Page 7 of Left In The Dark

“Oh, and I’ll be making that fucker Reese pay for half,” he says with a smirk.

“Now that’s the Jimmy I know.” I sputter a laugh.

“You didn’t finish your sentence.” He gets to his feet, looking around my room.

“What do you mean?”

He gawks. “It’s supposed to be the man I know and love. Duh.”

“My bad, my bad.” I hold my hands up in defeat. I toss the blanket off my body, shuffling myself to the side of the bed. “Let’s go get those drinks before I change my mind.”

“Aye, aye captain,” he says, walking toward the door. “I’ll be in the car waiting, princess.”

Rolling my eyes, I toss a pillow in his direction and he cackles, his sounds fading the further he strides down the hallway. Looking down at what I’m wearing, I grimace, and swap my pajamas for something I know my friends won’t judge me too harshly for.

My mom is sitting on the couch watching a movie as I head out the door with my jacket in hand. Waving her off, I remind her to lock the deadbolt, and scurry down the porch steps. Music blares from Jimmy’s car and he sticks his head out the window, screaming the lyrics to “Baby One more time” by the Britney spears.

Laughing, I join him in the car, and we haul ass out of my yard, rolling down both windows. The smell of cow manure, freshly cut grass, and dirt wafts on the air as I sit back to enjoy the drive. Home sweet home.

Jimmy shoots me a side glance, elbowing me in the side. “I hope you’re not falling asleep on me over there.”

I roll my head back and forth against the seat. “Nope. Just mentally preparing myself for all the loud noise I’m about to be surrounded by soon.” Noise and the high chance of running into someone from school I don’t care to see, which is a pretty long fucking list. There’s only one bar in town, along with one grocery store and one post office. I think I’ve made my point.

Running into someone you know here is hard to avoid, which is why I was planning on calling in an order at the store and picking it up, keeping my hoodie over my head until I’m back in my car. Can’t really do that tonight, since I know my friends will make a big deal about me being back.

“I feel that. That’s me every time I wake up and I’m about to head to my shit job,” he gripes. Jimmy didn’t end up meeting me at university, and went the community college route instead. Unlike me, he didn’t get lucky with scholarships and financial aid. Plus, his mom got really sick after his dad left her, and he had to work two jobs to help with medical bills.

Turns out he was right about his mom and uncle sneaking around behind his dad’s back. When she’d fallen pregnant, there was no hiding it any longer. Jimmy’s dad had had a vasectomy, and he’d suspected them of cheating all along. He left and then the uncle took off somewhere no one could reach him, leaving his mom in a downward spiral. She lost the baby, and got hooked on pills, but with her son’s support, she got the help she needed, and that’s when she met her new fiancé.

Who knew our situations would end up being similar in a way. I guess if I have to be stuck in this fucking town again, it’s better to do it next to my best friends.

Reese is leaning against the brick wall near the front entrance as we pull up to the bar, and he doesn’t even wait until I fully step out of the car before forcing me into a suffocating hug. “Dude, I can’t believe you’re really here and weren’t going to fucking tell us.”

“Geez, let the man breathe so he can explain himself,” Lydia says, looping around the back of the car and popping up out of nowhere. She’s always been a sneaky shit.

“We going inside or are we gonna stay out here and freeze to death?” Jimmy huffs out.

“Speak for yourself. I’m nice and toasty where I am,” Reese says, lifting me off the ground and tightening his hold around me.

Laughing, I push at him. This guy’s always been twice my size, and I feel like he’s only gotten bigger. Muscles and legs for fucking days. “Put me down, you buffoon.”

After rocking me from side to side and pressing a wet kiss to my cheek, he sets me down on my feet and Lydia gets her hug in next, whispering, “Welcome home, Lo Lo. At least I don’t have to be stuck with just these jackasses anymore. You can carry some of the weight now.”

“Looking forward to it,” I say, giving her a big squeeze before breaking away. We all walk inside and loud music greets my ears, followed by loud laughter. People are crowding the bar as we go to buy our first round of drinks, and when I’m handed my beer, I squeeze the bottle so tight I can almost hear the glass starting to pop in my grasp.

Calling to the bartender beside me, with his chest mostly exposed and his black top split open in the center, Blake places his elbow on the bar. He pushes his ass out, shaking it, and smiles right at me.

“Hi. You must be new here.”

All the blood drains from my face as I take a swig of my beer, needing to keep my hands distracted so I don’t use my fists for the second time today. I wonder if purple would look as good around his eyes as his pink eyeshadow.

“You could say that,” I say slowly.

Leaning in closer, his cherry lip gloss blocks out all the other smells of the bar and he runs a hand down my arm. “Maybe I’ll let you buy me a drink later.”

I refrain from rolling my eyes. This fool really doesn’t recognize me? So fucking unbelievable. “Nah, I think I’m good, but thanks for giving me the option.” Lifting my beer, I move around him and find my friends.

Jimmy’s at one of the pool tables, and right when I think I’m safe from more interactions with Blake, he taps me from behind and juts his hip out so it’s rubbing against mine. My skin crawls and I put more distance between us, reaching for the cue stick when someone yells that it’s my turn.