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last
person with whom I wanted to discuss my latest school-related
trauma. So I went into defense mode. “You want to know if it’s
true? Why, you got a sister?”
    “Look, Marco’s an ass. No one disputes this;
I’ve just been around him so long that I’m used to it. I mean, he’s
also been a dick forever, so I guess I never expect him to grow up
and behave like a person.”
    “If you came in here to apologize for
Marco—”
    “I came to apologize for me. I should have
said something.”
    Well, that was unexpected. “Like
what?”
    “Like, I don’t know. ‘Shut the hell up,
asshole,’ probably.” Then he grimaced. “Eyes on your homework, kid,
and keep your ears shut.” To me he said, “Sorry,” in a stage
whisper.
    “I’m sure she’s heard worse. And if it’s that
easy, don’t worry about it. I’ll say it myself next time.”
Nothing’s ever that easy, but I did not want Dylan to pity me
because Marco picked on me. That was not the kind of attention I
wanted.
    No attention was what I wanted, I had to
remind myself.
    “I just wanted you to know—”
    The security buzzer went off again, and we
all looked over to see Marco striding in. Next customer, talking
gorilla. How about that? His eyes scanned the store and when he
finally found Dylan, standing with us at the check out, he seemed
surprised and kinda pissed off.
    “Hey, I thought we were meeting up at the
record store. What’re you doin’ in here?”
    “I’ll be over in a few minutes.”
    “Come over now. That hot chick from the
college is workin’ tonight.”
    “I’ll be over in a few. Go ahead.”
    “Why, you buyin’ something?”
    “No, I’m talking to Joss.”
    “Why?” he asked, like he’d rather shovel
horse dung than talk to me, a feeling which was entirely mutual.
“Look, Joss, you can come too. But I don’t think she’s quite your
type. Or, wait, you’d be the butch, right?”
    “Shut the hell up, asshole,” was about all I
could think to say.
    “You should come. Maybe she’d be into you. I
think I’d like to see that.”
    “All right, that’s it. We’re leaving.” Dylan
came around the counter and grabbed Marco by the back of the neck.
It wasn’t a power play. Dylan’s a big guy and he’s taller, but
Marco’s big too, stocky. I was pretty sure he could have broken
Dylan’s hold easily, if he’d wanted to. Instead he’d gotten his way
and let Dylan guide him to the door. “Goodnight, Joss,” Dylan
called over his shoulder. “Bye, kid.” The door security gave out a
long buzz and the door swung shut again.
    It was hard to see them past the glass
because it was dark outside and so bright inside, but I saw Marco
knock Dylan’s arm away.
    “Do you think he likes me?” Jill asked.
    “I think he’s too old for you.”
    There was some intense conversation between
them for a few moments, and I saw Dylan give Marco a shove. Not
hard enough to throw him off balance, more like just to make a
point. I wondered what his point was.
    “Do you think Dylan likes you?”
    “No.”
    Marco said something else, got the last word
in, and turned to walk across the bricks to Vinyl Salvation.
    As always, Dylan followed.

    * * *

    Dylan

    “What was that about?” Marco asked, breaking
my hold on his neck with an irritated shrug.
    “None of your business.” At least, I hoped
Marco was going to see it that way. I’d let Marco run his mouth
about Joss for too long now, hoping he’d just get over it. So she’d
turned him down, so what? I was done keeping quiet while Marco
worked out his embarrassment or whatever it was. And as long as I
was going that far, I might as well be done keeping quiet about my
own interest in Joss. Maybe.
    One thing at a time. I had other problems
with Marco and I didn’t really want to bring the whole Joss thing
into the middle of it. Then Marco’s eyes narrowed on me, and I knew
it was too late.
    “You’ve got a thing for that fag-hag, don’t
you?”
    “Cut that shit out,