"What are you up to?" "Busy stuffing meat. Don't have time for you." The guy on the other end suddenly exploded: "Who are you with?! You are not allowed to stuff anything! Aaaah!" "Heh, once I'm done stuffing, we wait to eat. It's gonna be so satisfying." I didn't expect the young master to hang up the phone. And drive two hundred miles to show up at my front door. He was panting. His eyes were dark and gloomy. Looking like he wanted to eat someone alive. At that moment, my Pops was patting my shoulder: "Careful now. In the past, I had to stuff all this myself. Having you help saves me so much energy." "Hey? Isn't this Hunter's classmate? You here to join in?" The young master shattered on the spot. His voice trembled: "Your family... has this kind of custom?" I tried to close the door. "If you're disgusted, you can leave." He blocked it. "I didn't say no!!!" 1. I went home for Thanksgiving break. It was sausage-making season again. Pops had just butchered the hog we raised out back. We planned to make extra this year, maybe sell some at the farmer’s market. When I picked up Sterling’s call, I was in the middle of tying off a casing. "What are you up to?" It was break. Why wouldn't this rich boy leave me alone? I was a little annoyed, holding the phone between my shoulder and ear at an awkward angle. "Busy stuffing meat, don't have time for you. Ouch—" The casing burst. I turned to Pops. "Don't pack it so tight, it's overflowing." The person on the phone went silent for a few seconds. Then, he detonated: "Who are you with?! You are not allowed to stuff anything! Aaaaaah!" Sterling was always moody like this back at the dorms. We were all back at our own homes now; why did he care if other people were making sausages for the holidays? I took off my gloves. "Heh, once I'm done stuffing, we wait to eat. It's gonna be so satisfying." Sterling’s voice cracked, turning into a screech: "Hunter Doe!!! You are done!!" "You just wait!! You are absolutely done—" Then came a crash from his end. Like something expensive getting knocked over. Followed by a clutter of noise. "I want to see exactly how you're stuffing—" Beep— Too loud. I hung up decisively. 2. I didn't really like hanging out with Sterling. Mostly because he always bullied me at school. Maybe because I was from the sticks, and I was honest. These rich city boys with old money just loved to make fun of honest folks. Right when school started, I was in the cafeteria seriously slurping down some spicy venison chili. Yummy. Sterling frowned, dry heaving as he leaned in. "Are you eating literal garbage? Is that... what is that?" That look of disgust wasn't fake. My heart sank. It's over. Is he going to bully me? Yep. I guessed right. He snatched my lunch away and slammed his own bento box in front of me. "Let's trade." "My family's private chef made this." I didn't dare resist. Adhering to the principle of 'less trouble is better,' I tremblingly opened the box. Inside was cold rice topped with raw, thinly sliced beef. He... he was humiliating me for being primitive! We country folks know how to use fire to cook food, okay?! I was weak. Tears circled in my eyes as I sullenly chewed the food. So raw. So slimy. So cold. I really couldn't get used to it. Sterling looked satisfied, lifting his chin. "So good it made you cry, huh?" I sniffled, my eyes drifting back to my chili. I wanted it back. "I'll help you finish this," Sterling smiled, picking up a spoon of chili. "You usually... gag... eat this... gag... stuff?" He looked like he was making a life-or-death decision. Finally— Bleugh. He threw it all up into the bowl. I didn't fare much better. I had diarrhea for two days from the raw meat. 3. I cried a lot back then. Because Sterling got worse and his mood swings were insane. Sometimes, he would lock me in his arms in front of our other roommates. Poking the dimples on my face. Pinching my cheeks. Making me look like some sort of pet. But then, if I bumped into him in the communal showers, he’d turn and walk away instantly. Like looking at me was bad luck. Even worse, despite having his own bed, he liked to squeeze into mine. I dared to be angry but not to speak. I always turned my back to him. Sulking quietly. It wasn't easy getting to winter break. I couldn't wait to cut off all contact with school. Then Sterling called and triggered my PTSD. After finishing the work at hand, I collapsed onto the sofa. The sun was warm. My eyelids grew heavy. Perfect time for a nap. Zzzzzz. 4. I don't know how much time passed. A piercing screech of brakes came from outside the yard. Guests? I woke up in a daze. A black sports car, completely out of place on our muddy country road, was parked at my gate. The wheels were splattered with mud. The door was shoved open violently. Sterling stepped out, his hair messed up by the wind. He looked travel-worn. He was panting, eyes dark and gloomy. Looking like he wanted to murder someone. His gaze locked dead on me: "Hun-ter..." "I'll show you satisfying—" He crossed the threshold in a few strides. Bringing a chill with him, he walked right up to me. He craned his neck, trying to look inside the house: "Where is the other guy?" Other guy? Mrs. Higgins from next door helped for a bit earlier. But— "The guest left a while ago." What does that have to do with you? Just then, Pops slapped me on the shoulder, chuckling happily: "Finally done." "Careful now. In the past, I had to stuff all this myself. Having you help saves me so much energy." Pops finally noticed the extra person next to me. "Hey? Isn't this Hunter's classmate?" "You came at the perfect time. Want to join us?" Sterling froze. He seemed to shatter. His voice trembled: "Join... in?" "Your family... has this kind of custom?" I glanced at the rows of sausages hanging in the corner of the yard. What about the custom? It's delicious! I tried to close the door. "If you're disgusted, you can leave." He turned sideways to block the door. "I didn't say no!!!" Then, inexplicably, he blushed. Stammering: "I just... need a little time to accept it." "You don't need to trouble anyone else. I... I'm willing to help you."
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