Claire was instantly falling over laughing at what I’d just said. I looked at her with one eyebrow raised, not quite sure what joke she’d heard. “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. But it sounded like you were just talking about chicken. ‘I guess she just wanted a better idea if that chicken breast would be white or regular.’” As she made the comment, throwing her voice to sound mockingly similar to my own, I couldn’t help but begin to laugh myself.
Between breaths we repeated the phrase until we couldn’t breathe anymore. Claire found herself lying on the floor, though not really caring about the frozen carpet, and I was still sitting next to the wall. My blanket had slipped a bit, but I pulled it closer and let the air immediately around me begin to re-warm. “Maybe the next time Jessica asks me a question I should make an analogy to meat. She’d be too confused to figure out what I meant, and I wouldn’t be telling her lies exactly.” Claire nodded that that was a fantastic idea and I immediately began thinking of what all the different meats would represent. “Do you think a hamburger would work for the sex talk?” I asked
“Oh what I wouldn’t give for a hamburger right now.” I started laughing at her. “No, I don’t mean that! Besides, I think a sausage would be more appropriate. Either way, I’ve been stuck in here long enough that I want the things I can’t have the most.”
“How long has it been? I’ve been unconscious for most of it.”
Claire looked up at me to examine my face before answering. “A couple days I guess. I haven’t really been keeping track. What?” I was lying on the floor laughing so hard I couldn’t stay sitting up. “What’d I say? I didn’t remind you chicken again did I?”
I shook my head and caught my breath. “No no. It’s been a couple of days and you’re already gripping about not having sausage? I mean hamburger? Or whatever it is that you’d really like to have. I’m sure you’ve gone days without all that stuff before.”
“Well yeah, but I’ve had access to them if I wanted them. Here, the best I can hope for is a solid piece of ice with bits of frozen meat stuck in. Or Sean if we’re still bending the lines between the two subjects.” She smiled at me mischievously.
Despite my better judgment I took her bait. “You know, there are others in this school besides Sean.”
“What? Coach Z?” She let out a single bark of laughter. “He’s not my type. I like to make ‘em squirm a bit. Coach Z? Nah, he wouldn’t flinch.” She smiled as I my face covered in red, both from frustration that she wasn’t recognizing me as a male and embarrassment towards the type of activities she was implying. “And that janitor. Tim? He’s so strung up on the passed and what was that he doesn’t even know other women exist. Nah, Sean’s the one if there was anyone.”
I had had it. “Me! What about me? Am I not old enough for you? Fresh out of college too naïve for you?” She smiled and slowly sucked on her cigarette. “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”
“Of course I’m enjoying this. Didn’t I just say I like to watch ‘em squirm a bit?” I sat the dumbfounded at her ability to so easily wrap me around her finger like that. “The college ones are the most fun though, some of them react so easily.” With that she stood up and walked down the hall. It was so sudden that I had to run to catch up to her, tripping over my blanket a couple of times.
***
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