Shades

Danny was confused. “Val? Dude, you’ve known her since first grade. Are you on drugs or something?”

“Val.” Matt said it slowly. “She got a boyfriend?”

“She likes Ronnie. You know that.”

He smiled. “She’s got a ripe little body.”

“Matt, you’re acting like a real creep.”

“Am I?”

“Yeah,” Danny said. “You are. Jeremy wouldn’t even act like this. What’s wrong with you?”

Matt ignored the question. “What are you doing after school?”

“I don’t know. Probably studying.”

“Is that old Russian guy gonna help you?”

Danny held his breath. How had Matt found out about Gustav? And if he knew, did the other guys know, too? Chuck hadn’t said anything about it earlier.

“Gustav?” Danny smirked. “Why would I be hanging out with him?”

“I don’t know.” Matt stared at Val. “You tell me.”

The bell rang, and the teacher told them all to take their seats.

Danny shook his head. “I’ll talk to you later, man.”

Matt nodded, his eyes not leaving Val.

Danny took a seat next to Val at the front of the class. While the teacher handed out worksheets, Danny smiled at her. Val seemed wary.

“What’s up with your friend?” she whispered.

“I don’t know. Why? Something happen?”

She looked around and made sure the teacher wasn’t listening. “He grabbed my ass in homeroom this morning.”

“You didn’t tell on him?”

Val rolled her eyes. “No, but if he gets anywhere near me again, I’m gonna break his balls.”

Danny grinned. “I’ll help.”

Val put her hand on his forearm. Her touch was warm. “My hero.”

Danny felt like he was floating. He tried to speak, but couldn’t. Despite the giddy nervousness, he also felt guilty. It was no secret that Ronnie had the hots for Val, too, even though he wouldn’t admit it and never pursued it. How would he react if he knew?

Val leaned closer. “Just tell Matt to knock it off, okay? He’s seriously creeping me out.”

“I will.”

She broke contact as the teacher came down their aisle. Danny stared at the impressions her fingers had left behind on his arm. When he glanced back over at Val again, he blushed.

The feeling was a different kind of magic.

789

Danny was heading to study hall when he heard the screams. They were muffled, coming from the custodian’s closet. He knew the closet well. The lock on the door was busted, and sometimes he’d sneak inside with his friends to smoke. Something thumped against the door, followed by another scream.

“No, goddamn it, STOP!”

It was a girl’s voice. After a second, he recognized it.

Val.

The door rattled in its frame. Then he heard laughter.

Matt.

Danny flung the door open and gasped. Matt stared at him in surprise, teeth bared like an animal. His pants and underwear were around his ankles. He was perched atop Val. One small breast poked out of her torn blouse. Her lip was bleeding, her left eye swollen, her cheeks glistening with tears.

“Hey man.” Matt grinned. “You want some, too? I told you she was ripe. Come on in and shut the door.”

“You motherfucker…”

Danny grabbed Matt’s hair and yanked him forward. The other boy shouted, twisting in Danny’s grip. Danny pulled him off Val and out into the hallway. Sobbing, Val pulled her blouse together. Danny threw Matt to the floor and hovered over him.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Matt stood and pulled his pants up. “Me? What the hell’s wrong with you, Danny? Is hanging out with Gustav turning you into a queer?”

“He’s not queer,” Danny shouted. “He’s my friend.”

Matt grinned. “So you are hanging out with him, huh?”

Before Danny could respond, Val leapt out of the closet and knocked Matt to the floor again. His head cracked against the tiles. Shrieking, Val kicked him in the balls. The air rushed from Matt’s lungs. He tried to curl into a ball as Val slapped him repeatedly.

“Hey, you kids!”

The Principal, Mr. Sarandos, charged down the hallway, shouting at them to break it up. He shoved Danny aside and pulled Val off of Matt. Holding each of them by the arm, he herded Matt and Val toward the office. Val protested. Matt said nothing. Mr. Sarandos glanced back over his shoulder.

“You, too, Danny. My office. Now.”

Danny followed, his head hung low.

When they reached the office, the receptionist looked up in alarm.

“Oh my,” she gasped. “What happened?”

“Not now, Grace,” the Principal said. “Hold my calls.”

He steered the three kids into his office, made them sit down, and slammed the door behind him. The room was quiet, except for Val’s sobs. Outside, Grace began typing again. Mr. Sarandos sat down behind his desk and glared at them. After a moment, he took a deep breath and asked, “What happened?”

All three began talking at once.

“She told me I could,” Matt said.

Val held her ruined blouse together with one hand and choked back tears. “I told you to keep your hands off me.”

The Principal looked at Danny. “What did you see?”

Danny glanced at Matt. They were friends. They stuck together. But what he’d done…Danny’s stomach sank. He looked down at his shoes. His voice was very low.