Burning Sage

Chapter 3: Hissy Fit

Hampton was a speck on the map, nestled in the heart of North Dakota. There's not much to do in Hampton, being that it's a small town, featuring a lulling town square as its main attraction. I'd spent my childhood growing up here - then two years ago I moved down south to Tennessee with my dad for a year. He died. I killed him. I don't like talking about it. It's not daddy issues, I swear. And now things are awkward in the family. Me and my brother chose to go live with my dad after the divorce instead of her. So now, anytime me and my brother even mention our dad to momma, she'll boil over and scold us with her words. I like to think that's why I'm stuck in my head.

Eventually me and Hope found the car, being parked in the center of the crowded parking lot. I was the first to get in, that empty stomach of mine made me restless and ready to go. My head throbbed like a raging erection, and my guts were caving in. Hope didn't get in the car right away, rather waddled around to the passenger side window and asked in that born-in-a-barn voice of hers, "Do ya have a change of clothes? This dress is bitin the sam hill outta me"

"Basketball shorts and a jersey in the trunk if you want it." I always kept my shorts and jersey in the car. Basketball was my saving grace, an escape from the real world. Most of the boys I knew were into more mundane things - video games and jerking off, but I was lucky enough to play with bigger balls. I'd never lost a 1v1 pickup game, I thought, but then I remembered I was white. My biggest feat was playing a pick up game against Kyle Korver. He's retired now, a little slow and all, but still, that man was a walking bucket. Best day of my life.

Hope came waddling back around the white suv and got into the driver's seat. "Jesus ya need to wash ya damn clothes, they're all sweaty." With her little nose turnt up, she tossed them into the backseat. "What did you expect?" I asked.

"It's fine Sage. I'll manage. Done it all my life." Hope cranked the car, and picked at her cotton candy braces for a moment. I was more tired by the second, practically dreaming of a one night stand with my pillow. I hated myself for not going after Maple. I needed to be stronger, darker than her next time. I couldn't lose another fight to Blondy. Not one like this. I couldn't handle having my dick being the cynosure of another argument.

To be honest, I fantasized about Maple crawling back. She'd be more desperate then. But even so, Luke was giving it to her from Hope's account, and I couldn't stomach her doing cloying acts with him, or anyone, not even me sometimes.

Suddenly, as if God were playing a prank on me, Maple came running through the crowd and towards the r.v. She scampered along the tarry asphalt and held her purple dress in a not so modest way. "Oh my God." I palmed my hand and looked over at Hope, "She's going to bitch me out, please, just please don't say anything that'll piss her off!" I wish Hope had driven off into the dark then and there, leaving Maple behind while I thought of a better way to deal with my problems. "I mean ya deserve it, showin ya dick off at prom."

Maple swung the door open and threw herself into the backseat. "What happened to you?" I asked. Maple blazed her gray eyes into mine, slamming the car door shut. It was like she could read my mind so easily, and pick me apart like a vulture. Her streaky makeup shined brighter than the sun. Partially because she was sweating, and partially because she was crying. Even so, she brought a breeze of her spirit in the car.

"You'd know if you fucking came WITH." Blondy buried her face into her kittenish hands. She cried like a little girl, who'd gotten her hopes up too easily. "You explicitly told me not to come with you." I didn't feel like throwing her a pity party. And that's what she wanted. I'd already gone to a couple of those tonight. I wanted to put those in the past, and pray for a brighter future, but things are never that simple. I prayed for a soulful cure to fix all my problems. I'd been vaccinated with the blood of Christ... but I was starting to feel sick again. Sick of all this bullshit Maple had concocted!