Page 102 of Strange Lad

“You okay?” I hear, recognizing Manuel’s voice.

I shake my head. “I have to leave.”

“Do you know that Puto?”

Again, I shake my head.

“Some lady called the cops.”

I won’t be staying. Reaching into my pocket, I quickly dial Jorge’s number. He answers on the second ring. “Hey. I was just going to text you—”

“Come get me,” I rasp, walking away from Manuel’s confused look.

“What happened?”

Closing my eyes and swallowing the bitter taste in my mouth, I hang my head and whisper, “Please.”

“Okay, babe. I’ll be right there.”

“Stay on the phone with me. I—Jorge.Fuck.”

“I’m right here. Heading out now.”

Jorge

Motion Of Love

“It’d be so much easier to just get fucked up,” Oli growls, pacing in my living room—sans shoes because he threw up all over his work boots.

By the time I got to his work, Morgan had fled the scene.

“No, it wouldn’t. That’s avoiding the issue.”

“Like you’d know?”

I blow out a breath, trying to keep my cool because Oli is deranged right now. He’s completely off his rocker. Eyes wide, hair wild, and panting like a chained tiger, he hasn’t stopped talking about relapsing since we got back. “I wouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand.”

“Fuck that. Fuckthis, Jorge. I’m sick of it. Sick of being such a broken fuck. I should’ve knocked him down. Should’ve beat the living shit out of him, and I froze. Ifroze.”

“That’s not your fault,” I try to pacify him, but it makes it worse.

“Itis. All of this is my fault!” He throws a punch, creating a nice-sized hole in my wall.

“You’re going to fix that,” I grumble. “What do you want to do about it? Being angry isn’t going to change a fucking thing. Getting high isn’t either, Oli. Do you want to report his ass? We can go down to the station right now.”

“It’s too late for that,” he huffs, shaking his hand and eyeing the wall with guilt. “Statute of limitations or whatever.”

“So? He’s a fucking predator! Maybe he’s done it to someone else, and all they need isyourvoice to put him in jail!” I can’t help but raise my voice.

We have todosomething. We can’t just let this go on.

“I don’t have a voice! That’s why this happened! Because I couldn’t fuckingspeak.Not even to you!”

I flinch at the pain in his words.

“You all but walked in on it happening. You saw me leave. Yousaw me.And I said nothing. Nothing.” Raking both hands through his hair, he spins in place like he’s searching for something—anything to make it better.

“Oli, I’m trying to help. It’s all I know how to do. Let me fucking help.”

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