“It’s disrespectful to talk about the dead.”
“Not when that motherfucker’s dead cuzhemade himself that way. Do you really think I wouldn’t know not to jump in a fucking pool if I couldn’t swim? He was ten. That man was old enough to use his fucking brain…” Axel considered Kaia. “Never mind. He was your cousin. That explains it. It wasn’t your fault,” he reiterated without missing a beat. “If I thought it was, I’d tell you cuz I still don’t like you for what you did with Fia. By the way, I’m still waiting for my poem.”
“I’m thinking.”
“I guess I’ll be waiting forever then.”
“Just for that, I’m not wracking my brain.”
“I probably saved it from injury, but you always say your poetry is so good, I’d think you’d want to make up one for me. Anyway, back to your problem.”
Kaia had almost forgotten Axel said that. “You already said what the issue was. My cousin’s death was on him and I should stop blaming myself.”
“I’m glad that sank in. Just remember it. That wasn’t the problem I meant.”
“I don’t remember us talking about another one.”
“How old are you again?” Axel asked suspiciously.
“Twenty in August.”
“Hmmm. Can senileness set in that early?”
“I’m not senile!”
“You must be, cuz, motherfucker, we been talking about my sister for a fucking hour. If you don’t know that’s the problem I was talking about, you’re either senile, stupid, or dumb. Senileness can’t be helped. Stupidness can be undone if you learn stuffs. So you got to be dumb cuz I’ve been trying to educate you and it didn’t get in your brain.”
Kaia yawned, suddenly exhausted. As much as he tried, he couldn’t win any argument against Axel or get him to back down.
“If I make up the poem, will you let me go to sleep?”
“That tug has sailed. I don’t want the stupid poem now.”
“Your eyes are so green, every time I see them I think I’m looking at limes.”
Axel folded his arms and Kaia smirked.
“Your hair is so black I swear a raven splatted on your head and gifted you with its color.”
“Okay, that’s enough. Still stupid. Just as I suspected. And I think you’re trolling me. I’llgive you that one, though. I’m actually impressed.”
Kaia clamped his jaw to hide his smile.
“Now, if a raven splatted on my head, my hair would be red cuz that motherfucker would be dead and bloody. I have no words to even say how fucked up you were thinking about limes to talk about my eyes. Leave the poetry alone and look at everything else.”
“Poetry is all I have. I used to have football.”
“Poetryisn’tall you have. And that’s your fucking problem right there, dickface. You think cuz Fia and Rebel pay attention to you that you’re cool now. I don’t even want to talk about the money Mom gives you. I know it’s a lot cuz she gives all of us a lot and all we got to do is clean our rooms, brush our teeth, and make good grades. Dad says to wash our balls, cuz smelly, itchy balls suck.”
Kaia laughed.
“So you get a lot of money. You got two girls who like you. By the way, Fia wants a biker, so unless you’re getting a fucking Harley, all she’s doing is using you.”
“I’ve been used before.”
“For pay. This time it’ll be for free.”
“Not exactly.”
