Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez Read Free Book Online Page B

Nelson, whispering, “You’ll never believe what happened yesterday.” Nelson waved the photo, hoping to make it develop faster. “Don’t tell me. I know it’s a remote possibility since you hardly ever mention him, but by some bizarro chance could it have anything to do with Jason?” Kyle grinned. “Yep.”
    “You saw her in the bathroom and caught a glimpse of her pee-pee?”
    Kyle shot him a hostile look and pulled his backpack up on his shoulder. “Shut up.” Nelson swatted him with the photo. “The bell’s about to ring. Tell me!”
    Kyle’s lips parted into a tremendous, gleaming grin. “He let me give him a ride home. Can you believe it? He sat in my car, right there beside me.”
    That was chummy, Nelson thought. He tasted bile at the back of his throat, like he had just burped up something. “So?” he asked cautiously. “He was in your car. B.F.D. What happened?”
    Kyle leaned back dreamily. “We talked—”
    The brightness of Kyle’s teeth suddenly annoyed Nelson. “Did you at least get a little feel?” Kyle stared at him. “Huh?” Then his smile fell. “You’re a real jerk, you know that?”
    “Yeah?” Nelson said. “Well, just because you get your braces off and give ultrajock a ride home, don’t act like such hot shit all of a sudden.”
    The bell rang. Nelson turned and stormed off, not sure why he felt so angry. During homeroom he stared at the photo of Kyle’s gleaming smile, feeling stupid. Why should it bother him that Kyle and Jason were alone together in a car? He wasn’t in love with Kyle. He hated Kyle. Kyle was a dickhead in love with a frizzy-haired jerk.
    A fter school, Nelson walked to Shea’s and vented. “I don’t know why I got so upset. I always knew he had the hots for Jason. It never used to bother me. I guess I didn’t think it would go anywhere. Now suddenly he’s giving him rides home.” He pulled the Polaroid from his backpack. “Want to see him without braces?”
    Shea admired the photo. “He looks great.”
    Nelson flicked his ashes into the incense bowl. “Maybe I am in love with him. But what’s the point? He’s not interested in me. Why would he be? Look at me.” He slapped his hips. “My butt’s big as a beehive. My legs are like sticks. Everything’s out of proportion, like a fun-house mirror. It’s tragic. I hate my body.”
    Shea pursed her lips. “Don’t be so harsh! You have a nice body … for a guy. You have a cute smile, nice broad shoulders, and a sexy butt.” She pinched it, as though to prove her point.
    “Hey!” He slapped her wrist.
    “Nelson, you’re good looking. What’s tragic is you don’t see it.”
    He didn’t believe her. She was just saying that because she was his friend.
    The phone rang. Caitlin. Big surprise. While they talked, Nelson stared in the mirror at himself. He did have nice shoulders, considering he never worked out. Maybe he should take steroids. In the meantime, he needed to ditch the lemon-lime hair. He curled a finger through it and looked at Shea’s hair. She had a cute perm. He thought of Jason’s hair, with those dark, wild curls—talk about Miss Mess, though it did look sexy.
    “How about,” he asked Shea when she hung up, “dark brown wild, sexy curls.” She pouted. That was weird, considering she’d just talked with Caitlin. He walked over and put his arm around her. “Something wrong?”
    She stared wistfully at the phone. “Caitlin is applying to Smith for next year. It’s supposed to have an incredible lesbian community.”
    “So?” he asked. “Can’t you move up with her?”
    Shea gave a halfhearted shrug. “I could. I’ll have my beauty-school certificate then. I can cut hair anywhere. But … I hoped she’d choose a local school. I’m not sure I want to leave Mom, or you and my other friends.” Her green eyes twinkled at him.
    “A ll right,” he said. “Don’t get gooey on me.”
    Nelson’s perm didn’t come out exactly like he’d hoped. When he