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“Let go of him!” Diego snarled, charging toward them.

Anthony looked up, the blood draining from his face. Ricky finally shook him off and turned. Diego was a bull bearing down on them. The dimples were gone, the smile replaced by gritted teeth. There was madness in his eyes as he raised two clenched fists.

“Stop!” Ricky said, spreading his arms wide to shield Anthony. “Don’t!”

Diego didn’t even slow.

Ricky stepped forward, right in the path of those fists as one began to swing. He clenched his eyes shut in anticipation of the inevitable pain. Except it never happened. When he opened his eyes, Diego was standing just inches away and huffing like an enraged beast. Ricky could feel the heat radiating off him in angry waves. Diego’s attention was still on Anthony, the promise of death in his glare.

“Please,” Ricky said.

Diego finally looked at him, his face softening—if only for the briefest flicker—before it hardened into a mask again. Then he pushed past Ricky and slunk off into the woods. Ricky began to follow before a hand grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Are you crazy?” Anthony hissed. “Don’t follow him!”

Ricky spun around to face him. “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“Saving your life!” Anthony shot back.

Ricky growled in frustration, pacing in a small circle, becausenowhefelt like swinging. “You ruin everything!” he snarled.

“Me?” Anthony demanded. “I came here to help. You’re the one who ruins everything!”

“Oh really?” Ricky demanded, walking over to him threateningly. “Like what?”

“Omar,” Anthony said, his voice wavering. “Why couldn’t you have left him alone? Why’d you have to...” He clenched his jaw and shook his head.

Ricky stared at him. “You know about that, huh? Funny how Cameron keeps your secrets, and does everything he can to protectyou, but when it comes to me, no amount of collateral damage is too much.”

“You want to talk about Cameron?” Anthony shouted back. “I know what you were trying to do on Halloween, when you took my hand thinking it was his!”

“Hewas mine!” Ricky yelled. “Until you got in the way!”

“Oh, of course,” Anthony said with a humorless laugh. “You’re determined to suck everyone’s dick. Omar wasn’t enough. You want Cameron too, and oh hey, maybe that’s why you were out here in the woods with Diego. Is that what I interrupted?”

“Shut up,” Ricky warned.

“It is!” Anthony said gleefully. “Oh my fucking god! You don’t have any standards, do you? What a sad pathetic slut!”

Ricky’s hand darted out, grabbed Anthony’s wrist, and pulled. The second Anthony stepped forward, Ricky swept his leg to throw him off balance while using his wrist to guide his fall. Anthony landed on his back with a thud, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

“I can take care of myself,” Ricky said. “Stay out of my way.”

He walked to the entrance of the clearing, growling in frustration when he had to return for his backpack. Anthony flinched as he passed by, but Ricky didn’t care about him anymore. He hurried out of the clearing and down the path, unsure which way Diego had gone, so he tried to retrace their steps. He began to run when it felt like he wasn’t getting anywhere, which was a bad idea, because he took a wrong turn and felt like those old nightmares were coming true. When he finally reached the field and the school came into view, he made a strangling noise as the hope inside him died.

Diego was nowhere to be seen.

— ——

Anthony felt like an idiot. The deeper he had ventured into the grove, the more he’d struggled with his own fear, because there was nothing he could do against a huge bully rippling with muscle. And yet, when he’d finally seen Ricky looking small and helpless while standing in Diego’s shadow, Anthony hadn’t hesitated. He had hoped to drag Ricky away, imagining that they would run through the woods together to safety. Instead…

He rolled his shoulders, which had taken the brunt of the fall. A tiny little freshman had managed to take him down in mere seconds. How humiliating! And yet, what left him feeling truly sore were the careless words that had spilled from his mouth. They were too personal. Anthony would have preferred to keep those thoughts a secret, but his frustration had risen up like bile, refusing to be swallowed again, and it had all come tumbling out. His feelings for Omar. The pain of having missed the opportunity for them to be intimately close, even if only for a few fleeting minutes… or however long it had taken. Part of him wanted to know that detail. The rest ached for what would never be. Worst of all were the horrible things he’d said to Ricky. Anthony didn’t mean them. And even if he did, saying them still would have been a mistake, because now he’d made an enemy of someone who knew his secret.

What if he told Omar? Or said something to Cameron, who already knew the truth but sure didn’t need to be reminded of it. What if Ricky outed them both to the entire school? This was bad. Anthony couldn’t begin to guess what Ricky would do. He was too full of surprises. How could such a little guy overpower him so effortlessly? Not to mention his bizarre relationship with Diego Gomez. What the hell was that about?

Anthony didn’t see anyone when he stumbled out of the woods. He thought about turning south and heading toward Main Street, but his needs had changed. Instead he returned to the school, walking around the back to where the auditorium was. He noticed a car parked there, a Trans Am with so many replacement parts that it was a zombie patchwork of colors. The driver noticed him, an expression of hope darkening with recognition. Diego Gomez got out of his car and approached Anthony who glanced around, hoping to see a teacher.

“Where is he?” Diego asked.