Page 23 of The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose
“I’m not telling you where I live.”
“Fine, then walk into the road and get run over.”
Dexter seemed to consider his words for a moment, his face pale, hair a mess. “Camden.”
“What?”
“I live in Camden,” he said incredibly slowly, words beyond slurred as he waved his hands in front of him for no reason. He looked as if he might take a step closer to Jonah, but instead he twisted on his heel and fell to the ground. Jonah looked at him and waited for him to stand, but he didn’t; he just lay there, back flat against the pavement as he looked up at the night sky. A horrible realization dawned on Jonah: He was going to have to get the idiot home.
“I live in Camden too,” Jonah said, pulling his phone out of his pocket to open the Uber app. “We can get a ride together. What road are you on?”
“Lawford.”
Jonah paused and shuddered at just how close they lived to one another. “Get up.”
“No.”
“Get up or I will drag you up.”
“You can’t drag me anywhere.”
Jonah put his phone away and gazed down at him. “Okay, stay there until the car comes.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
He should have been back in the bar with Man Bun. But no. Yet again, whatever divine being looked down on the world decided they hated Jonah and cursed him with the eternal plague that was Dexter Ellis.
Twelve
“And when we die our bodies will create a constellation. We will live forever.”
—“The Melody of Achilles and Patroclus,”The Wooden Horse, Act One
“Carlos,” Dexter said, leaning forward in his seat to tap the driver on the shoulder. “Take us to The World’s End.”
“Don’t listen to him, Carlos,” Jonah mumbled, trying to focus on the screen on his phone rather than the drunk imbecile beside him in the back of the car.
“I want to go to the pub,” Dexter said, continuing his pestering of poor Carlos. “The World’s End.”
“Sure thing,” Carlos said, coming to a junction and signaling left, the opposite direction from the home address Jonah gave him.
Jonah lowered his phone. “It’s closed,” he said. “Carlos, keep going to Lawford Road.” Carlos signaled right.
“Carlos!” Dexter whined. “Carlos, old buddy, old pal. Please, don’t listen to this absolute swine. He knows nothing.” God, drunk Dexter was insufferable. Carlos hesitated.
“Lawford Road, Carlos. I’m paying for this, not him.”
Dexter scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. “I can pay for myself. I will give you a tip too. The World’s End. Go! Ahead! God’s speed!”
“One star, Carlos,” Jonah warned. “I swear I will give you one star.” The debate ended and Carlos swiftly headed toward Lawford Road. Dextergroaned and knocked his head against the window, leaving a sweat mark where his skin touched the glass. His cheeks were flushed against his pale skin, his tan from a few weeks ago faded, and Jonah wondered if he’d been on holiday to have had such a color. He could ask him; Dexter might even indulge Jonah in his drunken state, but Jonah couldn’t help the burning rage inside of his chest at the blond having cock-blocked him by being such a messy drunk, so any small talk questions fizzled out on his tongue.
“I can’t believe I lost my jumper,” Dexter pouted as he pressed a finger to the car window. “I lose everything.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.”
“I do, though.” His eyes glazed over as he watched London pass beyond the glass, bright lights fading as they neared Camden and the town became sleepy. “You wouldn’t understand. You get everything you want. Bet you don’t lose your clothes.”
Edward came to Jonah’s mind. Again. God, he wanted him to disintegrate into specks of dust so tiny he wouldn’t be able to recognize him anymore. He wished he’d stayed at the bar, even if just to make out with Man Bun for a little longer, even if it went no further. He needed the attention, he needed to forget. More than anything, he needed to rectify the fact that the last hands to touch him intimately were Edward’s. He looked down at his phone and opened FullStack to see eight new matches, and only three of them started the conversation with pictures of their penises. He lingered on one photo, the angle actually quite flattering, before Dexter swiped the phone from his hand.
