Page 80 of June

“I talked to Sarah,” he said, looking down at his hands fiddling in his lap. “She told me she only did the whole video thing because she’s liked me for a while and heard I’m… experienced, so she thought she kind of had to, or I’d lose interest.”

“What did you tell her?”

“Well, that I’m notthatexperienced. I’ve been with one girl, and that was over a year ago. We only did it two times, and she said she didn’t want to anymore and went out with some other guy at school, so I don’t know where that rumor came from.”

“Did you play any part in starting it? I know how high school locker rooms are, EJ.”

“No. I mean, some of the guys asked me about that girl, and yeah, I told them the truth, but I didn’t say I had a ton of experience.”

“EJ?”

“Yeah?”

“Your sex life is your business. It’s between you and the woman you’re doing that with. If you’re going to talk about it with anyone else, you need to ask her first. It’s not about whatyoudid. It’s about what you two did together. If you want to tell those friends of yours that you jerk off all day every day in the shower and pretend that I don’t know why it takes so long in there, that’s fine, but sex involves another person, and when you’re in high school, of all places, you–”

“I know,” he said. “But I swear, I didn’t exaggerate or anything. They actually made fun of me because I told them that we did it twice and she ditched me. They said I was bad at it. I didn’t try to, like, correct them or tell them that I was good and it was her fault or anything. I let it go.”

“I hate every teenage boy but you,” Enid said.

“Anyway, we talked last night, and we decided to wait,” he added.

“Yeah? Good.”

“We’re going to the same school in the fall, so there’s no rush, and I can wait.”

“Yes, you can,” Enid said and smiled at him. “I’m proud of you.”

“Youare? Why?”

“Because you could’ve taken advantage of the situation, and you didn’t.”

“But I would have. If you hadn’t walked in, I would’ve done it.”

“But you didn’t know the part about her thinking you would give up on her if she didn’t. You thought it was what she wanted. Once you found out the truth, you did the right thing.”

“I guess. I still feel bad about her thinking that.”

“Good.” Enid chuckled.

EJ laughed, too, and asked, “What are you doing?”

“Just looking for jobs,” she replied.

“No girl today?”

“Not today, no,” she said. “I’m meeting Rory for a late lunch soon. Going to NOLA Guides to pick her up. Want to come?”

“No,” he said. “But thanks. I have a video game thing with a few friends.”

“Does your television have volume control?”

EJ laughed as he stood.

“I’ll wear headphones. My friends are in different cities, so no one is coming over. Chill, Enid. You’re starting to sound like Mom and Dad.”

When he left for his room, Enid sighed again because her little brother was growing up. Yes, he was annoying and full of hormones right now, but he was trying to make the right decisions, and that was what mattered.

She checked the time on her computer and decided to start getting ready and get to NOLA Guides early. She didn’t feel like driving because she knew they’d be eating around the office in the Quarter, so she took a shared ride. Rory had also mentioned that there were two big events in town, so finding parking would be next to impossible, costing her more than the drive there and back anyway, and buses didn’t run in her parents’ neighborhood.

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