“No. Not a no. Just surprised. Is it safe to go, with all the crappy people in your school?”
“Adam’s parents are chaperones. Adam and Ru are going. Adam has gone through the handbook a few dozen times to make sure there are no hang-ups about queers or peeps from outside the school. Marissa is on the prom committee. They are doing this Gatsby thing, which sounded kind of lame at first, but I guess the idea was to have all the glitz and glamour of the twenties. Very ‘in’ since the movie came out. They’ve been chatting about it for weeks, and I tuned it out thinking I just wasn’t going to go. I’ve had enough humiliation in my life, and I’m totally picturing aCarriereenactment.”
“You want to go, now, though. With me?”
“I’d like to hang out with my friends and dance a few rounds. You like to dance. You’re hot. You’re nice. You like my ass. I could totally handle being on your arm.”
“I never had a prom.”
“So it makes sense to go to one now before you’re out of options, even if you don’t like the lispy gay boy who’s a bit of a fashion freak. It’s an experience you won’t forget. I hope a good one, but I can’t guarantee that.” Bas ran his fingers through Dane’s hair. “You need some good in your life. Just like me.”
“I like you just fine. Okay. I’ll go with you. Only you. So don’t back out on me. Will people know who I am?”
“Only if you tell them. I’ll talk to the boys tomorrow when they spring me and see what they have planned. Maybe we can all coordinate tuxes or whatever. But it’s a few weeks away yet.” Bas finished his soup. The cucumber still looked so damned good.
Dane held up the green slice. “Want some?”
“You need it.”
“There’s a dozen slices. You having a few isn’t depriving me of much.” He sniffed the pudding and made a face. “You can have that. Whatever that is.”
Bas grinned. “Makes me want to pull my pants down and yell ‘Pudding!’” He waved his hands in the air.
“Huh?”
Bas shook his head. “We are so going to need to get you up to speed on popular culture.”
* * *
Dane slept like a rock, though Bas had returned to his tiny cot. The nurses didn’t come in to reattach his bonds, for which Dane was grateful. He even got up the next morning feeling rested and hungry again. He ate breakfast with Bas, and they went to group, where he sat and listened to everyone talk about their problems. It made him realize they were all messed up in the head, just in different ways. He was no crazier than anyone else. Bas held his hand, and no one in group said a word about it. And no one seemed to recognize him.
They were separated after lunch because Dane had to go to therapy, and as much as he begged, Bas wouldn’t go with him. He said Dane needed the time to just talk things out. Dr. Zander had flown out that morning to be there for him. Dane couldn’t help but be irritated that he was facing the same thing over and over again.
“Sit down, Dane.” Dr. Zander waved to the chair. “You have things to say today. Your body is just teeming with energy from things your mind needs to set free. So let’s have it.”
“He wouldn’t come with me! Doesn’t he get that I need him? I want him to be here.” Dane threw himself into the chair. “I’m crazy, and I can’t do it alone.”
“You’re not crazy, Dane. Who wouldn’t come with you? Tommy?”
“Bas! He’s even going to get to go home today and leave me behind.” The idea had him shaking with worry. What if he went nuts again? What if they had to restrain him again?
“Do you want Bas here?”
“Yes. I need him.”
“Why?”
That stopped Dane.
“He’s my friend,” he said after a moment.
“But so is Tommy, and you’ve never asked him to attend one of your sessions.”
“Bas doesn’t make me feel like I’m running to catch up.”
“Catch up to what? What is different about Tommy? The way he looks? His fame? His friends? What does he have that you do not?”
Dane paused again, thinking through the list. He had a bunch of friends. He hoped to make more as he got closer to Adam, Paige, and Marissa. They had the same amount of money. In fact, Dane probably had more because he never spent it. And appearance? Bas liked the way Dane looked. Couldn’t stop touching him when they were together.
