Sticks and Stones

Chapter 4

"There's a party tonight. You should come." I glanced over at Rory. He was laying across one of the stone walls that ran up the stairs into the school. His head dangled upside down off of one end, his feet sloping the ramp. The sun glinted over his body and through his golden hair, casting a shadow on where I sat a few steps below him.

"Why would I want to do that? So I can be mocked by all the assholes there?"

"No dude, forget these losers. It's a whole different crowd tonight, you'll fit right in. Besides, there's someone I want you to meet." I glared at him.

"I'm not going to some party just to meet your latest fuck-buddy." I growled. Rory rolled his eyes and grinned at me.

"Not someone for me, someone for you. Just your type: tall, dark, and fabulous." He said slyly. Rory setting me up? Well that was a first. Usually he just used me like other guys use puppies to attract girls. Excuse me miss, would you like to meet my pet homosexual? See how I'm so secure that I can have gay friends and not feel gay? I flicked my eyes from where I was watching some guys playing football on the school lawn to Rory's face.

"Ok, I'm interested."

"I hoped you'd say that. I'll pick you up at seven then?" With that he hopped off the stairs and started towards the parking lot. I trailed after him.

"Well, what's he like?" I desperately wanted to know what kind of guy he'd set me up with. "I don't want this to be another Toby." Rory visibly flinched.

"Ouch man, that's cold. I set you up with a straight guy one time-"

"His father was a minister!"

"Have you ever heard of Catholic priests? None of them are walking the straight and narrow."

"Just tell me!" I glowered at him. He looked even more smug than before, if that was possible.

"Nuh, uh, uh, wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. His name's Cole and that's all you need to know. Oh and he can be a little intense, you'll see." He said, clearly having more fun than he should have. Intense? What the hell does that mean? Rory opened the door to his bug and got in, throwing his backpack into the back seat. I caught the door as he went to shut it.

"What am I supposed to wear?"

"Whatever you want." Rory laughed as he pulled the door shut.

***

"So what do you think, Nagi? Does tonight have chance of ending well?" The ball python remained impassive, continuing its tightening strangle hold on my arm. Usually there were only dogs and cats at the shelter, sometimes the occasional bird or ferret. But this week alone we'd gotten in two pythons, an African Grey Parrot, a chinchilla, and a fox. Must be a full moon or something.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." I sighed, unwinding his coils and returning him to his glass tank. After double checking the latches on all of our new arrivals' cages I washed my hands and wandered down through the fluorescent lit hallways. The dog kennels were in the right wing of the building, the opposite side from both the cats and the exotics. The clinic, which also served as the local vet's office, had found a happy home between the two, creating an effective sound barrier. I'd already finished my rounds today but always liked to end my final hour with an old timer here at the shelter. I pushed open the entrance to the dog kennels, readying myself for the sudden burst of noise. They all seemed to catch my scent at once, throwing up a wall of sound so intense it just about knocked you off your feet the first time.

"Hey Randall, how are you buddy?" I called as I unlocked his kennel door and slipped inside. The blue-ticked mutt lifted his head off his paws and thumped his tail slightly, a better response than most people got. At only four he wasn't old by any standards, but two years in this place had worn on him.