Make Me by Alyssa Turner

toward him, without breaking form. Kyle’s face was bright red. Manny took it for rage, the same rage he felt brewing beneath the wholly necessary mask of obedience in the presence of a higher-ranking officer.
    Beaumont drawled on with his Creole twang. “Far as I know, there’s only one honorable reason a Marine should ever be on his knees, and he better have the bullet wounds to show for it.” He sucked his teeth. “I don’t give a shit what the new laws say, pansy fucks like you will ruin the Corps. Not on my watch, I’ll guarantee you that.”
    Manny ground his teeth and felt the bite of his barely there fingernails in his palms. It was all he could do to keep from swinging on that asshole and landing himself in the brig.
    “I may not be able to sting your asses for the disgusting things I suspect you’ve been doing, but indecent exposure is a punishable crime worthy of a court-martial.”
    Kyle’s head strayed toward the major for a fleeting moment before snapping straight ahead once more.
    “What do you say to that, rich boy?”
    Kyle swallowed hard and barely got the words out between his clenched teeth. “I am not prepared to be court-martialed, sir.”
    “Maybe you should have thought of that before you decided to drop trou’ for this one.” Beaumont sneered at Manny. “Tescadero on his bare ass in the sand and you pulling up your pants—you were seen, and I take it you don’t deny any of it.”
    Kyle remained silent.
    A laborious sigh heaved forth from the major, and he sat back down in his chair. He picked up a pen and signed some papers on his desk. “To protect the dignity of this here base, we will not press the issue this time. Your highfalutin’ mother would attract far too much attention, and I’m not prepared to drag the Corps’ good name through the mud.” The major raised his eyes at them and paused. Manny felt the frigid stare burn right through him. “You’ve disgraced yourselves and your country. And you best believe the next time I will nail both of your candy asses to the wall. Now get out of my face.”
    Beaumont gave them a month of administrative detail on opposite sides of the base. Manny knew it could have been much worse, but Kyle took it as if the world had come to an end. Manny realized that it hadn’t been rage setting Kyle’s mouth flat and his squinting eyes glassy; it had been shame. Manny didn’t recognize it, because he’d never seen Kyle ashamed of anything before.
    Kyle hadn’t touched him again after that; he’d transferred to another bunk for the last month of their tour and even switched gunner teams with the major’s blessing.
    He’d broken up with Manny, just like that. But best friends don’t break up. That was something lovers did. So what did that make them? Both? Neither now?
    Manny turned the music up and prayed for an alien ship to abduct him and perform a mind meld, erasing the last six months from his memory.
    “Manny, is that really you?”
    Three sharp knocks roused Manny from his thoughts, and his eyes bolted opened to see Olivia Hunter waving at him to come out of the chopper.
    Arguing with Kyle’s mother was futile, even Manny knew that. He straightened his shirt as he exited the helicopter, knowing that she’d do it for him if he didn’t. “Hello, Mrs. Hunter.”
    “It’s great to see you! If I’d have known you’d flown up with Kyle I would have come out to get you earlier.” She managed to find something wrong with his collar and dusted it flat. “And what’s with this Mrs. Hunter business? Hmm?”
    Manny’s gaze cut toward Kyle. Things were different now. The Hunter family circle was a fortress of loyalty, and Manny stood on the other side of the border. It suited him fine. Much safer that way.
    Olivia seemed undaunted by his silence. “You haven’t been to visit since you’ve been back.” A perfectly manicured finger pointed at him. “I will have to insist that you come to my garden party next Saturday. You’ll