Read Online Crazy Horse's Girlfriend (9781940430447) by Erika T. Wurth - Free Book Online Page A

Julia to it once. She seemed to like it. I don’t know. It’s not like other churches. At least not to me.”
    â€œHow’s that?”
    â€œWell, it’s not so much about some God in the sky, looking to punish you and shit. More about this life.”
    Mike looked thoughtful. “I like that.”
    â€œMe too.”
    â€œBut my dad doesn’t like it when we go, or when we go to powwow.” I looked down at the bottle and picked up it up, drank. Set it back down again.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œDon’t know for sure. I guess he feels threatened or something.”
    Mike looked confused. “Your dad is white?”
    â€œYeah.”
    Mike looked at me thoughtfully. “Is that how you got that?” he asked, brushing my bruise lightly with his hand.
    â€œYeah. Sometimes he gets mean when he gets drunk. But to be fair, I had just come back from the hospital after a deal gone wrong. You know, the thing with the meth-head. My parents know Jake and me deal. I can understand why they don’t want me to do that. But we want to get out of here when I turn eighteen, and we make pretty good money dealing. I’ve got a savings account.” I laughed cynically, the sound of it echoing a bit in the dark, nearly empty room.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œMy mom set it up for me. When I was twelve. For college.”
    â€œCollege,” he said in a funny, bitter way.
    â€œYou don’t want to go?”
    He sighed heavily and looked out into the room, his eyes cloudy. “Well, I know my parents want me to go. They think college is the answer to everything. They want me to be like them.”
    â€œWhat do you want?”
    He was silent for a while, drinking from the bottle. “Do you have a cigarette?” he asked, and I pulled one out of my pack. He lit it.
    â€œI’m surprised you smoke, track guy,” I said, lighting one for myself.
    â€œSometimes.”
    â€œWhat do you want?” he asked me.
    â€œYou first.”
    â€œWell, maybe to travel. Maybe to South America. To… not be like them. My parents I mean.”
    â€œYeah. That’s what I want too. My mom got pregnant with me and well, then she had to stay with my dad. Fuck, that’s what half the dumb broads in this town did. Now they’re like, in prison. Serving life sentences.”
    â€œJesus.”
    â€œYeah.”
    He was silent again for a while, smoking.
    â€œWell, I want to have kids. I mean, I don’t have really anything of my own. Not that I don’t love my parents, I do.” He stopped again. “Well, I think I do.” He shook his head and smiled at me uneasily. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I want.”
    â€œYou know what I want?”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œRainbows and ponies.”
    He laughed.
    â€œThat may not be a reasonable goal. That’s how my dad would put it.”
    â€œYeah, I’m sure my dad would put it the same way.”
    He put his cigarette out on the floor. He had only taken a few puffs, so it was long, crooked. He brushed it out of the way with his foot, dirtying what was clearly one hell of an expensive sneaker.
    â€œWell, I’m sorry your dad does that. Hits you. If you ever need help...”
    â€œAre you going to beat my daddy up for me?” I asked. I wanted it to sound playful but I could tell that what I felt underneath was bubbling up. A vulnerability.
    â€œMaybe,” he said, taking my cigarette from my hand and putting it out next to where he’d put his out on the floor. He brushed it out of the way the same way he had his own. He looked at me and I resisted the urge to look away, down. He pulled my hair back from my face.
    â€œNo one should hit someone with a face like yours.”
    â€œNo one should hit someone with a face.”
    â€œYou’re funny,” he said, “and beautiful.”
    â€œJust kiss my face,” I said and he leaned over