I stare at him long and hard, worried for my friend, feeling suddenly silly that I searched him out in the microfilm room just to ask him how to get an A+ on my next date with Dex.
‘You should call the cops.’
‘No evidence.’ He looks defeated, his shoulders slumped, his chin wobbling. ‘I just want him gone.’
I reach out and squeeze his leg. ‘I know. You want to stay with me? Until you feel safe again?’
He peers up at me and shakes his head. ‘No, I’m okay. I have a gun.’ My eyes widen, and Denver’s lips twitch up in a smile. ‘Okay, not a real gun. It’s one that shoots pepper spray and glitter at the same time.’ That makes me laugh, and he sits back. ‘That way, if I see him and he bothers me, I can mark him.’
‘Good idea. Where did you get that? I’ve never seen one at the store.’
He glances back and forth and then lowers his signs, making them small. ‘Thorne got it for me. Dark web.’
I roll my eyes and then shake my head. ‘Seriously, you all need to stop going on the dark web.’
‘I know, but the gun is cool. Glitter plus pepper spray. Win-win.’
I mean, I agree with him on that.
‘So why are you here? Tell me. Distract me from my awful life.’
‘Well, it’s silly now that I’m here.’ He arches an eyebrow at me, and I sigh. ‘Fine, I’ve been dating Dex.’
His mouth drops open, and he sits forward slightly. ‘Really? That’s the man you were talking about last time?’
‘Yes. And, well, since I’m an asshole, he’s been grading me on every date.’
His eyebrows rise even farther. ‘Grading? Why?’
‘I already told you. Me-asshole.’ Denver chuckles and leans back, waving his hand for me to continue. ‘So I’m working on getting an A+. Haven’t yet accomplished it. I came here to ask you for help.’
Denver places a hand over his heart and makes a face. ‘Aw, so nice. I am the best at everything.’
‘You are. Besides, I can’t go to Robbie, and Leaf is chaos.’
‘Third choice me?’
‘Best choice,” I amend, and he nods in approval.
‘Well, tell me about your previous dates and the grades you’ve gotten, and I’ll give you some advice. I’ll make sure you earn that A+. I am a teacher, after all.’
I lay it out, going over each date in detail, causing Denver to laugh out loud and fan his face—although I omit all the really filthy things—and when I’m done, I sit there while he processes it all.
‘Well, it seems you’re opening up,’ he finally says, and I throw my hands in the air. ‘Do more of that.’
‘That’s all?’
‘It seems he really likes it when you are really yourself.’
‘I don’t even like me, and yet you think I need to bemore me?’
Denver leans over and pats my leg. ‘Yes, I think you should keep doing what you’re doing. Talk more, open up, be yourself.And also figure out what he likes and do it. The street fair was his favorite thing, it seems. Can you top that?’
I mean, he can top me, I think before sighing. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Guess you’ll have to ask Thom. Or…’ Denver’s fingers wiggle as he thinks. ‘The ex. Lexi! She would give best advice.’
I frown at both options. I think I would rather enter the afterlife.
