“Sure,” he said, squeezing me tighter. “That’s all I could ever want. My kinky, kinky boyfriend.”
 
 With the power of my mind, I tried to relay to him that his death would not be quick or easy and that I would make him understand what true suffering meant.
 
 Apparently, he didn’t understand because he just grinned at me. That dickbag.
 
 “You know what this means, right?” Paul asked me, and I just knew I didn’t want to hear the words that came next. Paul tended to have the worst possible ideas at the worst possible time.
 
 “What?” I asked, my voice trembling.
 
 He smiled at me, and it was a thing of dark malevolence. “It means,” he said, “that we can double date. Just the four of us. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
 
 And I thought there was a distinct possibility that I would rather be waterboarded. With bleach. On my birthday. In Kentucky. “Great,” I said. “Super great. Like, the greatest idea you’ve ever had.”
 
 “Perfect.” Paul beamed. “We’ll go Friday night. I know just the place.”
 
 I hoped that before Friday, I’d die in a shark attack.
 
 Spoiler alert: I didn’t.
 
 Chapter 9: It’s Best to Have Group Text with Your Family
 
 GROUP MESSAGE: Nana Larry Matty Paul Vince Corey Sandy
 
 Paul: FYI—Sandy & Darren are dating now
 
 Nana: WTF JFC LOL
 
 Corey: You can’t spring this on me while I’m in class!!!! >:[
 
 Larry: What?!?!
 
 Matty: I KNEW IT
 
 Vince: I had to see them nekkid.
 
 Nana: Nekkid? Why were they nekkid? LMAO YOLO
 
 Vince: sandy makin sex face >__<