Page 44 of Pride High 2: Orange

Diego wiped the spittle off his face and shrugged as if he didn’t care. He walked toward the hallway, stopping to tie his shoe along the way while everyone stared at him.

“Focus on the game,” Coach Henshaw said, clapping his hands to get their attention. “Marcus, you’re serving. Let’s go, people!”

Everyone seemed relieved that Diego was no longer playing. Except for Ricky, who waited a few minutes before jogging over to their coach. “I gotta pee!” he said apologetically.

Coach Henshaw nodded, not seeming suspicious in the slightest.

Ricky pushed through the gymnasium doors and glanced around. Diego was sitting on the floor down the hall, elbows resting on his pulled-up knees. His gaze was guarded as he rolled his head to the left, but he grinned when seeing that it was him.

“Are you okay?” Ricky asked.

The smile faltered. Diego stood but didn’t answer.

Ricky walked up to him. “What was going on in there? Why were you acting that way?”

“I was trying to make you laugh,” Diego explained. “Wasn’t it funny?”

“No!” Ricky reconsidered. “Well, kind of. But you’re going to get in trouble. Don’t you want to go back to playing football?”

Diego’s laugh was humorless. “Fuck no! I hated playing football.”

“Really?” Ricky asked, thoroughly confused at this point. “Then why were you on the team?”

Diego leaned close, his breath laced with fumes. “So I didn’t have to go home after school.”

Ricky wasn’t sure what that meant, but he had more immediate concerns. “Have you been drinking? Are you drunk?”

Diego shrugged. “What if I am?”

“You shouldn’t do that!” Ricky cried in alarm.

Diego’s face twisted up. “Don’t tell me what to do! Who the fuck do you think you are? Get out of here!”

“Fine!” Ricky shot back. He walked a few paces down the hall, toward the locker rooms, before he stopped. He didn’t want to abandon Diego. Something was obviously wrong with him. Ricky simply didn’t know what. He leaned his back against the wall and crossed his arm over his chest until his anger ebbed. Then he glanced over.

Diego’s expression was sullen, his cinnamon eyes meeting his reluctantly. “Whatever,” he grumbled.

Ricky turned to face him. “So you’ll stop? No more drinking at school?”

“Just don’t ask me about it again!” Diego snarled.

“Is that a yes?” Ricky pressed.

Diego growled while repeatedly bumping his back against the wall, as if wanting to test if he could break through it. “Maybe.”

Ricky would have to settle for that. “I know you probably think I’m a nerd who’s scared of breaking the rules, but don’t forget that I’m gay. That’s about as rebellious as it gets. I break rules just by being who I am.”

Diego snorted. “If you say so.”

“I simply don’t see the point in getting in trouble unless it’s really worth it.”

Diego went still. “Like skipping school?”

“Exactly.”

His thick lips curled into a smile. “You wanna get out of here?”

“No!” Ricky said with a laugh. “You’re crazy.”