Page 45 of Summer of the Boy

“Thought I told you to shut it.” Gabe steps forward, like he’s coming for Rid. I move myself between them. If he tries to hit Ridley, I’ll beat the shit out of him.

The air charges around us, an electric current feeding the vibe as we prepare to come to blows. And not the kind Gabe was originally after.

Saved by Amanda. She clears her throat. She’d been listening the whole time. With her presence, Ridley speaks up one last time, putting the issue to bed. “Here’s what’s going to happen, Gabe. You aren’t going to say a thing about me and Leif being together today. You don’t want anyone to know you like sex with men. All three of us know you do. The court will find me competent. I’m not worried. But what would your girlfriend think?”

“No one would believe you.”

“Really?” I ask him, sarcastically. “Because from my experience, all it takes is for someone to start a rumor. When three people start it, it’ll spread like a wildfire. I don’t like the idea of outing anyone. But if you force my hand, you get it.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Ridley.”

“And there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Leif,” Rid adds.

“And there’s nothingIwouldn’t do for either of them,” Amanda throws in. “They’re my friends.”

“Damn Amanda, we’re friends,” Gabe whines.

“We aren’t friends. Yourgirlfriendis my friend. My friend you’re trying to screw over by cheating on her.”

Gabe’s eyes go wide only for a second before he forces the cool persona out again. “Whatever.” He tries to recover. “We’re done Fraser. Don’t come crawling back to me when the spaz spazzes.”

The three of us stand in the men’s bathroom watching Gabe Cera leave. With the knowledge of what him finding us could have meant, could still mean, we just watch lacking the ability to speak.

Then Amanda breaks the silence. “One down. One to go.” Ain’t it the truth?

Even as Rid and I fall back into our clinch, arms tight as we hold each other, I look over my shoulder and tell her, “thanks.” I wish I had a better word to give her to express the sentiment of how grateful I am. But I’m not sure that word exists. And I haveRidin aclinch.

Amanda sighs long. “I remember those days. Enjoy you two. I’ll just be outside waiting.”

Ridley only gives me a couple seconds to feel bad for how I ended things with Amanda, and pretty much using her today. His lips crush against mine once again and I only feel Ridley for twenty more minutes.

***

“Happy birthdayto me.” Ridley shouts over the phone. No hello. But he doesn’t need to say hello because I know what that happy birthday means.

“I’m on my way, babe. Be there in twenty.”

“We didn’t even have to go into a courtroom.” Ridley’s excitement is palpable. I feel it thought the receiver. “Back when I had my test, I went into a room with the psychiatrist. He had a laptop open in front of him. He asked me questions from the laptop and typed my answers. It took about an hour. Then I had to wait, that’s what I’ve been doing, waiting for today. I saw my mom walk in, but I didn’t say hi or anything. After another hour me and my mom were called into an arbitration room where we were told I’m perfectly competent to make decisions on my own life.”

“I knew it, babe.” My call waiting beeps. “Hey hang on. It’s my lawyer.” I click over to the other line. “Hello?”

“Leif?” My lawyer asks.

“Yes.”

“Happy to report, all charges have been dropped. Your friend was found mentally competent. Since any case they might have had against you rested on those test results, they had no choice.”

“I know. He’s on the other line. Thanks.”

“Well then, I’ll let you get back to him.” And the lawyer hangs up.

I switch back to Rid. “All chargesdropped.” I yell into the phone.

To Rid’s responding, “Woo-hoo.” Followed by a joyful belly laugh. “Best birthdayever,” he shouts then.

“Best birthday ever,” I agree.

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