Buy The Silent Hustler
by Sean Meriwether
[Lethe Press, 10.2009]

Originally published in VelvetMafia.com [07.2008]

Third Party Kiss

Jessica squeezed his hand, raised her eyebrows on coquettish cue. She purred, breathy and soft. “Are you sure you can’t come, Ry-Ry? Just for a little bit?” She swung his arms out playfully, tugged his fingers, pressed her breasts into his thin chest. He allowed his arms to go rubbery, pretended to find her entertaining, watched her old boyfriend, Kevin, watch the two of them.

Ryan forced a smile, then relaxed and gave her a real one. He blinked rapidly, trying to find the right words to escape her invitation without the inevitable drama. He yawned dramatically, muttered sleepily about a morning exam, then shrugged, disengaging his hands from hers. “I can’t. Really.” Kevin and Henry huddled over the cherries of their cigarettes, their faces glowing red. He worried what they conspired over, certain that his fate was being decided, fresh revenge for dating Kevin’s ex.

His girlfriend pouted, a hard glimmer sparking her eyes. Jessica slipped her arms around him. “Can I change your mind?” She was the same height as him, which he found disarming. Shouldn’t girls be smaller? Yet it felt right to loop his arms around her back without stooping over. He set his chin on her shoulder and watched the parking lot lights spin Kevin’s hair into gold. Does he smell like cigarettes? He wondered dreamily. Does he smell like Henry?

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