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Ola swung the bat, it came crashing into contact with the glass bottle which exploded as loud as fireworks the glass shards raining down to the ground like fresh glittering snow.
She looked over her shoulder Adam was smiling it might have been the first time she’d seen him genuinely happy it was beautiful like when you spotted something rare and precious it lit up his entire face making him look radiant.
She walked over and handed him the bat a slight joking swagger to her step as she happily declared
“Batters up!”
Adam took the bat with a laugh that sounded thunderous in the now quiet space. He set up the next items in silence save the occasional mhmm or nah often accompanied by a quirk of his head that was strangely reminiscent of a confused or curious dog it was almost cute.
“So how’d you find this place?”
His shoulders tensed a moment then visibly relaxed again you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a shrug it was there and gone that quick.
“My Dad he’s uhh kind of a dick head, I used to go for walks just so I wouldn’t be at home. One night he’d pissed me off I don’t even know why anymore but I just had to hit something and I found this place.”
He stopped talking and turned to face her looking wistful.
“I think it might be my happy place.”
He didn’t give her a chance to reply before adding.
“Your turn why’d you need to smash shit up?”
“Cos Otis is a dick!”
The words came out even angrier than she had intended them too and she found her fingers itching for the bat again.
“So why were you at his party?”
He walked back to the set up and swung at a cream colored milk pitcher it flew forward but didn’t smash only landing on the ground with a loud thud he picked it up and put it back then handed her the bat.
“Fucker didn’t tell me he was having a party just said to come pick up my stuff.”
“Shit head.”
“Why’d you come? I didn’t think you were friends with Otis”
She took her turn swinging at the pitcher at this distance she could see that there were cows and ducks painted on it, the bat hit the base of it propelling it up into the air and sending shards of ceramic soaring up and up until they eventually reached their summit and began their steady descent to the ground below.
She pumped her fists in the air letting out a triumph whoop followed by a hasty.
“Beat that”
“I’m not… friends with Otis I mean. I went for Eric”
“Oh”
She said puzzled she’d never seen them interact or even heard Adam talk about Eric before.
“I didn’t realize you were friends”
“We’re not, I, I dunno what we are really anymore.”
He sighed it was long and drawn out he reached out for the bat she handed it to him, clearly he needed it he walked up to the pillar and swung it down onto a plate it cracked he did it again and again and again until nothing but porcelain powder, and a few shards remained
“Idiot”
He mumbled quietly to himself before dropping the bat back down and taking out a packet of cigarettes.
He placed one between his lips took out a lighter flipped it open and flicked it on he held a hand up behind the tiny flame protecting it from the breeze he placed it to his cigarette and inhaled. With his cigarette still perching between his lips he spoke.
“I made his life hell forever, you ever hear him get called Tromboner?”
She nodded, he took a long drag looking at a puddle by his feet so intensely it might very well contain the secrets to the very universe. He exhaled and suddenly his attention was fully captured by the swirling smoke blowing away on the breeze as if he were mesmerized.
Then all of a sudden he continued.
“That’s my fault, ugh I thought I hated him for years, but I don’t Ol, I…I…I like him. Fuck”
It came out as a long exhale practically a hiss.
“I really like him I think I always did and I just never knew what to do about it.”
Ola didn’t know what to do with any of that she’d always assumed that Adam was straight but then again until this week she thought she was too. She thought of Lily for a moment and her heart clenched.
It was her turn for the bat but she didn’t want it she wanted to use her bare hands this time.
Maybe she should have suspected Adam liked men especially with how defensive he was about never thinking of guys and his adamancy about only being attracted to women.
She was at a loss for words she grabbed a bowl from the ground and threw it as far away as possible Adam jumped at the suddenness choking on his smoke.
“I bet you were the kind of kid to pull little girls pigtails because you thought they were cute.”
“Shut up! But yeah”
“So you picked on Eric cos you liked him?”
