How to Kill Yourself in a Small Town Read Online Free PDF Page A

him.
    Tough
shrugged.
    “How
long you been back in town?” I asked.
    “Couple
days,” he said.
    “Been
staying with Mitzi and Jason?”
    “You
know labels won’t sign underage singers?” Tough said. “Like, it’s a law. Got to
have signatures from your legal parents. Uh, guardians. Whatever.”
    That’s
when I realized he was slurring and leaning a little bit to one side.
    “You’re
shitfaced,” I said.
    He
laughed. “And you’re not? What, am I early?”
    “Did
Mitzi give you something so she could get high off you?” I asked. “Pills or
something?”
    “It
doesn’t work like that, dumbass,” he said. “It was just some…some…”
    “Some
what?”
    Tough
straightened up and got this punk-ass look on his face like he wasn’t going to
answer.
    I
grabbed a fistful of his jacket. “What’d she give you?”
    He
knocked my hand off.
    “Don’t
touch me,” he said.
    “Why
not? Mitzi and Jason own all the rights to you now?” I shoved him. “A fucking
man-whore?” Another shove. “Are you fucking serious?”
    “I
said don’t you fucking touch me!”
    “You
going to stop me?” I said. He tried to get ahold of me, but I dodged at the
last second and smacked him upside the head. “Or are your protectors?”
    “Do
you fucking know how long it would’ve took Ryder to die?” Tough yelled.
    “You’re
going to tell me?” I yelled back. “I picked up the pieces while your coward ass
was halfway to Nashville!”
    “I’m
not ready to go in the fucking ground yet. Why the hell is that so hard to
understand?”
    “You
are a genius, Tough,” I said. “Why didn’t I ever think of that? Just bend over
and grab my ankles. That ought to work!”
    “Suck
my cock. Then suck it again, you OCD shitwad.”
    “All
right, but only if it gets me protection.”
    I
wasn’t fast enough to dodge him that time. His shoulder hit me in the gut and
we tripped off the porch. Falling flat on my back on the frozen ground knocked
the wind out of me. Tough landed a few sloppy punches. I took an awkward swing,
but it didn’t even faze him.
    “You
want to die, Colt?” Tough was screaming now. “You want to fucking die before
you’re fucking twenty? ‘Cause I don’t. You’re fucking crazy if you think—”
    It
was like a bomb went off. First Tough was sitting on my stomach trying to punch
like he wasn’t high off his ass, then when I could see again, I was standing
over him, choking on the cold air and coughing out these big white breaths.
Tough’s cheek under his eye was swelling and his nose was broken and bleeding.
    “Come
on, bitch,” he yelled. “Hit me like you mean it. Do Ryder proud!”
    I
backed up until I was leaning against the side of the cabin. I didn’t do that
to Tough. I wouldn’t have done that.
    Tough
got up on one knee. “Feel better?”
    “Get
the hell out of here,” I said.
    When
he snorted, a spray of blood and snot dotted his jacket. He winced and put his
hand over his nose.
    “You
jealous fucking asshole,” he said, stumbling a little as he stood up. “I
should’ve seen it sooner. I got friends, I’m banging a smoking hot nympho—”
    “Don’t
dress that shit up,” I said. “You’re fucking an undead pedophile so that
dumbass Jason’ll keep Kathan off your back.”
    “Oh,
yeah, that’s right. I ain’t got to watch my six anymore, either.” Tough pointed
over his shoulder. “That’s your two plus two plus two, in case you couldn’t
translate it from not-crazy.”
    I
shook my head. “I hope to God Sissy can’t see this.”
    All
Tough’s teenager bullshit dropped. He stood there staring at me like I’d
whipped out a gun and shot him.
    “What?”
I said. “You going to cry now? You made your choice. Sissy would be disgusted.”
    “Fuck
you.” Tough started backing toward the tree line. He tripped, then screamed so
hard his voice cracked, “Fuck you!”
    “Go
see if Mitzi and Jason’ll let you sleep between them.”
    I
hate that memory. If I knew where