Page 77 of The Story of You

Point Oliver. “Just remember, the Terminator only ‘died’ because he voluntarily lowered himself into a pit of molten metal when his job protecting John Conner was done. Not a moment before.”

His eyes widen. “I’ll remember.”

“Good. Eat. Read. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to ice the cake.”

ChapterTwenty-Five

Simon ~ August 1986

Being thirteen didn’t bring us a lot more street cred but Darius’s thing with Asher did. Asher was tough and mean. He was also loyal and charming. He was broken like the rest of us and so we forgave him the mean. We all appreciated the tough.

When it rained, the four of us would lie about in what we called the grand room because it was the largest common area in the house. It was where the Magnavox was kept. In its time, that thing was top of the line as far as TVs went. Color. Twenty-seven-inch screen. Encased in a hardwood cabinet. The Nintendo was hooked up to it. You had to get up to change the channel, but we didn’t know any different. We felt lucky. It wasn’t something everybody had but one was donated to us by a kind benefactor.

Adults got first dibs of course—I often watched Sandy’s soap operas with her—but they were so busy, we got to use it a lot. Teens got next dibs with the younger teens lowest on the social ladder, but when we were with Asher, it was ours.

The grand room had couches and pillows and blankets. Great for a rainy-day cozy. We didn’t have the day off together, Shane and Darry did, but Asher and I were able to switch off with someone—Terry approved—because animals still had to get fed in the rain. There were also plenty of inside chores.

I snuggled up with Shane and we tuned in for some Charles in Charge with popcorn. Darry and Asher made out next to us. Sometimes they got to be too much, and I complained.

“Can you at least take it to the bedroom? Jeez, Darry.”

“Yeah. C’mon, Ash.”

Asher slapped him across the face. “What did I tell you about calling me that?”

Darius gritted his teeth as red finger marks rose on his cheek. I wanted to kill him. He was always rough with Darius.

“Do that one more time,Ash,” I said, underlining the word Ash, “and I’ll tear your face apart.”

Maybe it was from hanging around with Darius so much or all the rough kids at The Home. I’d grown a backbone. Plus, Shane was right there. He could smash Asher with one hand.

Asher laughed. “Yeah, nah. That’d just be funny. Darius said I could do that so take it up with him. Doesn’t Shane hit you?”

“That’s different.”

“Is it? Or do you just have different ways of doin’ things than we do?”

I didn’t know. “Darry?” That Darry was to ask if it was true—did he tell Ash he could do that?

“It’s complicated,” Darius said. So not a yes then.

“Asher,” Shane’s booming voice said. “Darius is under my care. If I find out anythin’ you’re doing isn’t to his liking, I’ll dump you headfirst into the woodchipper.”

Shane would never do that, but it was a worthwhile threat at fifteen because Shane could do it and there was a woodchipper on the farm.

“I’m not doin’ anything we didn’t talk about. He’s being a fucking brat. He’s pissed because I won’t let him get away with it.”

I was on edge. A breath away from clawing Asher’s eyes out.

“Leave it alone, Simon,” Darius said. “C’mon, Asher. You can kiss my face better.”

He tugged on Asher’s wrist to drag him away. I tried to follow. Shane stopped me. “You’re just gonna let this happen?”

“I don’t like it either. But Asher’s not gonna do more than rough Darius up. I will speak to Darius later to find out what’s going on. I won’t let it get out of hand.”

I nodded. “He’s just so fragile in some ways. Darry’s like a diamond with one flaw. That flaw makes him the shiniest, but also leaves him vulnerable.”

“I see him,” Shane said. “I’ll do everything I can to save him from himself.”