He had a long pull of his cigarette it burned down dangerously close to his fingertips he dropped it to the ground where it rolled into the puddle with a hiss he stomped on it sending up droplets of muddy water.
“Maybe I mean yeah fuck it’s just a mess. Why’d he have to be a guy I mean I’m bad enough with girls.”
“Does he know you like him?”
Ola didn’t get it Eric was with Rahim and they seemed happy together she’d even told Adam how cute she thought they were.
“Yeah he does and I thought he liked me too… before.”
He was silent a moment longer before adding.
“You know we used to come here together.”
That came as even more of a surprise to her than the liking guys thing. All this time and he’d never mentioned Eric and now he had to see him happy with someone else.
She grabbed up the bat from amidst the remains of the plate on the pillar. Walking back to Adam she put a hand on his back and pushed him in the direction of an old car.
The hood was dented all over showing how often he’d used it to pound out his feelings before.
He slumped against the car wearily she offered the bat but he shook his head declining the offer and leant down opening a cooler resting against the wheel and pulling out a bottle of beer he twisted the cap off and offered it to her.
Ola leant beside him on the car it was cold and the damp almost seeped through the clothes against her back.
She took the bottle taking a long swig and passed it back to him he made a face of mock disgust and jokingly went “Ewww” at her she stuck her tongue out in response.
“Did you see him at the party?”
“Yeah”
He rested the bottle against his lower lip lost in thought a moment.
“I told him that I think I’m bisexual. I’d never said it out loud before. He was great, till I fucked it up.”
“Well if it helps I’m proud of you man.”
“Thanks, does your Dad know? About the pots and pans thing I mean.”
Ola laughed whole heartedly and clapped his shoulder he passed her the bottle and she swallowed a mouthful, the bubbles crept up the side of the green glass bottle and threatened to spill over but they never did.
“Pansexual you dumbass and yeah he does. It was good.”
“And the girl, dream girl I mean?”
There it was that ache again she missed Lily like crazy she could live with them not being together but Lily didn’t even want to be her friend any more.
“I fucked it up too.”
“How?”
It was quiet, curious but not probing an invitation to vent not a request for more information.
“I kissed her. I thought maybe she’d like me too but I guess I was wrong.”
He grabbed another bottle from the cooler and handed it to her she took the bottle but didn’t open it he clinked his bottle against the side of hers.
“To fuck ups.”
He proudly declared and pressed his bottle to his lips tossing his back with a gulp, Ola took the bottle from him.
“To being queer”
She shouted and took a swig before passing it back. She put the unopened bottle back in the cooler.
Adam quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head again and yeah he definitely looked like a dog then maybe a Great Dane? Actually exactly like a Great Dane big and intimidating at first glance but actually clumsy and a softy when you got to know him.
“Queer? What like weird and stuff?”
“No man like Pan and Bi or Gay you know?”
He nodded in understanding and took the bottle back having a sip and swallowing. Before surprising her with a loud shout of.
“I’m fucking Bisexual!!”
It was joyous, triumphant and proud it sounded like a war cry like he was declaring it to the world and daring them to say anything about it. Adam looked exhilarated, free as if nothing could stop him and Ola couldn’t be prouder of her friend.
Ola reached over and took the bottle from his hand almost empty at this point and drank the last mouthful then tossed it into the air.
Adam grabbed the bat from her side and hit the bottle it shattered into green glass stars that twinkled and fell down to earth.
Adam dropped the bat back against the car and pulled off his goggles setting them on top of the cooler Ola leant over to place hers beside his as he pushed off of the car and stood up.
“Walk you home?”
“Left my car at Otis’s gotta go get it for tomorrow.”
Adam nodded.
“That explains why you didn’t take the second beer.”
“Yup.”
“Okay walk you to Otis’s then”
It wasn’t a question. She pushed off from the car to stand beside Adam who slung an arm around her shoulders she looped one around his waist as they walked off.