Chapter 36 Hannah and I cuddled together in the backseat of the truck while Two-Bit rode in the front with Ever. I had assumed that we would be going to Buck's or a bar close by. But Ever had been driving for forty-five minutes before she pulled into a parking space across from a bar. There was a neon sign announcing that the building was open for business. I caught a glimpse at another sign that said "Last call is at 1 AM". I thought it was odd for last call to be so early. Ever opened the door and I realized why. This was no ordinary dim lit bar, it was more like a café. I felt like the girls were overdressed for this place, but I decided not to say anything. "Don't worry," Ever whispered. "We won't be here for long. An hour tops. I used to come here a lot with Dal and I made some friends with the regulars. He didn't like it here much because he couldn't be loud, but I love it. I'm just gonna say hi, have a drink with them, listen to their poetry and recite one of mine and then we can go to a different bar." "Poetry?" I asked. "You brought me to a poetry bar?" I couldn't believe it. I could barely comprehend the words she used on a daily basis. "Wait, when did you start writing poetry?" "Um, since I could write. Now, shush." She walked us into the main part of the bar. There were a few people scattered throughout. There was a curly haired boy on the stage reciting a poem about death or love or something. Ever introduced us to her friends Adam and Scott, who were sitting at a table in the middle of the room. Adam was tall, a few inches taller than me. He had short medium brown hair that had hair products put in it to make the front stand up. He had a scruffy face, like mine was when I didn't shave for a day or so. Scott was on the shorter side. He wore black framed glasses. His hair was long, but he greased it back. He had a cool expression on his face. More like he was trying to act cool. We sat down with them and started talking. Adam was up next to recite, but they were taking a ten minute break. "How's it been goin'?" he asked Ever. She sighed with great force. "Alright I guess. I dropped out and came back here and I enrolled in that community college you're going to now, Scott." "Really?" Scott said. "Yeah." "Well it's a good school. It'll be nice to see a new face there." I tuned out of their conversation when they stared to talk about literature. I looked over at Hannah to see that she was staring at Adam. I couldn't blame her. He was pretty easy on the eyes, but I didn't want her to leave me when I left. I knew that he would be better for her. He was smarter and could provide more for her. Hell, he was handsomer too. I reached under the table and grabbed Hannah's hand. It was soft and warm. I found comfort in her little hand. It felt like…like home. Like love. I felt loved whenever I touched her hands. I never wanted to let go of them. Adam got up a few minutes later and took his place at the stage. Once he started his poem I tuned him out. It was about war. I didn't want to think about that uniform sitting in the box laying on the couch in the living room. I tried to get the image of me wearing the uniform while leaving, then while training, while I get shot through the heart during battle, and finally at my funeral, but it was burned inside of my brain. The nightmares had started. They made me want to crawl under a rock and just disappear. War was the only part of my life that I wasn't looking forward to. The whizzing of bullets and cracking of guns filled my ears. I never wanted to experience it, ever. Ever got up and went to the stage two people after Adam. She smiled at the crowd and cleared her throat. "I am always willing to help a friend. Even if the gun is to my head, If the pills are in my hands, If the noose is tied around my neck, I will always help a friend. The best way to talk me off of the edge, Is to give me a purpose." I thought about it for a long time. I didn't want to know what she was talking about. I didn't want to know when she wrote that poem or why, but I knew that I needed to give her a hug. As soon as she came off the platform I did. It was long and overdue. I almost started to cry into her shoulder, but I stopped myself. She gave the two boys kisses on the cheek and then walked us back out to the truck. Once we got settled I took Hannah's hand again. I needed the warmth and safety. I needed her. I looked into her beautiful gunmetal blue eyes and I was instantly entranced by her beauty. She was so mesmerizing. Every time I looked at her I fell in love all over again. It was the single most wonderful thing that I had ever felt. We arrived at a different bar around ten minutes later. I helped Hannah out of the car and refused to let go of her hand. I refused to leave her side. I decided to be the designated driver for the night. That way Ever and Two-Bit could get drunk as hell and Hannah wouldn't have to drive. She wasn't a big fan of driving. As soon as we got inside I took the keys away from Ever. Hannah and I found a small table and sat down. I ordered us both Pepsi and I made sure they knew to absolutely not put any alcohol in Hannah's. They said that they would never put alcohol in anything they were told was supposed to be non-alcoholic. They even had separate glasses for the drinks. Halfway through the night Hannah asked me to dance a slow song with her. Of course I said yes. Can Stop Loving You by Elvis came on as soon as I asked for her hand. I grabbed her waist with one hand and held her hand with my other. She put her face into my neck and hummed along to the music. She was so warm. I wanted to stay like this and never have to do anything else. Just dance with her, swaying back and forth to an Elvis song. At two in the morning Ever and Two found us and said that they were ready to leave. Hannah steadied Ever while I steadied Two-Bit and we walked them out to the truck. We buckled them up in the backseat and then we climbed into the front. Hannah kicked her shoes off and curled up next to me. I stroked her hair with one hand and steered with the other. I dropped Ever and Two-Bit off at the apartment and then brought me and Hannah back to my house. I gave her a pair of my sleeping pants and one of my white shirts. They looked like shapeless sacks on her, but she insisted that they were comfortable and lay on the bed beside me. She gave me a small kiss on the cheek and then nuzzled her head into my chest. She dozed off in a matter of seconds. I felt the rise and fall of her chest; I heard the steadiness of her breathing. I eventually fell asleep to the beautiful, natural sounds of the love of my life sleeping.