Pretend You Love Me (28 page)

I flung the bag on the pallet and it burst apart. Shit. Just slice through my heart with a samurai sword, why don’t you?

“If Aunt Faye and Uncle Lee sent me home, I’d die. My whole life
is here now. With you and Bailey. I don’t ever want to go back.” She paused and squinted into the setting sun. The giant red
orb, blood red, oozing. “We’ll have a big blowout on Friday, okay? The three of us. Not Bailey.” She crossed her eyes. “He’s
such a prude. You know what? I don’t even care. He loves me. He’s good for me. He—”

“I have to finish this, okay?” Go. Go now, I prayed. Before I lose it in front of you.

“I’ll call you later.” She touched my arm, burning a hole to my soul. Then she crunched through the gravel and disappeared
inside the building.

The Sharon Springs Wildcats arrived in a caravan of trucks and SUVs. As the players dumped their gear in our visiting team’s
lean-to, Cougars stood in a line of solidarity out front. We zeroed in on our target: Devon Womack.

I looked over to T.C. and she shrugged.

No Womack. We were so ready to psyche her out too.

My hopes soared. We might actually have a chance to win this game if Womack didn’t show. A lone VW zipped into the parking
lot and ground to a stop. The door opened. Crap. It was her.

She lingered at the side of her red Bug, tying her shoelace. A white car pulled in beside her and Devon straightened. This
huge smile spread across her face. She sauntered up to the driver’s side door as a girl got out of the car and said something
to Devon, which made her laugh. Then—shock me with a live wire—they kissed.

Right here in broad daylight, in Coalton, Kansas. Two girls kissing. My eyeballs bounced off the scoreboard, I’m sure. Did
anyone else see?

They held hands as they approached the lean-tos. Now people were gawking at them. When they got closer, I noticed the other
girl, Devon’s girl, had on a KC Peppers T-shirt. The Peppers were a competitive team out of Olathe, Kansas.

I knew the Peppers. I’d been following the tourneys. Ever since I was little, I’d followed them. I knew all the competitive
teams: The Shockwaves out of Kansas City, the KC Peppers out of Olathe, the Colorado Stars. I’d visualized myself on the field,
in the uniforms, number 19. I’d fantasized about it. But it was out of my field of dreams now.

Dad was the one who’d kept that dream alive. The dream died with him.

I couldn’t take my eyes off them. Devon and her girlfriend. Their fingers intertwined at their sides. Like they held hands
all the time.

Devon glanced up and saw me looking. Her eyes narrowed. The Peppers girl headed for the bleachers, and Devon veered my way.

“Yeah?” she said, coming right up to me. “What?”

“What what?” The softball in my hand I smacked into my glove.

Devon leaned into my face and spoke ominously. “She’s mine. Got that? Hands off.”

The ball dribbled out of my mitt and thudded in the dirt. “I never… I’m not…”

Devon grinned. As I bent to retrieve the ball, she added, “We’re going to kick your ass today.”

“Bite me,” I replied automatically.

“I would, but you’re not my flavor.” Another grin twisted her lips and she jabbed my shoulder. She took off. My eyes strayed
to the stands, to the KC Peppers girl, joining the Sharon Springs Pep Club. God, she was hot. How’d they hook up?

“Mike!”

I put my eyeballs back in my head. Xanadu stood behind the backstop, waving. I raised my glove to her. Bailey wasn’t with
her, which lifted my spirits. Maybe he got castrated by a bull.

“Let’s go.” Coach Kinneson clapped behind me.

“Hey,” I said to my team as they trotted out onto the field. “Game on?”

In one voice they sounded, “Game on.”

Kicking the collective ass of a team requires tremendous quad power. The Wildcats were weak today. Especially Womack. I don’t
know what was with her—she was probably showing off for her girlfriend. She couldn’t get a ball over the plate to save her
rep. We scored five runs in the first inning and won by eight. We were stoked. It was a needed reminder to take one game at
a time, to never be intimidated. A single player does not make a team. A game isn’t won until the very last out.

That’s what Dad taught me. Never give up. Never give in. Nothing’s impossible. “Believe it, baby. Believe it and it’s yours.”

