“Do you think anyone else is going to bring potato soup?” Melissa asks, her black hair brushing my cheek as she whips it over her shoulder. I divert my gaze from the road for a moment, dramatically lowering my sunglasses to glance at Melissa in the passenger seat. I can smell her Bath and Body Works perfume… Continue reading A Party With No Music
Category: Fiction
Cheers for the Wicked
A cop slammed me into the back seat of a police car. A greasy bullet-proof Plexiglas sheet divided the vehicle in two; my cuffed hands laid on my lap. I leaned back against the sticky seats which reeked of body odor. Are people arrested for not wearing deodorant? My cousin Jen, the accomplice, crossed her arms over her… Continue reading Cheers for the Wicked
Off Season
When the tourist season on the island wrapped up, the beach town always closed down. Doors were barred. Attics were sealed tight. Steps were taken not just to keep hurricanes at bay; to keep unwanted visitors away. You could still come and visit in the off-season. The ferry from the mainland continued to call, twice… Continue reading Off Season
The Blind Dog
After school, at the end of the summer of 1989, Nathan Smith rode his bike to the pharmacy. Inside the shop it was cool and dim. The blinds had been drawn to keep out the sun, and the beams of light caught the dust that swirled and eddied in the air currents. Nathan liked the… Continue reading The Blind Dog
The Night Job
“It’s because you’re more Ha’ole than me,” Denton says and I tell him how that’s stupid, because we get the same Mom and Dad. He tells me to think about it but I have thought about it—if Mom is 50% Ha’ole, 50% Chinese, and Dad is mostly Hawaiian with some Filipino, Portuguese, Japanese and Samoan—we’re equally Ha’ole. So I… Continue reading The Night Job
Farmland
Welcome to your daily guided meditation. Today your goal is to relax. Situate yourself in a comfortable space. Take several deep breaths. Begin by wrapping your hands around her body, feeling the wings beat beneath your palms. Apply minimal pressure to keep her still. Not too much, not too little. Hold with the same firmness… Continue reading Farmland
Chewing On It
Emma made a face at the little, green leaf floating in her latte foam. The sweet smell wafting up from the cup made her stomach churn. She had made the drink herself with extra foam and a healthy sprinkle of cocoa powder on top, just the way she liked it. Emma tossed the garnish on… Continue reading Chewing On It
One-Nighter
How long should a post-coital cuddle for a Grindr hook-up be? Is it time to dress and go home? Not like we have anything to talk about. We’re practically strangers. At least he’s not forcing conversation. Though if he says “This is nice” one more time, I’m going to scream. Is he expecting to go again?… Continue reading One-Nighter
Oneiric
To suggest it was anything else would be a simple untruth. I cannot fly. I do not swim with jellyfish clouds in a velvet sky. I sit in diners and drink under-brewed coffee and sometimes chat with the server who calls me “Honey.” And I don’t know if it is a term of endearment or… Continue reading Oneiric
Respite
The cherry red nail polish on my toes popped against the cedar floor of the outdoor shower. My wet, sandy hair plastered my cheeks and chin, water dripping from the tips, and polka-dotting the wood floor. Though dusk approached, the sun was still overhead, and I lifted my face to it, squinting, feeling safe in… Continue reading Respite
Cosmic Double 