Slow Burn by Nina Perez Read Free Book Online

next and I don’t want to know. I was afraid it was something he’d never be able to take back. You should have seen him. I’d never seen him that drunk.”
     
    “So what happened next?”
     
    “Well, I thought that was pretty obvious,” I replied, pointing to the bag of baby carrots. “He hit me back. A few times.”  And I’d let him.
     
    “Is this what you want? To beat someone up because you’re so angry?  Is this easier for you than talking to your two best friends?” I shouted from my position on the grass. I wasn’t going to get up and fight my friend. I could have withstood a thousand punches if it meant sparing Paul a verbal assault. Paul and Derrick tried to step between us and we’d attracted quite a crowd. Max sobered up enough to have the decency to look slightly ashamed.
     
    “Well, isn’t this what you two expect of me anyway?”
     
    He turned and stumbled off into the park, knocking into people along the way.  He brushed against Mr. McCarthy who tried to steady Max on his feet. An electronic voice escaped from his costume: To infinity and beyond!
     
    “It would have been funny if my face didn’t hurt so damn bad,” I told Chloe.
     
    “Patrick, I’m so sorry.”
     
    “Don’t be. You didn’t do anything.”

“I just know how much they both mean to you. I’m sorry that things have come to this,” she said, pointing to my face. “How’s Paul?” 
     
    “He and Derrick drove me home. He’s a mess. This is hands down the biggest test of our friendship and it doesn’t look like it’s going to end very well.”
     
    “I can’t make excuses for Max’s behavior, but maybe you guys should give him more time. Again, no excuse, but you knew his reaction wasn’t going to be the same as yours and you’ve had years to deal with it. I know from recent experience that no matter what their motives, it always sucks to find out someone you’re close to has been keeping something from you. Especially something so important.”
     
    “How do you do that?”
     
    “Do what?”
     
    “Make me feel like this.”
     
    “How do I make you feel exactly?”
     
    She was smiling and brushing my hair back from my forehead. I couldn’t smile, mostly because it hurt to, but also because I wanted her to know I was dead serious when I answered.
     
    “You make me feel better than anyone ever has.”
     
    “Well, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” she said.  
     
    “Uh, oh.” I smiled and immediately regretted it.  “Ouch.”
     
    “Here, let Mama make it better.”
     
    Then she gently kissed every inch of my lips. And it felt better.