Slammed

haven’t thought about being mad at my mother so far. I haven’t even thought about Will, (that much). I’m having fun. It’s nice.
     
    “ Gavin, what’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?” Nick asks.
     
    We all quiet down at this question.
     
    “ I can only pick one?” Gavin asks.
     
    “ The one. The stupidest one,” Nick replies.
     
    “ Hmm. I guess it would have to be the time I was visiting my grandparents on their ranch right outside of Laramie, Wyoming. I had to use the bathroom so bad. It’s not a big deal, I’m a guy. We can whip it out anywhere. The big deal was that it was my turn.”
     
    “ For what?” I ask.
     
    “ To complete the dare. My brothers used to dare me to do stuff all the time. They would do it first, and then I’d have to do it. The only problem was, I was younger by several years so they always outsmarted me somehow. This particular day, they told me my rubber boots were too wet to wear so I had to throw on my hiking boots. They, of course, wore their rubber boots. Well, they came up with the dare to see who would pee on the electric fence.”
     
    “ You didn’t,” Eddie laughs.
     
    “ Oh, just wait, Babe. It gets better. They went first, which I realize now that rubber absorbs electricity, so they didn’t feel anything. I, on the other hand, was not so lucky. It knocked me on my back and I was crying, trying to get up when I tripped. I fell forward and met the fence with my mouth. Saliva and electricity don’t mix well either. It shocked me so bad my tongue started to swell and my brothers freaked out. Both of them ran home to get my parents while I lay there, unable to move with my dick hanging out of my pants.”
     
    Eddie, Nick and I are all laughing so hard we get glares from the other customers. Eddie wipes away a tear when Gavin tells her it’s her turn.
     
    “ I guess when I ran over you with my car,” Eddie says.
     
    “ Try again,” Gavin says.
     
    “ What? That’s it! That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
     
    “ What about after you ran over me? Tell them about that,” he laughs.
     
    “ We fell in love. The end.” She’s obviously embarrassed by the aftermath of the swipe.
     
    “ You have to tell us now,” I say.
     
    “ Fine. It was the second day after I got my license. Joel let me drive his car to school so I was being super careful. I was focused. When Joel was teaching me to drive, he paid careful attention to how I parked. He hates people who double park. In fact, I knew he was going to have someone drive him through the parking lot just to double check my parking job, so I really wanted to be perfect. So, that’s what I was focused on. I didn’t like how I parked the first time.”
     
    “ Or the second, third or fourth time,” Gavin says.
     
    Eddie smirks at him. “So on the fifth time, I was determined to get it right. I backed out extra far to get a better angle and that’s when it happened. The thud. I turned around and didn’t see anyone so I panicked, thinking I had hit the car next to me or something. I continued to back out of the spot and threw the car in drive and was looking for a better spot so that I could inspect the car for damage. I pulled over in the next lot and got out. That’s when I saw him.”
     
    “ You… drug him?” I ask. I’m trying to hold back the laughter.
     
    “ Over 200 yards. After I hit him the first time, I kept backing up and his pant leg got hung up in the bumper. I broke his leg. Joel was so worried they were going to sue, he made me take food to him at the hospital every day for a week. That’s when we fell in love.”
     
    “ You’re lucky you didn’t kill him,” Nick says. “You’d be locked up on a hit and run charge and involuntary manslaughter. Poor Gavin would be ten feet under.”
     
    “ Six feet under!” I laugh.
     
    “ I’d love to hear your stupid story Layken, but it’s gonna have to wait. We’re gonna be late,” Eddie says as she scoots out of the booth.
     
    ***
     
    On our drive to the slam, Eddie pulls a folded up sheet of paper out of her back pocket.
     
    “ What’s that?” I ask her.
     
    “ It’s my poem. I’m going to slam tonight.”
     
    “ Seriously? God you're brave.”
     
    “ Not really. The first time Gavin and I went, I promised myself I would do one before I turned eighteen. My birthday is next week. When Mr. Cooper told us we could skip the final if we performed, I took it as a sign.”
     
    “ I