Page 31 of The Locker Room

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grown-up, he could create a home with this in it. He had a sudden vision

of himself and Christian making pancakes and serving breakfast to

Christian"s parents. God, he wanted to have a home with this in it.

He stepped back, feeling awkward, and looked around for Penny.

He"d enjoyed Christian"s little sister over the last year. She was self-

involved (because she was twelve, and that came with the animal, like an

obsession over makeup and the constant feeling of superiority). But she

was also funny, and he"d seen her tutor Christian in math, and she was

patient and tried very hard not to make him feel stupid, even though she

was three years younger and totally got what he didn"t.

“Penny!” Jed called. “Xander"s here!”

“I know, Dad!” came a muffled voice from the bathroom. “I"m

doing my makeup!”

The Locker Room

27

“Geez,” Jed complained good-naturedly. “I thought she"d already

done that. Any more mascara and she"ll look like a raccoon!”

Xander smiled appreciatively, although he didn"t really notice

girls—had, in fact, really only noticed Christian—and Andi sat them

down and started asking questions about his foster home.

Xander answered honestly. He told them about the bed that was too

small, and the three other roommates. He left off that two of the

roommates had noisy sex in the bathrooms, but did tell them that his

belongings were still, as always, all in a plastic garbage bag.

Andi and Jed met eyes, and Andi nodded her head. Jed sighed, and

agreed.

“Look, Xander, when do you turn sixteen?”

Xander had to think about that. When he was a kid he remembered

birthday parties, before his mom and the drugs had become inseparable.

Then he remembered the paperwork that had been filled out for him as

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