Phoenix Read Online Free PDF

“I’m not too worried really. Just as long as I find
    the fuckin’ place for next time.”
    “Well, come on, and I’ll show you where it is,” Riley
    offered after letting out a chuckle of pure amusement,
    nudging Devon with his shoulder before leading him down
    the hall and down the stairs toward the Aspen building.

    * * * *

    As much as Blake liked spending time in class, what he
    cherished most were the times when he and Ethan could just
    hang out in their dorms, do homework, watch a movie,
    whatever. He loved it, because it reminded him of quiet
    nights in high school when everyone else was out partying
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    or doing drugs.
    Currently, their books were stacked on Ethan’s desk and
    they were both lying on the floor in front of a small TV.
    Blake was stretched out in front of Ethan, his head resting on
    his stomach as Ethan played with his hair idly.
    They were both in jeans and hoodies with their shoes still
    on, because they didn’t normally bother turning on the heat.
    Ethan’s hoodie was Blake’s from a few years back, worn and
    grey from how much use it got. Blake’s was a zip-up hoodie
    with silver filigree spreading over the chest and down the
    stomach—he’d made it himself, painstakingly placing down
    all the silvery metallic fabric back during his freshman year
    of college.
    “This is a weird movie,” Blake mused, looking up
    through his lashes, kicking his head back so that he could
    see Ethan clearly. He frowned, even though he was well
    aware that the expression would look backward to his best
    friend and it’d look like a smile. “I don’t even know what’s
    going on.”
    Ethan just shrugged nonchalantly, moving his small
    fingers through the two-toned strands, paying idle but
    special attention to the pink strands that he idly noted
    needed to be re-dyed. “I dunno, just the first one I picked.
    Besides, Donnie Darko’s a classic,” he said, and Blake just
    chuckled, shaking his head and settling back down to watch
    it.
    “Still a weird movie,” he mumbled, but he shifted so that
    he could get comfortable, slinging his free arm behind him
    over Ethan’s hip, keeping him close as he rested pretty much
    completely against him, relaxing and letting the tension that
    had been building in his body release.
    He always enjoyed the closeness he and Ethan shared. He
    was the person Blake could always go to without fear of
    being judged because Ethan had already seen him at his
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    absolute worst. He’d walked in on his one and only suicide
    attempt, the scars from which were effectively tattooed over.
    He still saw that terrified concern in Ethan’s face. He’d
    evened out and finally started testosterone therapy, finally
    got himself closer to the person he thought he should be. He
    still had a hard time with his gender sometimes, dysphoria
    driving him crazy and people like Dominic and the RA
    pushing for the fact that he wasn’t really a guy.
    He was stronger than that, though, and Ethan had always
    told him that. He was away from his small town, and the
    condescending glares he got when he bound his chest and
    wore baggy jeans and boy shirts instead of skirts and dresses
    and heels. The idea of him in heels was laughable at best. He
    could see Ethan in heels more than he could actually see
    himself.
    He was so lost in thought that he jumped hard when the
    door to Ethan’s dorm slammed open and Dominic stormed
    into the room, apparently not even looking around before he
    threw himself into his dorm bed, seething.
    “Fucking asshole,” he muttered, his voice distorted and
    nasally, and Ethan and Blake looked at each other. Ethan
    chewed on his snakebites nervously and apparently decided
    to speak up because he stood slowly.
    Ethan gasped, and Blake stood to see what he’d gasped at.
    What he saw was shocking. Dominic’s nose was obviously
    broken and his cheek and jaw were discolored from bruises.
    That would explain why his voice sounded horribly