Brian left school in a rush, he needed to get to Slaters for his evening shift. Being late meant less money and he needed every dime. He had plans and working at the local dog food factory for the rest of his life wasn’t in them. That was why even though he hated almost everyone at his school he tried never to be late and finished assignments on time. In fact, if it wasn’t for the Donaldson twins, he would probably be looking at valedictorian or salutatorian. He had also been working at the diner since he was fourteen.
Mikey’s mom and uncle bought Slaters from Old Man Slater right before he drove his pickup into the post office. He always did say that he was going to get even with the postmaster for always stealing his Readers’ Digest. The postmaster, Mr. Clayton was fine but Old Man Slater went to that waiting room in the sky, all the Readers’ Digests he could read. Funny fact after he died Mrs. Slater actually admitted to cancelling his subscription years ago. Talk about guilt, she lives with her daughter over in Jackson now.
Brian’s car sputtered at him but started, after the fifth time. Mr. Davis had been selling his old Roadrunner and sold it to Brian for a song. That was good because that’s all the piece of shit was worth. But it did its job…most days. But it looked good and that was all that mattered.
As he drove his mind went to the new boy at school. Justin was a rich boy, and he knew it. There was no hiding the proper way he spoke. He sounded like Mrs. Kerry, the school librarian. Everyone knew she was from money. But the new boy, there was just something about him that Brian liked. Not that he would tell him that, he didn’t do dates or boyfriends. Ever since he got caught with Danny Peters last year, he had no choice about coming out. His parents kicked him out but that was no loss. Mrs. Kingsley let him move into the apartment over her garage. Her husband had built it for their daughter when she was in school, but she moved long ago.
His best friend Michael’s mom asked him to move in with them but that was his idea of hell. After being a punching bag for his dad his whole life and instead of his mom helping, she would just say they should pray on it. Them kicking him out was the best thing that could ever happen to him. After that he couldn’t imagine having to live with Debbie, she smothers Michael so much that he’ll probably always be holding that apron string. Mrs. Kingsley only charges him a hundred dollars a month and leaves him the fuck alone. She said she wasn’t using the apartment anyway. All he had to do was promise not to get a hot plate to cook with. He ate at the diner or Michael’s so that wasn’t a problem. All he needed was a room and a bathroom and he had both.
Pulling into the tiny parking lot at Slaters, he cursed. Usually, he liked to park out back by the dumpster, but Kenny’s Cutlass was there. That only left up against the outer wall. He hated it because sometimes customers would try and park in the back, blocking him in.
“You’re late,” Vic growled as he walked in the door.
“Car was being a piece of shit.”
“I don’t understand why you don’t just ride with Michael.”
“Michael drives a Civic, I’d rather die in a fiery crash.”
Vic shook his head and handed Brian an apron. “You care too much about your appearance.”
Brian looked Vic up and down, he had known the older man since he was five-years old. Michael and he had been put in the same group in kindergarten. They’ve been best friends ever since. Then when Lindsay moved to the town at seven with her grandmother after her parents died in a car crash, they were the Three Musketeers. Lindsay and her sister grew up with her Granny Faye and her “friend” Judy. Years ago, Lindsay told him that Judy has a room in the house, but it’s only used for storage. It had been an open secret for years in town until a few years ago when they just stopped pretending. No one in the town blinked because everyone had known.
“I think I’ll skip the life advice from the man flipping burgers with his sister at fifty,” Brian said, putting on the apron.
Most people would have been offended but not Vic, he just shook his head and told him to bus table four, after making it clear he was only thirty-six. Michael’s mom had Michael when she was seventeen, her older brother didn’t move away like he planned. He got stuck in the same place she did. This place was like quicksand. Brian would be damned if he got stuck here.
A few hours later his friends showed up.
“Go on and take your break, honey,” Debbie told him.
He smiled and nodded, taking off his apron. He sat down in the booth seat next to Michael. Slaters was a 50’s diner with red seating and white tables. There were vinyl records all over the walls. Where they sat right now was the Chuck Berry section, which meant it had a picture of Chuck Berry over it.
“What did you think of the new boy?” Emmett asked, shoveling a fry into his face.
“Snob,” Brian said.
“Come on, Lindsay’s family is from money. You don’t call her a snob,” Ted said.
