Page 67 of The Corruption of Hollis Brown

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Walt replied.

Timothy said nothing to him until the end of class, while he was shoving his things in his backpack.

“James wants you to come by his gym. I know you said you weren’t interested, but he’s a hard guy to shake.”

“He looking for a rematch?” Walt asked.

“Fuck no.” Timothy smirked. “But he has a match and wants to let you know you’re welcome to watch. See if you change your mind.”

Timothy swung his bag over his shoulder.

“You can say yes or no.”

I don’t know if this is a good idea.

“Tell him I’m busy tonight, but I’m open to the next one.”

Timothy nodded. He handed Walt his phone.

“Put your number in.”

Antigone

Yulia was playing with his hand. Dragging her fingers up and down the length of it, pinching the skin between his thumb and his pointer, digging circles into the center of his palm.

Walt was keenly aware of it, and Hollis was watching him.

As much as one could watch in this situation.

He cataloged what things made Walt want to twitch, the pressures that made him want to close their eyes. They sat unmoving, watching the whiteboard. Walt slid their gaze over the curve of Yulia’s brow, the flick of her lashes.

I would love her, if I had the chance, Walt said.

Hmm. What would that look like? If you had your own body, I mean.

I’d be kind to her always. Work hard for her. Make myself good enough to introduce to her family. She likes bread, so I’d get her that instead of flowers. After we wed, I’d fill our house with it, make it fresh for her every day after work.

You’re a romantic.

It was just the way.

Yulia doesn’t like boys. But I’m sure if you were you, she wouldn’t mind having you around the way she likes having me around. Hand?

Walt gave it to him, and Hollis curled his fingers until he and Yulia were holding hands properly.

She sighed, laid her head down on the desk, and closed her eyes.

Hungers

Hollis sat in the back of Yulia’s car like he always did, but Annie kept looking at him in the rearview mirror. She was talking about a project she was working on. Something about armor made of resin.

“You could probably also do chain mail made of plastic as well. It wouldn’t be the same as a full resin suit of arms, but you’d be able to retain the transparency,” Yulia was saying.

“But the whole point is for the entire thing to be resin,” Annie griped.

Mouth.