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Yeah, yeah, he was good backup, a good lookout – he’d saved Do
But Do
Oh, he wanted to. That was obvious. Because Wes was mad. Oh, yeah. Totally mad. Wes was as pissed off at his father for being dead as Do
He was sure the kid could do it, if he wanted to, even though they’d known each other only a month. Do
He was thinking of the first time they’d really spoken. One day after school Do
Wes had watched then pedalled off, not fast, not scared, like no worries.
The next day at school, Do
And Wes said, ‘Nobody special.’
‘Fuck you,’ Do
Wes said, ‘I coulda told somebody but I didn’t. ’Cause, duh, you’re here and not behind bars.’
‘Fuck off.’
Wes just walked away slow, like he’d biked away the day before.
No cares …
Then a couple days later Wes came up to Do
Then a week later Wes was sitting outside and Do
‘My mom won’t let me play that either. At your house, yeah.’
It took a couple weeks of games and pizza and just hanging out before Wes said, ‘My father’s dead.’
Do
Nothing more for another week. Then Do
‘Accident.’
‘Like a car?’
‘A truck.’
Wes sounded as calm as Do
‘You want to fuck up the driver?’
‘Yeah, but he’s gone. Didn’t even live here.’
‘Wish somebody’d run into my father. Don’t you want to fuck things up sometimes?’
‘Explode, yeah,’ Wes had said. ‘And my mom’s going out with this guy. A computer guy. He’s okay. He hacks code real good. But it’s like my dad never even existed, you know. And I can’t say anything.’
‘’Cause you’ll get the crap beat out of you.’
Wes had just repeated, ‘Explode.’
They hung out some more and finally Do
Do
Do
Wes hadn’t been sure about joining at first. Do
But would he really come around? Do
He walked into Starbucks, got a coffee and sat down next to Wes, who was texting. He glanced up, nodded and put his phone away.
‘Hey.’
They bumped fists.
For the next ten minutes they talked, in whispers, about how best to get into Goldshit’s garage and steal their bikes back. Wes thought it was smart not to do it just the two of them but get Nathan and Vincent too.
Do
After a few minutes, Wes said, ‘I heard Kerry and Gayle’ll be at Foster’s. Want to go up there?’
‘Is Tiff with them?’
‘I don’t know. I just heard Kerry and Gayle.’
‘K. Let’s go.’
They headed out and turned north, making for the old department store, now a restaurant – at least on the first floor.
They got about one block and Do
It was that prick Rashiv. Mrs Dance had mentioned him the other night. Do
And here he was now.
Rashiv glanced up and, terror in his eyes, saw Do
‘Yo, bitch,’ Do
Rashiv nodded. He was a way ski
‘Whatchu up to, bitch?’
A shrug. ‘Nothing.’ Looking for a place to run, just in case Do
Wes just looking at him with this blank expression.
‘Hey, Wes.’
No response from Wolverine.
Rashiv said, ‘Haven’t seen you for a while. I called.’
‘Busy.’
Do
‘Sorta. Yeah. You know, school.’
Wes said, ‘What’s that?’ Squinting at a book the boy was carrying.
‘Just some manga.’
‘Let me see.’
‘I don’t—’
Wes lifted it away. He laughed in shock. ‘Japanese edition of Death Note – it’s signed by Ohba.’
Shit, Do
Death Note was about a high-school student who has a secret notebook that gives him the power to kill anyone just by knowing their name and face. Fuck, this was pure solid, the most righteous of any manga or anime in the world.
Wes flipped through it. ‘I’m going to borrow it.’
‘Wait!’ Rashiv said, eyes wide.
‘I’m just going to read it.’
‘No, you’re not! You’re never going to give it back. My parents brought it to me from Japan!’ Rashiv reached forward and gripped Wes’s arm. ‘No! Please!’
Wes turned to him with a look that sent some ice even down Do