“She was raised by the gay black sheep of the family. The rest of her family wouldn’t piss on Lindsay or Granny Faye to save their lives. Money breeds contempt for the masses,” Brian said, looking around the diner hoping that he didn’t have to clean the animals at table three.
“Says the man that plans to be rich and successful,” Melanie said.
Brian glared at her. They had met Melanie in middle school, and he never did take to her. Lindsay had a pathetic little crush on her though, had since they were twelve. Not that she’s done anything about it. Just like Mikey’s sad crush on the weird kid on the school newspaper.
“Looky who just walked in the door,” Emmett said, a huge grin on his face. He waved to whoever it was, Brian turned and looked at the door. It was the new boy, Justin, with a little girl with her red hair in pigtails. Justin saw them and smiled back, waving at Emmett.
Just as Justin looked like he was going to walk towards them, the door opened again, and Cody walked in.
“God, what’s he doing here?” Lindsay said. Her face was hidden behind the menu, even though she hadn’t ordered off menu since she was ten.
Cody Bell was the reason Ted got ran off the road junior year. Cody Bell was the reason Emmett’s Aunt Lula had to threaten the school board with violence. Cody Bell was a psychopath, plain and simple. Cody moved with his parents to their little piece of hell his freshman year. They all had seen his dad; it wasn’t a big surprise he was crazy. Papa Bell pulled a gun on Lindsay’s Granny Faye last year when she let the boy stay at her place. That was before everyone knew that Cody was just as nuts as his dad. It was a big thing and best left in the past but none of their group was left unscathed by it.
“Oh god, he’s coming over here,” Emmett groaned. Brian watched as Justin looked at Cody and took his little sister to the other side of the diner. It was the smart choice.
“It’s the traitors, just who I was looking for,” Cody said, pulling a chair up to the end of their booth.
“Get lost,” Brian told him. He only had a few minutes left of his break and didn’t want to deal with him.
“Charming. You weren’t telling me that last year.”
“That was before you almost got Ted killed,” Melanie said. She was ready to tear his head off last year when it happened. The only reason she didn’t was Ted asked her to let it go.
“I didn’t know he would do that,” Cody defended himself, holding his hands up.
“You didn’t know your crazy, homophobic dad wouldn’t try and hurt the boy that you said you had sex with? How did that work out in your head? If it were true that would be one thing, but it wasn’t. Ted was in that gully for four hours before Mrs. Jenkins came by. No one drives on that road hardly. He could have been dead if Mrs. Jenkins wasn’t doing Meals on Wheels and was taking a shortcut,” Mel roared, causing the whole diner to watch with interest. He saw Debbie come rushing over. Not to tell them to quiet down he was sure, maybe to ask them to speak louder.
“I thought I told you, you weren’t welcome here anymore,” Debbie said, hands on her hips. She didn’t like any of Michael’s friends calling her Mrs. Novotny, said it made her feel old.
“I’m out of here, just passing on a message anyway.”
“What?” Brian asked.
“Turn eighteen tomorrow, no one can tell me where to go or what to do anymore. I’m off to New York.”
That was the stupidest thing Brian ever heard. Most likely if Cody does end up in New York he’ll be turning tricks and addicted to drugs before the year was out. But he wasn’t about to talk the little psycho out of it.
“Alright, bye,” Mel said, before sitting back down.
“Just one more thing. Brian, you ever wonder who told your dad to look for you that night? Linds, ever cross your mind why all the cheerleaders somehow knew you liked pussy? Mel, ever wonder about how that picture of you and Samantha Dawson got around? Mikey boy, ever wonder who told everyone about your less than straight obsession with Captain Astro? Never had to tell anyone about Emmett and Ted was a…accident. But tomorrow, they’ll be no more accidents.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Brian asked.
“You six maybe out and proud now, but there are some deep closet cases at school, and tomorrow the doors will be blown off their safe little hidey holes.”
“You’re going to out kids who have done nothing to you?” Ted asked, his voice hard. He hadn’t spoken at all since Cody came in the diner.
“Some of the biggest bullies there are secret queers. I’ve got the proof and tomorrow everyone will know. Just telling you now because your traitor table, is going to get a lot more crowded.”