“Dude, nobody has ever looked like you just did while working on a group project. Not even once.”
I mean, that is true. Group projects are worse than sleep paralysis.
But still.
“Okay fine,” I say. “You were right. I just don’t want to talk about it, it’s too early.”
Luke grins. “Don’t stress, I get it.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, for sure. I’m just happy for you! For a minute there I thought you were going to end up as one of those virgins on the internet who always complain that nobody will screw them.”
“You thought I was an incel?”
“Not yet. But I thought you might become one.”
He’s got to be messing with me. I give him the finger. It just makes him chuckle.
I know I should let it drop and stop messaging Jason now that Luke’s aware I’m messaging someone I care about. If he found out I am acting this way because I am messaging a guy, then, well, I guess he could think I’m gay.
I don’t want that.
But I want to know what Jason messaged me so badly.
I lift my phone.
Hey. So. Changing topic: There’s this school dance coming up. It’s probably the worst theme ever, and it’s bound to be hilariously bad. Do you want to come? It’s cool if you can’t, but you know, if you wanted to, you could join.
I stare at the message.
I think he just invited me to a dance.
This is, like … so amazing.
The typing bubble appears.
As friends, obviously!
Oof.
Yeah, obviously.
Sounds fun! What day is it? If I’m free, I’m there.
It’s next Friday. Hope you can make it! It’d be more fun with you there.
Nobody has ever said that to me. More fun with you there. What a dream. I’m going. I already know it. I’m not going to miss this dance for anything. Not to be dramatic, but even if I had a chance to meet David Lynch or Spielberg, I’d pick this dance.
Cool! I’m free, so I’m in.
Amazing!!! I’m so glad. I’ll get you a ticket. You have a suit already, right?
I sure do.
Sweet. I can’t wait to see it.
I type out: I can’t wait to see you in yours.
I delete it. It’s too flirty, and I think it might give away how my feelings for him have escalated.
I look up and see that we’ve pulled into our destination.
It’s a shipping area, filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of shipping containers. I can see the dark ocean, along with a few massive hauler boats, moored to the dock with thick chains. The space is lit by floodlights scattered around the place, but there aren’t enough to properly light a space as big as this, so it has a gloomy darkness clinging to it.
I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty freaky.
I wish I could stay in the car.
I know I have zero chance of that, though. I sat out last time we did something like this without getting punished. I’m not going to get lucky like that again.
Jason distracted me for a while, but this is my real life. What’s happening right now, this is what my life is really about.
It’s a miserable, bleak nightmare.
Even though I resist it, everyone in my family wants me to be a part of this world.
And that’s kind of the appeal of being a criminal.
Whatever you want, you get.
Luke parks in a lot that’s surrounded by a wire fence.
Other cars are in the lot. I recognize some of them. They’re all from other family members. A few of them are out of their cars, leaning against a shipping container, smoking. Gross. They’re all wearing dark clothes: suits for the men, long coats and dresses for the women. It’s like a uniform.
I’m in my ill-fitting suit again, because I’m saving my new one. Dad probably would’ve called me on it, but so far, Luke hasn’t. I tug at the sleeve.
“Ready?” asks Luke.
“Yep.”
We get out of the car.
I spot Tony, Vince, and his wife, my aunt Sara. Her dress is white, with black flowers on it. She seems nice, but she’s married to Vince, so I’ve always felt like it needs to be an act. No one truly nice could be married to someone who tortures people. It must require a hell of a lot of cognitive dissonance to even spend any time with him.
None of the older members of my family are here, like Grandma, although it seems like all of Dad’s generation is here. The only one missing is Dad.