Charlie’s sudden departure left the impromptu picnic feeling somewhat strained. Blake returned after seeing his friend off, but conversation had become decidedly brittle, and the quagga soon excused himself as well.<\/p>\n
That just left the girls.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wonder what that was about?\u201d Melly said, going over the conversation in her mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cIunno.\u201d Becky shrugged. \u201cThe big one’s in one of my classes, but I don’t know a damn thing about the little guy that he didn’t say right here. Aren’t you the one in a class with him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that’s why I want to know what just happened,\u201d the rat shot back. \u201cIf a landmine just went off, the last thing I do is step on another one when two dozen people are around.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, okay.\u201d The lizard held up her hands in surrender. \u201cBut it’s not like I’ve got profound insight into the masculine psyche or some shit like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’re still another perspective. I’ve been going over it, and for the life of me I can’t see why he cooled off so quick. If he just didn’t want to talk about why he’s in the program, okay, but he did<\/i> start to talk about it. And then he just… ran out of steam, and I don’t know if it’s something I said.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou<\/i> didn’t say all that much,\u201d Becky pointed out. \u201cNothing that anyone could find fault with. Blake went a lot<\/i> farther.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut they obviously like taking digs at each other. I don’t think that was it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is that,\u201d the dragon said slowly. \u201cHmm. Hey, it looked like they were pretty close there, for a moment, on his way out. Maybe they’re fucking and Charlie’s not out of the closet? Taking the course for courage, convincing himself it’s okay to want some dick now and then, too?\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether it was the rush of coarse language from a near-stranger or something else that made Melly wince, the rat schooled it away in a hurry. \u201cI don’t know. Maybe. If they’ve been friends for a long time, Blake might have been an easy person to turn to and trust with something that big \u2013 and you certainly don’t get much more guy-shaped than him.<\/i> But I didn’t get that vibe \u2013 and you’d think it’d be easier to just say ‘I’m gay,’ or even ‘I’m bisexual,’ than to take a class that’s so much a girls’ thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys can be strange.\u201d Becky shrugged. \u201cHard to say what’ll threaten male pride and what won’t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c’Profound insight into the masculine psyche,’ huh?\u201d the rat challenged.<\/p>\n
Another shrug. \u201cDon’t need a Psych degree \u2013 or a boyfriend \u2013 to see that<\/i> much.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou may be right,\u201d Melly granted. \u201cI don’t think <\/i>they’re an item, but they could be. But no trying to fish details out of them, okay? Whatever it is obviously bugs him enough already.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s not like I<\/i> really want to hear what they may or may not get up to in private,\u201d Becky pointed out with a smirk.<\/p>\n
That was probably the closest she’d get to a promise. Melly said a few words of thanks, then excused herself, gathered her things, and left, trying to put the incident, if not out of mind, at least to the back of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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