Ask Me Why

by Harloe Rae

“I want you to marry her. My teacher says two people get married when they’re in love. How do I get you to love Miss Braelyn?”

“She’s worse. I try not to think about how much she bothers me. My skin fucking burns whenever she’s around.” “Are you sure that’s not the clap?” “Fuck you.” “Yeah, I suppose you’d need to have sex in order to catch a STD. Your balls are gonna shrivel up, man.”

My dad tells me we don’t need her. His heart beats twice as hard for me to cover for her part.”

“The triggers are a rolodex, spin the dial and see what pops up. Trauma is fucking hilarious like that. I’m a mess.”

“Because he’s crazy about you. Pretty sure running into you today has made his entire month. If he asks me to marry you one more time, I’m likely to go insane. He’d have you living with us in a second.”

I glance down, collecting the scatters of truth. “You two looked like a dream I never wanted to have.”

“For what it’s worth, I care about you.” “That’s your own damn fault.”

You’re my sunlight and rainbows after a lifetime of storms. Don’t leave me in the dark.”