A Busted Afternoon Read Online Free

how his stupid
crush on that boy started, Sammy didn’t know. It had just always been a
part of him. He always thought he would outgrow it, somehow. Only, he
never had. Even though Ed was clearly nothing special. Not anything
worth walking in the freezing cold for, in the middle of a painted
desert, dozens, if not hundreds, of miles from civilization.
    Sammy wasn’t even entirely sure what he
wanted from Ed. He had heard all the locker room talk about the girls
who were easy, who’d put out on Saturday night, then turn around and be
all fresh and virginal on Sunday morning. He had seen a few dirty
magazines, and there were rumors of films that actually showed tits and
ass, but Sammy didn’t put much stock in those rumors. And he had grown
up on a farm. He’d been watching the animals fuck since he was old
enough to walk. Sex really had no surprises for him.
    Except that he didn’t want to have sex with any of the girls he knew in high school.
    He wanted to have sex with Ed. When he got
himself off, he thought about Ed working on the farm, without a shirt,
his skin brown and glistening beneath the unforgiving sun. He thought
about the way Ed smelled after a hard day’s work—the strong, musty
scent of his skin, and dirt, and sweat. His hair damp, hanging over his
brow. His full mouth parted so he could catch his breath, his dark
lashes—almost as long as a girl’s—shielding his eyes. Ed had always
kind of reminded Sam of a girl. His features had always been a little
too thin, a little too fine for a boy’s. But at some point after their
junior year, Ed had gone through a transformation. Now the details that
had always been a little off seemed absolutely perfect. He could be an
actor. Sammy didn’t have a hard time imagining him on a giant movie
screen.
    He didn’t have a hard time imagining Ed in any situation. Which was part of his problem.
    “Fucking jerk. Fucking asshole. Who the fuck does he think he is?”
    Sammy started to walk faster as he spoke,
until he was moving at a brisk jog, his feet splashing through
deepening puddles and sending tiny droplets of water flying every
direction. Not that they made a big difference in the rain. Lightning
danced around him, splitting the sky into ragged pieces, like a jigsaw
puzzle barely held together. The air buzzed with electricity, making
his arms and the back of his neck itch. Thunder boomed again and again,
until all the sound rolled together and there wasn’t a moment of
silence. Nothing was still. Sammy could barely hear himself, or the
litany of curses falling from his mouth.
    That was why he reacted on instinct when
he felt a sudden hand on his right shoulder. He swung with his left
fist, his knuckles connecting with the soft skin at the corner of Ed’s
mouth.
    “What the fuck was that for?” Blood was already rolling down Ed’s face, turning pink as it smeared with the rain.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t…”
    The words were cut off by five hard
knuckles slamming into his lips. The rich, bitter coppery taste coated
his tongue, and he spat into the water at his feet. One hand curled
into a tight fist, and he knew if he took his swing, he would lay Ed
flat. Right there on the side of the road, with the lighting slashing
the air around them. Ed might have seen that very thought on Sammy’s
face, because he dropped back in a defensive position, arms raised in
front of his face.
    Sammy raised his fist again, but he didn’t strike. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
    “I came to get you. You’re not going to make it to Wendover before dark. And it’s too dangerous out here.”
    “I’m fine. Get back to your car.”
    “Come on. You can dry off at the car.”
    “Fuck you.”
    Ed wiped his mouth, but there was still
more pinkish liquid welling up over his lip. It stained the front of
his shirt. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? Just come back to the car.”
    “I told you I’d get the car fixed.”
    “Then I’m coming with you.”
    “Don’t be