Highly Illogical Behavior(4)
“What kind? You got a PlayStation?”
“Oh. No. I suck at video games. I meant a card game or something. You like strategy games?”
“Are you asking me to play Dungeons and Dragons? Because hell no. I’d like to not die a virgin.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“Tell that to my uncle Eric. Plays those nerdy games with all his nerdy friends all the time and my mom says he’ll probably be alone forever.”
“She sounds nice,” Solomon said under his breath.
“Don’t be a dick, I’m just trying to say it’s a little lame.”
It wasn’t lame. Not even a little. And it didn’t take long for Solomon to realize that he didn’t need a friend. Which worked out well, because after a few months and a few more failed attempts at hanging out, Grant eventually stopped coming over altogether. His parents asked him a few times what Grant was up to, why he’d been so busy, and Solomon just shrugged it off and said he didn’t know. He knew. He was busy boring someone new to death.
See, Solomon’s world wasn’t lonely like you’d think. It wasn’t dark and sad. It was small, sure, but it was comfortable. Why would it need to be anything but that? He knew his parents worried, though, and that was really the only thing that bothered him. What he wished, more than anything, was to be able to explain to them how much better it was now. But judging from their silence on the issue, and his lack of a therapist, he figured they already knew.
FOUR
LISA PRAYTOR
Lisa had learned some important things from her mother. Like how to put on mascara while driving and what time of year it’s okay to wear white shoes. But, mostly, Lisa learned that if she settled for a life she didn’t want, then she’d end up just like her—overworked, mildly depressed, and failing miserably at a third marriage.
Lisa wanted more than Upland, California. It wasn’t the worst place on earth, by any means, but it wasn’t her place. Someone like Clark could live there forever, happy enough to have a quiet little life and never make too many waves. But Lisa needed something bigger. She wanted to be important. And that wasn’t going to happen in the Inland Empire. Luckily, with her junior year coming to a close, Lisa saw an end in sight. And now that she had an appointment to see Solomon Reed’s mom again, she was feeling pretty confident about her escape plan.
She still wasn’t sure what to do about Clark, though. She loved him. It was hard not to, but every attempt she’d made at taking things to the next level had been shot down. He didn’t want to talk about college, always saying he just wasn’t ready yet. And, despite his looks and confidence, it turned out he wasn’t ready for some other things, either.
Clark wanted to wait. Lisa wasn’t sure what, exactly, he wanted to wait for, but every time she tried to initiate anything even close to sex, he’d remind her that it wasn’t the right time yet.
Of course she never once considered that the problem could be her.
“He’s religious,” she told her friend Janis on the phone. “That’s why, right?”
Janis Plutko had been Lisa’s best friend since the first grade. But, ever since she’d become a born-again Christian sophomore year, Lisa had felt a lot of distance from her. She didn’t have a problem with it, but sometimes she wasn’t so sure Janis knew the difference between being religious and acting that way.
“Please,” Janis said. “I’ve dated three guys from Sunday School and every single one tried to feel me up. God’s not your problem, Lisa.”
“Well, what is it then? And don’t say it’s me. It’s not.”
“Lisa . . . he’s on the water polo team and he has three older brothers,” Janis said.
“What? Not again, Janis. He’s not gay.”
“Scientifically and superficially, these facts do not help his case for heterosexuality.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“They say the more older brothers you have, the more likely you are to be homosexual. For males, at least. And do I even have to explain to you why water polo is gay?”
“Boys in Speedos playing around in a pool,” Lisa said. “I get it. But he’s not gay.”
“Whatever you want to tell yourself, Lisa. But don’t count this out. I have an instinct for these things. Best gaydar in town.”
“The thing is, I don’t really care that much right now.”
“Lisa . . . I think you should probably care about something like this.”
“Maybe everyone else should just care less about it. I’ve got too much to do anyway. Sex should be the last thing on my mind.”
“See, you’d make a great Christian. Maybe just start going to church and he’ll be all over you.”
“I’m afraid I’d catch on fire as soon as I walked in.”
“I’d be afraid of that too,” Janis snapped.
“I love him. I’m pretty sure he loves me. So, for now, what’s it matter?”
“This conversation started because of your sexual frustration.”
“Even so. Like I said: sex is distracting. I need to focus on school and on getting out of here.”
“Will you tell me about the dentist now?” Janis asked.