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. But that is actually not why I hiked out here,” I say suddenly nervous. Whatever the history between Seth and Gabe, this could go very badly.

He takes another bite of sandwich and looks at me sideways, waiting.

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