“Why, thanks,” Moshe says, and he smiles at both of them.
MY HANDS ARE IN MY POCKETS
“Wanna come over to our place?” he says to them.
THEY FOLLOW US
As we walk all the way back to our home.
I’m keeping my eyes to the cement, counting the curbs we pass.
The girls are pulling at each other’s shirts and pinching each other’s shoulders. I think one of them is trying to play a game.
WE UNLOCK THE DOOR AND TAKE OFF OUR SHOES AND GO UP TO OUR BEDROOM
Lisette’s at work. I sit down on the carpet with the two girls.
“You got anything to drink or what?” Tanya says.
“Sure we do.” He goes downstairs and comes back up with a half-bottle of Bacardi.
We take gulps one by one. It sounds like when flowers want to pop open for spring.
SPEAK UP
Tanya says to me. Apparently I’m speaking softly. I swallow and pinch my lips with my teeth.
“Your brother or whatever is fucking awkward,” Tanya says to him.
HOW ABOUT
“We play spin the bottle!” Sveta says with her eyes glittering.
“Great idea,” he tells her, “let’s finish the bottle.”
Sveta chugs the liquid down.
Tanya’s looking at me with disgust. I ask her, quietly, if she’s feeling all right.
“I’m feeling fucking wonderful, just wonderful!” she says through a tense jaw.
THE BOTTLE SPINS AND SPINS AND SPINS
It lands on me and Sveta.
I keep my eyes to the carpet. Sveta inches closer to me while she pulls up her low-waist jeans.
“Go on, don’t be scared,” she says to me softly.
I raise my eyes and glide them over to her.
“You’ll see,” he says to Sveta, “Rémy’s a great kisser.”
HER EYES BRIGHTEN
“Oh yeah?” Sveta says.
READY
There is a shadow across my lips. It’s the outline of Sveta’s face, with the sun coming in from the window where we forgot to close the curtains again.
She replaces the shadow with her lips.
I can feel her tongue wiggling against my teeth.
I open my mouth and let her in.
Her tongue is caressing my taste buds and it feels okay.
“That’s enough for now,” he says and takes Sveta’s shoulder and pulls her away from me.
ONE-TWO
Sveta spins the bottle now. It lands on her and Tanya.
The girls smile at each other and suddenly Tanya looks powerful and warm. They lean into each other. I see their tongues jump in and out of each other’s mouths like fish.
Sveta pulls away and Tanya licks her lips.
IT’S TANYA’S TURN
She spins the bottle and it lands on him.
I knew it would land on him.
GREAT, I HAVE TO KISS THE FUCKING CYCLOPS NOW
Tanya says.
“I don’t want to see your fucking boner, by the way, so if you’re gonna get hard off this, I’ll vomit in your mouth, fair warning.”
“Don’t worry,” he says, “I won’t get hard.”
Sveta laughs and says, “I mean, you can get a little hard…”
Tanya slaps her in the gut.
Sveta turns to Tanya and gives her a big pout. “Don’t be no fun, Tanyechka, please…”
“All right, let’s just fucking make out.”
TANYA SCOOCHES OVER TO HIM
She leans into his face and puts her mouth up against his. I see her lips open and her tongue slide into his mouth. I don’t see his tongue. Maybe he keeps it to himself.
ON HIS LAP
There’s Sveta’s hand, caressing his thigh. She’s moving her palm over to his crotch and scrunching her fingers over his zipper.
“Come on,” Sveta is whispering, “don’t be shy now, I want to feel it get firm.”
Tanya pulls back and looks at Sveta’s hand. She slaps it away.
“You fucking hoe, I swear to God, you’re such a fucking skank I can’t even.”
“Ouch!” Sveta whimpers. “What, I wanna feel his bulge, don’t be jealous.”
“I’m not fucking jealous, I’m fucking humiliated.”
“Ugh, you’re such a drag, you know that.”
“You’re the one with a stank-ass drip in your shop-lifted panties for any defunct cutie with a floppy something between his legs and—”
“Excuse me! Tanya, everyone knows you’re a dyke and that you’re in love with me and you know what, I’m tired of standing up for you all the time, cause you know what, you are a dyke and you are in love with me—”
TANYA SLAPS SVETA HARD IN THE FACE
The whole room freezes.
SVETA TOUCHES HER CHEEK
“You… fucking… suka…” Sveta says quietly.
“What?” Tanya says, “Did I embarrass you in front of the cute boys?”
SVETA JUMPS ON TOP OF TANYA
She’s clawing at her face. Tanya is holding her back by the wrists.
“Davai, Sveta, you want to charm these svolachi, go ahead and charm them!”
“They’re not svolachi, they’re nice boys!”
“Nice boys? Says the shlyukha!”
YOU’RE THE FUCKING SHLYUKHA
Sveta spits at Tanya’s face. It lands on the side of her nose. Tanya pushes her off with one loud grunt. Sveta falls back. Tanya lunges at her. Sveta pulls her legs into herself then juts them out. One shoe gets Tanya in the gut. She heaves, then flings her arms out.
TANYA HAS SVETA BY THE THROAT
I look away. I am worried.
“Get… off…!”
Sveta is choking.
Sveta is gagging.
SVETA IS GASPING FOR AIR
Tanya pushes her down on the ground and gets on top of her.
I look at him. He is sitting very still. He is doing nothing. I try to do what he is doing.
TANYA LETS GO OF HER THROAT
Sveta is breathing like a bullfrog.
“Nu shto…” Tanya whispers into her ear. Well now.
Sveta presses her teeth together.
I cover my eyes with my hands.
WHEN I OPEN THEM
The girls are on top of each other.
The girls are rubbing against each other’s bodies.
Sveta’s hands are in Tanya’s hair by the fistfuls.
Tanya is gripping onto Sveta’s back.
I FUCKING HATE YOU
Tanya is gritting into her best friend’s face.
I HATE YOU MORE
Sveta huffs right back at her, then slaps her hand on Tanya’s butt and squeezes the flesh there.
THE GIRLS ARE SO ANGRY BUT ALSO SOMETHING ELSE
“Fuck you,” Tanya says through her clenched teeth.
Sveta closes her eyes as she moans.
“You’re a fucking skank,” Tanya exhales.
Sveta opens her eyes. “You’re the dirty hoe,” she whispers.
The girls
