Page 32 of String Boys

“If he’s so damned tired of it,” Kelly muttered in an undertone, “why does he always fuckin’ use it?”

Seth grimaced, but neither of them had an answer.

Just a pressing need to get home.

Kelly always ran upstairs to say hi to his family before he came down to visit Seth. Today, this gave Seth a little time to set up. He hadn’t lied about the flowers—flowers were so clearly a romantic thing, and something you had to display in your kitchen or on your shirt or something.

But a little stuffed animal, that was another thing. He chose a dog because Kelly had always wanted a dog, but the fourplexes didn’t let you keep anything but cats. This one was purple and orange, because the colors were whimsical and reminded Seth of Kelly’s boundless joy, and its brown eyes were enormous.

He set the card and the stuffed animal up on the coffee table behind him, so he was—thank God—standing in front of them when Matty burst in, Kelly at his heels.

“Seth! Tell my stupid brother not to overreact!” Matty snarled, glaring at Kelly with such fierceness Seth would have recoiled—if he hadn’t been setting his violin on top of Kelly’s card and gift, that is.

“Seth, please tell my brain-damaged idiot sibling that Castor Durant is a serious threat to my damned family and that my mom should know to keep the girls safe and not to let Lily and Lulu walk Agnes home like she did today. If she doesn’t know what’s out there, she doesn’t know that’s a bad move. And Dorkface here would rather our little sisters get kidnapped and beat up and hurt and shit, than admit some scumsucking slagdump called him a fag!”

Seth was used to waiting until Kelly paused for breath.

“Kelly’s right,” he said shortly. “Durant’s dangerous. You were the one who was afraid he’d find out who your sisters were. Tell your mother, Matty. She needs to know.”

Matty scowled, shaking his head. “And I say she doesn’t.”

Seth and Kelly exchanged glances. “And Kelly says she does,” Seth said, stepping into the role of equal, since Kelly seemed forever locked into “little brother” position. “Kelly can tell her, and you can pretend it has nothing to do with you.”

“You two are so stupid!” Matty burst out. “Don’t you get it? Castor Durant’s parents are fucking bigwigs in Isela’s church! His father is co-pastor with her dad! We can’t doanythingabout him! If we tell my mom—”

“You don’t have to tell her his name, you big coward!” Seth snapped. “Just tell her there’s some kids who like to mess with us and we’ve heard rumors. Jesus, Matty, your girlfriend’s church isnotmore important than your family!”

Matty jerked back like Seth had slapped him hard in the face. Even Kelly was looking at him with some shock.

“That’s a shitty thing to say!” he snapped with just enough defensiveness for Seth to know he’d hit home.

“Then tell your mother,” Seth said, lowering his voice. “I’ll tell my dad if you want. He’ll pass it along. C’mon, Matty. I… I mean, I know I’m not… you know. Family. But they’re your sisters. I…. Maybe you gotta be all alone in the house to know why that’s important.”

Because Seth had been.

Those moments playing with Matty and Kelly when they were younger had meant everything to him. Running around the house playing horsy, with a little girl on his back spurring him on—those had been some of his best moments.

Until he’d looked at Kelly sleeping, he’d thought ice cream with the Cruz family, his dad a sober, smiling presence by his side, was the best thing in the world.

Matty snorted. “You’re so fucking pathetic. Get your own damned family. C’mon, Kelly—”

“Uh, no, moron,” Kelly muttered. “It’s my night to stay here with Seth. Heisour family, and you’re being an asshole. I’ll tell Mom if you don’t, and then she’ll want to know why it was me.”

“Whatever.” Matty turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Kelly gave Seth a worried look and opened the drapes to the late afternoon sun before the windows stopped rattling.

Seth took a big shaky breath and swallowed. “I’m sorry—” he muttered just as Kelly said, “I’m so sor—”

They stopped and grimaced.

“I hate that he’s my brother,” Kelly said bitterly. He looked down at his feet and swallowed. “Jimmy Durreson gave Tevin Crane a fucking carnation in second period this morning. Kissed him on the cheek and asked him to the dance and everything. Dammit. I really wanted to give you a fucking flower.”

Seth’s hands were still shaking, but he turned around and made sure his instrument was okay, and then pulled out his gift.

“Me too,” he said softly.

And like that, the sadness washed away. Kelly’s eyes went bright, and he took the little stuffed dog and the card with a giant smile.