AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‡
The wall ofsmoke smacked me in the face.
After a summer spent going to Tilt-a-Whirl, you’d think I’d have gotten used to it, but I never had. I coughed as I entered, waving my hands around, the smoke burning my eyes. Daniel patted my back until I stopped, and then led me straight to the bar to get some water.
As I sipped it, getting my lungs back in order, we scanned the room looking for any sign of Minty or the other guys. With no luck in that regard, we headed to the upstairs bar where Barry was both serving and monitoring the stage preparations for the upcoming drag show.
It wasn’t starring Renée, who was in Nashville performing again, but a newcomer named Pearly Gates—a pretty girl with long black hair (a wig, no doubt) and glowing white skin.
“She’s good,” Barry said without much conviction, leaning against the bar and peering toward the dressing room reserved for the talent. I well recalled the dizzy, drunken night I’d spent back there trying not to puke. Until I had. “No replacement for my woman, but not bad, I guess.”
“Can she bring in a crowd?” Daniel asked, tilting back his water and taking a sip.
He shrugged. “If you stick around, you’ll see for yourselves.”
I didn’t know if we’d stay that long since it was a weeknight, and I still needed to drive Daniel back home at some point.
“Have you seen Minty around?” Daniel asked, leaning his elbows against the bar.
Barry frowned and rubbed at his forehead. “I’ve seen him.”
“And?” Daniel asked.
“And something’s not right with that kid. He’s acting out. Trying to pick fights. Yesterday he came in here with some homophobic jock. The asshole jumped every time someone so much as looked at him. The dick threatened to punch that sweetheart Keith Shipley for asking him to dance. I kicked him out. Minty was pissed. The two of them left together.”
“Fuck,” Daniel muttered.
“I know. Nothing Windy or Antonio could say would stop him, and at that point, I kind of wanted to see him gone myself.”
“You haven’t seen him since?”
“No, but Antonio followed them to the jock’s dorm and Minty came down again after twenty minutes with a glassy-eyed look. Antonio tailed him tohisdorm then. Minty was out of it the whole walk there, didn’t even notice Antonio. Nearly got run over by a car. Something’s not right in a big way. Is it drugs?”
“I don’t think so,” Daniel said. “I think it’s something just as dangerous, though.”
“Do you think he’ll be here tonight?” I asked, my stomach twisting. “Is he—”
“Ah, speak of the devil,” Barry said, nodding toward the stairs where Minty was prancing up in a purple leotard and a green tutu, wearing multiple strings of purple and green Mardi Gras beads wrapped in layers around his wrists and neck.
“Minty!” Daniel called, waving him over. He wore a tight grin that fooled no one. Especially not Minty, who stopped, looked between me and Daniel, and then strode over, with his hands already clenched by his sides.
“What’s up?” He held Daniel’s gaze challengingly. “Did your little boyfriend tell you about my new lovey-bear, and you decided I needed yourguidanceor something?”
“Do you? Need my guidance?” Daniel asked, reaching out to take Minty’s arm, but Minty flinched away. I couldn’t tell if it was from pain or anger, maybe both. “Barry said you brought the guy here last night—”
“His name’sKyleand I’m happy with him, thank you very much.”
“Okay, so you brought Kyle here. What’s the story with him?”
“I told you. He’s my lover.”
“And you’re happy with him?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?” Daniel crossed his arms over his chest, a self-righteousness seeping into his stance that I knew would get under Minty’s skin. And sure enough, it did.
“Because he doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile. He’s rough and mean, and he hates faggots,” Minty said, putting his chin up. “Despite wanting to fuck them. Wanting to fuckme.”
