up stumbling drunk from parties at ungodly hours, and I’d rescue him from bad dates by posing as his scorned lover. He’s also the only person since the accident who doesn’t treat me like I’m about to break.
I assumed James was gay, but Leigh’s confession is surprising, especially the way she flirted with Bruno and Callum at the first hostel. “Sorry. You caught me off guard. But gay, huh? Does that have something to do with why you left Reese and Brianne?”
She nods. “Long story. But you, Sam, are the second person I’ve shared that tidbit with. Nina being the first, the night she helped with my makeover. I don’t suggest you take that lightly. If you ever breathe a word to anyone, I will light the rest of you on fire.” She pushes off the table. “Now get your pansy ass up so we can get this over with before I change my mind. To the men’s shitter we go.” She struts toward the hostel.
I groan and follow her. She may be a blunt bitch, but, in a weird way, I’d rather deal with that than the way my friends tiptoe around me. And she can help me with Nina. Apparently, I’m willing to get eaten alive for that girl.
By the time I’m standing, legs wide, arms crossed, with the bathroom stalls at my back, in nothing but my T-shirt and boxers, I’m feeling less confident about my decision. I mean, Christ. How did I let her talk me into this? My shoes, socks, and jeans are in a pile to my right, and Dragon Lady’s in front of me, studying my legs. She’s been staring for a good five minutes and hasn’t said a damn thing.
She finally cocks her head. “Yeah, so, you’re kind of right. It looks like they put the flames out with a fork.”
“Jesus fuck, Leigh. What the hell is wrong with you? You think maybe I’m little vulnerable here? At least you can hide your shit. You’re not walking around with an ‘I’m gay’ tattoo on your forehead.”
“If you’re done being sensitive, I can give you some cream for your itchy mangina.”
“Screw you.”
“That’s sweet. Can I finish my assessment now?”
“Whatever. Let’s get to the part where you help me with Nina.”
A guy pushes into the bathroom, and I reach for my jeans as Dragon Lady hisses at him. “Not a step closer, dude. Back out the way you came, unless you want my foot so far up your ass I can kick out your teeth.”
The guy pales and scurries away.
She swings back to me. “Where was I?”
I know exactly where she was. Gawking at me. I’ve stared in the mirror enough to know every horrifying inch. The hard white patches that belong on a lizard. The puckered sections, red and lumpy. The rectangular scars up my thighs from the skin grafts. I’m the beast to Nina’s beauty.
“Here’s the deal,” she says. “It is pretty awful. You’re right about that. But you’re not giving Nina enough credit. That girl is a walking disaster. She gets different. She knows what it’s like to be a freak. If she cares about you, she’ll get past the legs.”
I shift on my feet, frowning. “That’s why I lied in the first place. To build something between us so she’d be able to deal with…this.” I flick my hand toward my legs. “Honestly, if she looks at me like I’m a leper, I’m gonna hurt something. I know I need to tell her; I just have to find the right time.”
She walks over to my jeans and tosses them to me. “Get dressed, Man-candy. I won’t tell Nina you’ve been lying. But you need to come clean. She’s fallen for you. Hard. I’m pretty sure your shredded legs won’t be the deal breaker.”
As she leaves the guys’ washroom, I call, “I’m gonna head to the Internet café down the street first. Can you ask her to meet me outside in an hour?”
She gives me a thumbs-up and pushes out the door.
I need to get my head on straight before this goes down, and James is the guy I go to when things get heavy. He sees this relationship stuff clearly. Can’t say the dude dates good guys, but with Lacey, he warned me she was a waste of space way before it ended. My life was so upside down at the time, I didn’t do anything about it, but he knew she wouldn’t stand by me when it mattered. Maybe