Contents ( 42)
- The Art of Breathing
- Part One: How We Became Who We Are
- Prologue: Or, Where the Kid Hears the Word of the Day
- 1. Where Tyson Learns to Breathe
- 2. Where Tyson Makes a Phone Call
- 3. Where Tyson Graduates and Bear Freaks Out
- 4. Where Tyson Says Good-Bye
- 5. Where Tyson Gets the Mail
- Part Two: Coming Home
- 6. Where Tyson Comes Home
- 7. Where Tyson Gives a History Lesson
- 8. Where Tyson Attends the Most Awkward Party Ever
- 9. Where Tyson Plans Attends a Protest
- 10. Where Tyson Gets Arrested
- 11. Where Tyson Gets His Ass Handed to Him
- 12. Where Tyson Writes Bad Poetry and Gawks at Frat Boys
- 13. Where Tyson Decides to Man the Fuck Up
- 14. Where Tyson Asks Some Questions
- 15. Where Tyson Remembers Theresa Jean Paquinn
- 16. Where Tyson Learns the Benefit of Therapy
- 17. Where Tyson Meets the Man Who Becomes Helena Handbasket
- 18. Where Tyson Gets Screwed at His Own Birthday Party (And Not in a Good Way)
- Part Three: Just Breathe
- 19. Where Tyson Goes to Helena Handbasket’s Sex Dungeon
- 20. Where Tyson Beholds the Awesome Wonder That Is Paul Auster
- 21. Where Tyson Receives Advice from the Six Sages
- 22. Where Tyson Makes a Phone Call
- 23. Where Tyson Hears the Inevitable
- 24. Where Tyson Meets His Match
- 25. Where Tyson Says Hello, Where Tyson Says Good-bye
- 26. Where Tyson Touches upon the Inevitable
- 27. Where Tyson Faces the Music
- 28. Where Tyson Breathes
- 29. Tyson And Dominic
- 30. The Art Of Breathing
- Epilogue: Or, Bear’s Perspective, As It Were (Yeah, He’s Gonna Freak)
- Author’s Note
- Excerpt
- Prologue: Or, Where Bear Answers the Door
- More from TJ Klune
- Readers love the Bear, Otter, and the Kid Chronicles by TJ Klune
- By TJ Klune
“You called Bear?” I ask Dominic. “Are you out of your fucking mind? You know what he’s going to do to me!”
“He’ll never stop murdering you, that’s for sure,” Kori says.
Dominic doesn’t answer me. Instead, he exits the car and shuts the door behind him. He comes to the back and opens the rear door. “Out,” he says.
Kori glances back at me, but slides out of the car. Dominic turns her around and releases the cuffs. She rubs her wrists as she turns and smiles up at Dominic. “Why, thank you,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to be handcuffed by a big, strong man. I’m so happy you were able to help me with my kink. Do you ever ride the police motorcycle? And if so, a follow-up query: do you happen to have the motorcycle boots? That might just be another fantasy of mine. Especially if they go all the way up to the knees. Maybe you could pull me over sometime?”
This is not how I pictured my day ending. At all.
I move to slide out of the car, but Dominic blocks my way. “Not you,” he says, his voice a growl. I try to ignore the shivers that run down my spine. “You stay in there.”
“They won’t be pressing charges?” I hear Bear ask. He’s standing at the front gate Dominic turns and shakes his head. “No. I talked them down. It wasn’t Tyson who threw the rock through the window. I told them he wouldn’t mind footing the bill for it, though, and to send it to me once it got done and I’d make sure they got reimbursed. The owner and I go back, so he’s fine. As long as Tyson knows he is not allowed in BJ’s.”
“Like I would ever go back there,” I say indignantly. “Do you know what they do to procure the meat they serve? It’s an affront to all—”
“Kid, if you value your life, you should give serious consideration to keeping your mouth shut,” Bear says through gritted teeth. He pushes through the gate, and Otter rolls his eyes behind him.
“I’m nineteen years old! You can’t—”
“Most nineteen-year-olds don’t get themselves arrested,” he retorts.
“It was the beach hippies!”
“Beach hippies?” Otter asks, sounding interested. “Where did you meet beach hippies?”
“You’re not helping,” Bear tells him.
“It’s not every day you get to meet beach hippies,” Otter says. He looks sorely disappointed that they aren’t in the car with me.
“We got them on the Internet, where else?” Kori says. “Today’s beach hippies are very modern, you know.”
“I demand to speak to my lawyer!” I shout above them. “Get me Anna Thompson on the phone! I know my rights! I am an American citizen!”
“It’s good to know the volume hasn’t changed,” Dominic says to Bear and Otter.
“The volume? Why, I’m going to—”
“Screech like an angry diva?” Kori asks. “Good job. You’re already doing it.”
“When I get my hands on you, I’m—”