STRAY KIDS.

XLII. NAKED AND AFRAID

( STRAY KIDS! )
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO.
❝ naked and afraid ❞

  THE PARTY'S ON FRIDAY at nine sharp, and peter's determined to go. to that end, he spends all week cleaning up around the neighborhood, making sure no annoying misdemeanor will interrupt this momentous evening. flash invited eli. sure, his parents made him do it, but he seemed way too pleased for it to be innocent. he might make a move or something. it's his birthday, after all. and peter might accidentally throw him through a window. so, he has to make sure no moves will be made. 

  eli, on her part, seems oblivious to the invitation nefarious intentions.

  "i hope he's got one of those rooms with a telescope. all rich kids do."

peter shakes his head. "you know, we could just wing it and not go."

   "and miss out on seeing flash's baby photos? you know his family's got the album displayed in the foyer," she quips.

  peter chuckles unconvincingly. "why do you want to see him naked anyway?"

  "what?" eli squints at him. "ew, dude. i said baby photos."

  "okay, why do you want to see baby flash naked?"

  eli leans against her locker gracefully. "why do you not?"

  "because i'm not into child nudity?"

  "so...let me get this straight. going to this party means i'm secretly a pedo?"

  peter sighs, leaning forward. "i just think we could be doing something funner, that's all. just you and i."

  "leed's going too," she reminds him with a pointed look. "we can all bail after eleven, if you want. maybe we can work on those captain america videos again. we never did finish our project."

  the memory of that awkward afternoon leaves him with a bad taste in his mouth. he doesn't want to work on that. he wants to spend time with her, alone.

  "remember, if we don't include at least two poo's..."

  "we'd be letting down our entire generation, yeah," he finishes sourly.

so, given eli's lack of awareness, he's definitely going to this thing. and making sure his girl – well, his friend – won't be hit on by an obnoxious DJ with a trust fund.

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this is cringe. i know