In the middle of Des Plaines Illinois three boys find themselves in a tangled knot of angsty lust and amateur love.
Evan Webster has an average American life. When he isn't at swim practice or the movie theater, he's trying to make time to study bi...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
AUGUST
Danny was driving and Evan was in the passenger seat. They were bantering about the music on the radio. Jackson was in the backseat, but he was too quiet to be acknowledged. His gaze was fixed on the window, watching the trees go by in a blur. There was still a long stretch of the interstate before they reached the airport.
"Des Plaines looks a lot less ugly when you drive fast," Jackson remarked, lifting his head to watch the two boys interact so casually. Like nothing had changed.
Evan twisted his neck to look at the red-haired boy sitting behind him. He realized he had never seen him in a car, only on a skateboard or a school bus. "You okay?" He had been quiet for the majority of the ride.
Danny shifted in his seat, contemplating if he should light a cigarette now or later. It was too weird and stressful listening to Jackson and Evan be civil, especially while remembering the last time Jackson was seated in the back of a car. Somehow guilt and happiness were two sides of the same coin doing flips in his conscience. Plus, he was still embarrassed about what had happened at Summerfest.
"I'm okay," Jackson answered Evan, but his eyes didn't look up. Was this a good idea? The military? Would he be safe? Would he have to hide being gay forever?
Would he miss Des Plaines? Probably not. That was hard for Evan to understand. He had grown up so well in the tiny town, whereas Jackson's upbringing wasn't as easy. Danny understood, though. They lived in a different Des Plaines than Evan, figurately. These days, though, Danny didn't have anywhere to live. He was surviving out of his car. Jackson tossed a dirty sock across the console. Danny tossed it back and muttered something about invading his closet.
