Mallinckrodt (Short Story‪)‬

Pink Johnny is not supposed to be at the 7-11 in a shit mood. It's the first day of school, when he normally hangs out at Ridgeland to meet the freshmen. But here he is, his face all twisted over to one side. I tell him he looks fantastic in his new zip-up, but he just glares at me. Then he moves his hips and turns a soft scary look on Susanna. I feel her shake next to me like a little bunny in a cartoon. Susanna forgot to put on long pants under her short dress before she crossed Harlem Avenue, which separates Oak Park from River Forest. So Pink Johnny technically has permission to do what he's doing, which is run his hands around the inside of her skinny thighs. He tries to make Susanna look him in the eye. "You look pretty," he trills in a low voice, bites his lip.