Free Switch Master: 6 (Ink and Kink) by Frances Stockton

Sam. She thinks I
should be an illustrator or graphic artist.”
    “Sam recognizes your potential. You know, she’s a genius
with computers. She can help you learn how to transfer your talent to a
computer with the right software.”
    “She’s offered before,” Luke replied, at last looking up and
at Taran without the sneer on his face. “Might take her up on it, who knows?”
    “Can I see your sketchbook?” Taran pointed to it.
    “Why?” Luke’s eyebrows went up, his sneer returning.
    Taran held up his hand. “Just want to see what Sam does. I
won’t hurt anything.”
    “Okay,” Luke said, pushing the book across the table toward
Taran.
    Taran opened the first page and began looking into the mind
of a sixteen-year-old. The first drawing was of a pretty girl with long,
flowing hair. So were the next two. Each was a cross between urban fantasy and
superheroes commonly seen in comic books.
    The lines of the girl’s face were soft. Her eyes were
expressive. Luke had drawn her wearing some sort of cloak over a form-fitting
black cat suit, thigh-high boots and gloves.
    “Who’s this, may I ask?”
    Luke’s eyes flickered to the page. “Emily,” he answered,
looking away.
    “Is she in your class?”
    “No, she’s a senior. She works here,” he answered, gesturing
with his head toward the counter. Taran looked in that direction, seeing the
inspiration behind Luke’s drawings.
    “Yes she does. She’s cute,” Taran commented.
    Emily was a tiny brunette. Currently, she was handing over a
plate of nachos to a customer. Another girl helped Samantha and her friends.
    “Is Emily why you hang out here?”
    “Have nowhere else to go,” Luke answered with a shrug.
    “You’ve a skateboard with you. There’s a sign in the back of
the rink pointing to the indoor park.”
    “It’s a drag.”
    Taran got the impression that the skateboard park was the
local high school kid hangout. Recalling what Samantha told him about Luke
standing up to bullies, he surmised that was where the bullies congregated.
    Looking at another drawing of Emily, he noticed that the
girl’s cloak and gauntlets resembled a superhero’s protective shields more so
than fashion accessories. Emily was the girl Luke defended from the bullies.
    “What’s school like?” Taran asked, thumbing through the
sketchbook to see what else he could learn about Luke.
    “It’s a bore.”
    “What grade are you in?”
    “Tenth, should be in eleventh.”
    Taran paused on a drawing of Bella Frye. She was given a
distinct edge, her curves were accented, especially her boobs. No doubt about
it, Bella was a looker. The male crowds that were likely to frequent the rink
to watch roller derby would enjoy watching her in action.
    “Why’s school a bore, do you think?” Taran asked.
    “My mind wanders to other things,” Luke said after Taran
flipped to another page, this one was of Teri. Taran didn’t miss the way the
kid flicked a glance over at Emily.
    “To girls, I’d imagine,” Taran commented.
    “Maybe, I’d rather just draw.”
    “Ever think to ask Emily out?”
    “She’d never go out with me.”
    “Why?”
    “No money or job or even a chance of being hired because I’m
a tenth grader,” Luke answered.
    “If I understand your situation correctly, you had to repeat
a grade because you’d missed so much time at school.”
    “They held me back because my old man is fuck-up, always has
been unless he wanted something.”
    “I’m really sorry about the situation with your father. But
no matter, you should not hold yourself responsible for what he did.”
    “How do you know I’m not like him? You’ve talked to me for
about ten minutes in order to impress Sam and you think you know me?”
    “I’m trying to get to know you. I know what it’s like to
lose your parents. Someone had too much to drink and killed them.”
    “Sorry about your folks. That sucks big time.”
    “Appreciate that. Happened when I was about the same age as
you