Dad, I want to believe. I want to believe so bad. Once, just once, I want to believe you were telling me the truth.

X
anadu loaded an Alan Jackson CD before passing me the bottle of strawberry wine. Her tastes were changing. I took that as
a sign. She said to Jamie, “Did Mike tell you about my ring?”

Jamie choked. Lowering his fifth of scotch, he wiped his lips and said, “Ring?”

Xanadu stuck out her hand for Jamie to ogle. Did she have to wear it on her left hand? Wouldn’t it look better on her toe?
Or in the plastic bubble from the gumball machine?

Jamie turned to me. “You got her a ring?”

I spit-sprayed the inside of the caboose.

Xanadu laughed. “No, you idiot. It’s from Bailey.”

Jamie tried to meet my eyes, but I was busy guzzling.

Xanadu said, “This is a farewell party. Did Mike tell you?”

“Are you leaving?” Jamie said flatly to Xanadu.

“No. My suppliers are becoming suspicious.” She opened a package of Ding Dongs that I’d snitched off Ma’s TV tray. Ma’d been
asleep on the sofa when I left the house. Or dead. I didn’t check her pulse.
Xanadu broke the Ding Dong and handed me half. “We’re depleting my aunt and uncle’s stock of booze. I keep filling the bottles
with water, but… I don’t know. I feel kind of guilty about stealing it.”

“Really,” Jamie said. “When did you grow a conscience?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xanadu and I snapped together.

Jamie raised his bottle to his mouth and swigged.

Xanadu and I looked at each other and shook our heads. Jamie could be a jerk. He proved it by adding, “Tell us the truth,
Xana. We’re quitting because Bailey doesn’t approve of you having sex with us on Fridays.”

She let out a little huff. “Get real.”

“Oh, I am real. You’re the fake. All you are is Bailey’s Barbie.”

“Shut up,” I snarled.

“Bailey’s lay.”

Xanadu intercepted my lunge for Jamie’s throat. “If Shane asked you to stop doing something he disapproved of, you would,”
she said. “Wouldn’t you?”

Jamie shook his head. “I don’t think there’s anything he disapproves of. Let me think.” He pressed a finger to his chin. “Nope.
He loves me just the way I am.”

“Proof he’s sniffing diesel.” I took another glug of wine.

Xanadu laughed. She jabbed me in the arm. “I know I shouldn’t cater to Bailey’s every whim, but alas, I’m in love.” She sighed.
“If I wasn’t so hot for Bailey, I could sure go for Beau.”

Jamie bristled. That shut him up.

I closed my eyes. Concentrated on the slow buzz creeping into my brain. On her nearness, her heat. She could be “that” girl,
if she let herself. My girl. Xanadu kicked my foot. “How’d you know Ding Dongs were my favorite?”

My eyelids fluttered. She smiled at me. I know everything about you, I thought. I know you better than you know yourself.

She sprawled across the mattress, her head landing in my lap. “You’ll never believe what I dreamed about last night. You and
me. Us. Together.”

“Yeah?” I said. My breath caught.

“Yeah. It was like a lesbian action dream.” She laughed. “I think you’re putting ideas in my head.”

I gripped the neck of my bottle and raised it to my mouth. She added, “If I was with you, I could be myself, huh? I could
do whatever I wanted.” She reached up to fondle Dad’s ring. “You’d love me no matter what.”

No matter what, Xanadu. No matter what. I caught Jamie looking at me, at us, a scowl on his face.

What?

“What?” I voiced it. Xanadu’s words tumbled around in my brain: lesbian action dream, lesbian action dream, no matter what.

Jamie’s gaze settled on Xanadu, who’d curled up on my quad, hands folded under her cheek. I couldn’t help myself; I touched
her hair. I brushed a long tendril of the silk away from her face. Her beautiful face. My fingers lightly traced the swell
of her cheek.

I was giving her ideas.

Later, as we were dropping Xanadu off, I was drifting in a dream. I was so wasted I could barely see, and Jamie was stumbling
around. We hoisted Xanadu between us, dragging her to the gate. “You guys.” Her half-closed eyes alternated between Jamie
and me. “You’re the best friends I’ve ever had,” her words slurred. She flung her arms around Jamie, then me. She squeezed
me hard.

