“Yeah, I keep asking myself what I was high on back then.” I had no idea what he was after. “What the fuck do you want, Danny?”
“I’ve got a proposition for you.”
“I’m not interested,” I said, turning back to my work.
But he kept talking as if he hadn’t heard me: “Get back with me, and your life will be like it was before. You won’t have to work in this dump or ride your bike to school anymore. No one will dare talk shit about you again. I’ll even talk to my dad; maybe he can help out with your family’s problems.”
I didn’t expect that. “What makes you think I’d even consider getting back with you?”
“Your life was way better while I was protecting you.”
“Protecting me? Trust me, I don’t need anyone to protect me.”
“Oh, but you do. You think all the people talking shit about you now didn’t feel this way last year or the year before? You were Little Miss Perfect, you had everything a high school kid could want, and there was a whole army of people who hated you for it, and now that things have gotten ugly for you, they can let theirtrue colors show. With me around they were too scared, but not anymore.”
I slammed the spatula on the counter. “I don’t want a goddamn thing from you, Danny! I don’t want your company, your money, your protection, your popularity! Nothing! Did you forget what you did to me?”
“That was just once!” Danny glowered.
“Twice, damn it! You hit me twice, you bastard!”
“Shut up!” he screamed, looking at the door, scared his friends would hear. “Just shut your fucking mouth.”
“Why? Why would I? You keep talking about my reputation and how no one respects me and no one likes me, and why? Because my father got in trouble? Well, that’s not my fault! You, though, the things you’ve done—”
“You ungrateful little bitch! I came here to—”
“You came here to blackmail me.”
We both heard the doorbell chime and looked out toward the front. It was Julian. He peeked through the window into the kitchen and gave Danny a threatening look before asking me, “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah. Danny was just leaving.”
“That’s right,” he said, looking at Julian with disgust. “I’ll let your gay boyfriend have his time with you.”
Danny walked out, and to my surprise, Julian didn’t say anything to defend himself.
“I’m sorry,” I said, approaching him.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine, he’s an idiot. Don’t pay attention to what he said.”
“Well, I mean, I am gay, right? I don’t care if people call me out for what I am.”
“But…” I started, and he interrupted me.
“Seriously, Kam, don’t worry. Are you OK?”
I heard the front door open again, and when I walked out to the counter, Danny, Harry, and Victor were leaving.
“I can’t fucking believe this!” I looked at their half-cooked meals and started cursing.
“Aren’t you supposed to be closed?” Julian asked. “It’s nine twenty.”
I sighed.
“Yeah, exactly. You feel like having breakfast for dinner?”
He shrugged as I put the last touches on the dishes and carried them out. At least tonight I wouldn’t have to eat whatever slop my mother had come up with.
