Free Crush by Stefan Petrucha Page A

how to respond, so he dropped his head and pretended to read his book until the men’s room door closed. He took another sip of the too-sweet coffee.
    When Ox emerged from the men’s room,Jonathan was pretending to read again. He didn’t look up, so he was startled when Ox sat down in the chair opposite him.
    â€œHey,” Ox said.
    Jonathan was almost too stunned to respond. He closed the book and searched the room over Ox’s shoulder, expecting to find Cade barreling down as part of an attack.
    â€œHey,” he replied nervously.
    â€œGood book?” Ox asked.
    â€œThere’s a lot of blood,” Jonathan said, though he had no idea if that was true or not. He thought it sounded dumb enough to impress Ox.
    â€œCool,” Ox said, nodding his head several times after the word had left his lips. He seemed undecided about something, and he did an odd thing with his lips, sucking them in between his teeth as if he was preparing to heft a tremendous weight. “Look,” he finally said, “Cade and I were talking earlier, and we feel like crap for what’s been going on. Really, man. That locker stuff was Toby’s thing. It was just for laughs, you know? But it was totally lame.”
    Was he apologizing? Jonathan couldn’t be sure. He didn’t say anything, just watched Ox, wholooked at him, then the table, then the floor.
    â€œIt’s like nothing against you or anything,” Ox said. “It’s just something we did…for laughs, right? I don’t want you to think we have anything against you . I mean, it was Toby’s deal. Cade and I were just always there.”
    â€œYeah,” Jonathan said. You were always there. Laughing. High-fiving like a pack of morons. No. Like a pride of morons , he thought.
    â€œIt’s like, I can’t believe he’s gone. You know?”
    â€œSorry,” Jonathan said. It seemed like the right response, but it felt awkward on his tongue.
    â€œYeah. Thanks. You’re a cool guy. I guess I kind of always knew that,” Ox said. “You’re a bit scrawny, but a good guy.”
    Ox was trying to make a joke. Jonathan forced a smile, still thinking the monstrous kid was a dickhead, but maybe a lower-level dickhead than he’d once believed.
    â€œThanks, man,” Jonathan replied.
    â€œSo, we’re cool?” Ox asked.
    â€œSure.”
    â€œCool,” Ox said rapping the table with one of his giant hands. “Yeah. Okay. Cool. I gotta get back over there. I just…okay. Cool.”
    Ox stood. He appeared confused about which way to walk. He leaned toward Jonathan, who flinched. Ox rapped him lightly on the shoulder. A friendly gesture. Then he turned and made his way around the counter, leaving Jonathan stunned, confused, and relieved.
    What the hell is going on? he wondered. Were things actually getting better for him?
    Then he lifted his drink for another sip and paused with a cloud of whipped cream against his lip.
    Kirsty Sabine walked into the coffee house.
    And David was holding the door for her.
    Â 
    Jonathan looked down at his book, pretending to read. He felt awkward, though there was no reason for it. David had lied to him. His best friend said he was having dinner with his folks, when he was actually on a date with Kirsty. So why did he , Jonathan, feel guilty, like he was intruding or spying on them?
    This was lame. So lame.
    â€œBusted,” David said, dropping into the chair across from him.
    Jonathan looked up, startled. Disappointmentin his friend set his nerves on edge. He tried to play it cool, but it felt like he’d shake apart at any moment.
    â€œHey,” he said, closing the book and setting it down. “What’s up?”
    David looked over his shoulder and then leaned his arms on the table. “I got a date.”
    â€œDoesn’t look like your parents,” Jonathan said, trying to sound amused.
    â€œI know,” David said. He