Bleed Like Me by C. Desir Read Free Book Online Page B

started. The screaming. The stern lecture from Dad. The threats from both of them. Miguel smiled at me from across the table, picking up another blueberry and flinging it at Alex without anyone noticing. Alex started kicking thelegs of the table so orange juice and water sloshed onto the vinyl tablecloth. I might have been mortified if I hadn’t lived through the scene more times than I could count. I eyed the people around us and gave them my “carry on, nothing to see here” smile.
    â€œExcuse me,” I said. “I’m using the bathroom.”
    My parents ignored me and kept badgering Luis. I bolted toward the back of the restaurant and slipped inside the bathroom, propelling myself to the last stall. My phone found its way into my hands without me being fully aware of what I was doing. My fingers lingered over Brooks’s number for only a second before pressing it.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” I asked as soon as he picked up.
    â€œMasturbating. You?”
    â€œGross. Forget it. I’ll talk to you later.”
    He laughed. “Gannon. I’m messing with you. I was sleeping. What’re you doing?”
    â€œEscaping from a family breakfast by hiding in the bathroom.” My voice sounded too giddy, too excited about talking to him, so I coughed.
    â€œYou want me to pick you up?” I heard rustling in the background and then a crash, followed by him swearing.
    â€œWhat’re you doing? Seriously.”
    â€œJesus Christ, Gannon. It’s frickin’ ten thirty on a Sunday morning. What do you think I’m doing? I’m getting dressed. You woke me up.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œWhat, no apology?” I could almost hear his smirk through the phone.
    â€œNo. I don’t apologize.”
    He laughed again and then I heard the click of a lighter. He inhaled deeply. God, a filtered menthol would go so far in making the House of Pancakes experience tolerable.
    â€œWhere are you?” he said as he exhaled.
    â€œYou can’t come get me. It’s Sunday breakfast. My parents have a rule.”
    His dark chuckle curled around me. “Yeah. I’m not so good with rules. Is there a window in there?”
    I peeked out of the stall. “Yeah. It’s sort of high up and it doesn’t look like it opens.”
    â€œWhere are you?”
    â€œHouse of Pancakes.”
    â€œWhat side of the building is the bathroom?”
    â€œThe back. What’re you thinking about doing?”
    â€œStay there. I’ll come get you in twenty minutes.”
    I laughed. “I’m not staying in the bathroom for twenty minutes. It smells like the El in here.”
    â€œI don’t give a shit if you stay or you don’t. Just make sure you’re back there in twenty minutes. I’m coming for you.”
    â€œDid you even hear me? The window doesn’t look like it opens.”
    â€œWell, sweetheart,” he said, “it’s your lucky day. If you recall, I’m good with windows.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œTwenty minutes. Don’t disappoint me.”
    He clicked off and I looked at my phone. There was no way he was coming to get me. And if he was, he wouldn’t be able to get through the window. But I felt better knowing he had considered it. Knowing that someone might break a window to save me from family breakfast. I shook my head. So messed up.
    Things had calmed down at the table when I returned. Luis was sitting too close to Dad, wearing a sneer on his face. Alex had ordered his second meal. He did it to my parents all the time. Ordered something and refused to eat it, deciding he wanted something else. I thought they should just tell him tough shit, but my parents were psycho about Alex eating because he was basically starved when they found him in Guatemala City.
    Seventeen minutes later my parents had asked for the check and were finishing up their coffee. Luis sat with his arms crossed, glaring daggers at