In the middle of Des Plaines Illinois three boys find themselves in a tangled knot of angsty lust and amateur love.
Evan Webster has an average American life. When he isn't at swim practice or the movie theater, he's trying to make time to study bi...
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Evan felt like a piece of trash. Danny had dumped him out of the car, littered demeaning words, and then left him like a used gum wrapper.
He trudged around the school, buttoning his shirt and trying to wipe the taste of Danny from his lips. He could see the crowd of students standing in the parking lot, still damp from the triggered sprinkler system.
"Evan," Chris call out, waddling toward him. He gave the tall boy an unreciprocated hug. "Thank God you're alive," he overdramatically cawed.
Evan's arms were restrained by Chris's embrace. "Was there a fire?" Evan asked.
The mop-headed boy released him, truncating his own animated behavior. "No," Chris informed him, wiping some specks of water from his glasses. "They think someone set off the fire alarm as a prank."
"HOMECOMING IS RUINED!" Heather Hagley shrieked, standing a few yards away.
Her face was stained with streaks of runny mascara, and her princess dress was soaking wet. Nadine was trying to fix her friend's frizzy hair, but Heather swatted her away and then sobbed some more. Her meltdown looked like a sequel to the movie Carrie.
As Evan surveyed the scene, he asked, "Where's Kenneth?"
"He went to go help Coach Farley dry out the gym," Chris said.
It annoyed Evan that Kenneth left Nadine to mop a gym, but he kept his opinion to himself. He knew Chris would jump at the chance to insult Kenneth, and then rant about it for nine consecutive months.
Some students were dispersing onto the sidewalks or cram into cars. One guy was pouring water out of his shoe. Evan wondered what else was overtaken by the spontaneous surge of water.
"Chris," Evan said. "Can you make sure Nadine gets home? I need to go make sure none of the cameras got damaged."
Chris straightened. "Yes. Yes," he nodded. "It would be my pleasure. M-my honor, actually. And I appreciate you trusting me with such precious cargo. I guarantee she will—"
"Great," Evan chimed, smacking his shoulder. "Thanks."
Evan turned and bumped into Bones, who dropped a lighter and quickly picked it up. The two tall boys muttered apologies to each other as Evan headed into the school.
"I will protect her with my life," Chris continued, now talking to himself. "I am her knight in shining armor. I am her savior. I am Superman. And I...I don't have a car..."