For the first time ever, I hugged her back. I held her close. She didn’t resist or push away; she stayed in my arms, her breasts
pressing against my chest. Her hair smelled of soap and cigarettes and nighttime and possibility. I nuzzled her neck.

Jamie jerked her off me.

“Hey—”

“We have to leave,” he growled, deep in his throat. “Geneviève wants me home before the butt-crack of dawn.” Spinning Xanadu
around ninety degrees, he shoved her in the direction of the farmhouse. Rougher than necessary. She stumbled and almost fell.
I lurched to catch her, but Jamie grasped my arm and yanked me back toward the truck. “We’re out of here,” he seethed under
his breath.

“Stop it. What’s your problem?” I karate-chopped him in the neck. Xanadu swayed a little, then called, “See you guys.” She
started jogging up the driveway. I wanted to run after her, but Jamie stepped in front of me. Xanadu wheeled around and air-blew
us a kiss. She seemed more sober than she’d let on.

“What’s with you?” I asked Jamie as we climbed into the cab from opposite sides. My eyeballs were sloshing around in my head.
I squeezed the lids together to stabilize the rocking boat.

Jamie didn’t answer. He was giving off vibes—angry, upset.

“What?” My lids snapped open.

He still didn’t answer. I cranked the key and shifted into first. Gravel spewed as I shot out of there.

A movement, too fast to react. I felt the thump under my tires. Slamming on the brakes, I downshifted and opened the door,
staggering out to see what I’d hit.

It was a rabbit. A little bunny. Under the front tire, it was limp and bloody. I dug it out. Dead. Tears sprang to my eyes.

I’d never hit anything in my life. Never. I’d never killed another living thing. Gently, lovingly, I lay the rabbit under
a bush at the side of the road.

As I climbed back into the truck, I was shaking. “I killed it,” I said to Jamie. “A rabbit.”

He didn’t say a word.

I poked along the county road more aware than I’d ever been
sober. Jamie sulked the whole way. “Look, we don’t have to stop going to the caboose just because Xanadu doesn’t want to anymore,
if that’s what you’re mad about.” I killed a living thing. A helpless little bunny. What if she was pregnant or something?
What if she had babies somewhere? What if they needed her? “You could get Renata to buy us a six-pack. You could probably
get her to—”

“She’s playing you,” Jamie said.

It took a few seconds for his words to filter in. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, she’s playing you. I bet she has from day one. The way she touches you and smiles at you. She’s still doing it. Even
more. She should’ve backed off after you told her. She knows what you want. She’s using you. She’s a player. She’s playing
me too.”

“Shut up. She wouldn’t do that.”

He twisted to face me. “You don’t even see it. You refuse to see it because you want it so bad.”

Because it doesn’t exist.

“She’s a goer.”

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up.”

Jamie’s face pinched.

I drove, concentrated on the road, on not being responsible for any living creature leaving this earth. As the stoplight came
into view, Jamie murmured, “I’m glad this is the last time. I don’t want to hang around with her anymore. I hate her. She
is a slut. I can’t stand the sight of her.”

I jammed on the brakes. “What do you know? You don’t know her, not the way I do.”

He looked at me. “Maybe. But I know you.”

“No, you don’t. You don’t know shit. You don’t understand anything.”

Jamie said solemnly, “Oh yes, Mike. I do. I do understand.” His eyes held mine. “I know exactly what you’re doing,” he said.
“You’re deluding yourself. You’re pretending this is real, or could be. Do you
think I haven’t been there? I have. We’ve all been there. You’re not the only queer who’s fallen in love with a straight person.”
He broke his penetrating gaze and glanced away. “At least Beau didn’t play me.”

“Get out.”

Jamie blinked back. “What?”

“Get. Out.” The hatred in my heart underscored the words. I lunged across the seat, across his lap, and wrenched open the
door.

Jamie exhaled a weary breath and slid off the seat. Clutching the handle on the open passenger door, he said, “Are you pissed
at me because I’m right? Or because I called you a queer?”

I jammed my foot on the accelerator. The door tore from Jamie’s hand and banged against the side panel. Through the rearview
mirror, I saw Jamie move to the middle of the road. He stood, arms outstretched.