Love & Other Curses, 1985 | bxb | ONC 2024

CHAPTER 12 - The Sweaty Lumberjack

Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by slight ligaments are we bound to prosperity and ruin.

~ Mary Shelley, Frankenstein.

Thomas clenched his jaw, his hands forming into fists. The innocent boy who had never been in a fight suddenly wanted one.

You already have me.

Adam's words coursed through his veins like fire as he watched Goth Boy kiss Sally. The skank pressed herself on top of him, letting out disgusting sighs that drove Thomas mad with envy. Without thinking, the angry boy marched toward the recliner, stole Jon's drink from his hand, and dumped it onto their faces.

Sally screamed, blocking Adam's view when she turned. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Damn, that's good beer," Adam said, licking his lips.

Thomas grabbed the nearest cup from the stunned onlookers. When Sally moved out of the way, he splashed the frothy liquid across Adam's shocked face and said, "Then have another."

"What'd I say?" Jon said, shaking Demos. "Dude's bad to the bone."

Demos smiled. "Fuck'n A."

Adam dumped Sally off his lap as he quickly stood amidst hushed laughter and snide comments. She caught herself falling to the floor and swore as the two boys stared at each other from either side of the recliner. Everyone watched on drunken pins and needles. The green-eyed boy seethed with anger no one understood except for Adam, who instantly regretted agreeing to watch the movie with Sally.

"What's going on?" Lilly asked, rushing over from the arcade.

But before anyone could respond, Adam did the only thing he could think of to save Thomas from himself: he grabbed the bowl of popcorn on the table and hurled the contents out over everyone."

"Food fight," someone yelled.

Within seconds, the party room erupted into chaos.

Alcohol sprayed across the room from shaken cans and tossed cups while Reese's Pieces, Airheads, and other hard candy peppered anyone not hiding. The tacky floor crunched under Adam's feet when he approached Thomas in the melee, but Lilly beat him there.

"We have to leave now," she yelled at the two boys.

The three of them worked their way out to the backyard under a shower of alcohol, passing Debbie and others clamoring to get into the house for a piece of the action. She waved at Thomas, signaling him to call her, but Lilly pushed him onto the lawn.

Lilly led the trio as they ran around the house to the front yard and down the long driveway, yelling at Thomas the whole way. "What's wrong with you?" She wiped her wet arms on her shirt when they reached the car. "Mom and Dad are going to kill us—we're freaking soaked in bear."

Adam pulled off his drenched shirt.

"And we're, um—" She stared at his perfect body.

Thomas pushed Lilly toward the car. "We're late, remember? So, let's go."

They rode home in silence with the windows down to air out their malty clothes. Adam breathed in the piney scent while Thomas and Lilly gagged from the heavy alcohol scent. When they passed the rest stop where the arrests happened, the police were long gone, but they could see a couple of suspect vehicles parked in the dark. The grim reminder made Thomas slouch deeper onto his seat.

Each movement from the green-eyed boy tortured Adam. He desperately wanted to talk to Thomas alone, drowning in guilt for letting Sally have her way. The fucking stupid girl never stopped her unwanted advances, and eventually, he gave in to what his body craved as he imagined Thomas there with him. Adam traced the ridges hidden under his arm sleeves as the Monster begged to be heard.