I'll read you like a magazine

 Was this a bad idea? Naoki felt like sliding behind the seat. Just his luck they found the dead girls in he river. Not that he had anything to do with it, but the cops were still at the location where it was usually quiet, and not a soul was around.

He looked over at Tyra, wondering if she knew of a place.

"There's that park where the gays used to go," she shrugged. "But usually the cops comb that place, too." 

Oh, to be out in the sunshine and enjoying a rolled joint. Right up there with finding the best sushi in town, which he had not seen, either.

"Can we go to your place?" He asked.

She laughed as if that was the silliest question she'd ever heard.

"No. My mom never goes anywhere," she sighed. She mentioned her mom did go to the library's Open Mic to read some of her poetry. It seemed everyone thought she rhymed too much.

"Oh, that must be where you get your songwriting skills from," Naoki nodded as he turned to head home. Of course, on the way, he thought it might have been best if they'd crossed the river and gone to Iowa. Ganja wasn't that big of a deal there.

What was he going to do with this weed? No way could he bring Tyra home. His mom would know. And he'd kept this a secret from her about getting high since....he didn't really know. Oh, he guessed it was back in Hawaii when they lived there. He missed those days. 

Finally, he saw a Motel Eight.

"Have you ever been there?" He asked.

"What?" She gave him a funny look that she was not a hooker. "What are you talking about?"

"Some place we can go..and..you know?" He wasn't asking for her to do anything messy. Although he did like getting high in the outdoors, and on occasion, he liked doing it in the nude, too. But that was definitely not going to happen.

Finally, he pulled into a LaQuinta, in case they wanted breakfast. It was free. They settled in quickly enough, and Tyra found they could get HBO and MAX for free.

"Nice," he guessed. He told her he might have his own place soon. 

"My mom doesn't need me, evidently," he sighed as he got everything out to start the process that might take anywhere from five to ten minutes. Of course, she was much faster at rolling a joint than he was. He was impressed.

"You shouldn't be so glum," she told him. He looked at her lanky body in her tight-fitting tee. She probably wore size zero. Honestly, he was shocked to be with someone like her. But then again, Naoki had never tried to date, and this was far from being a date. 

"So why did you leave New York?"

"Nothing for me there." 

She danced around with the joint as if she knew she was good at this art. She tested the waters, smiled with satisfaction, and handed it to him.

"Well, there's nothing really for me here, either," he echoed her thoughts that they were two misfits up to no good.

"It was complicated," Tyra shrugged, even lip-locked. "I forgot my pronouns."

"What?" He winced, wondering what in the hell she was talking about. 

"Well, my girlfriend became a trans, ane well..." she squinted. "It wasn't exactly what I signed up for."

Tyra plopped down on the bed then. He watched from the chair sleepily.

"She..I mean, he said I wasn't very nice." She looked at him blankly. "Evidently, that's my MO. I've heard it before."

Naoki nodded. "I'm like that too." He grinned. It was good that they had something in common.