"Reese, would you mind sweeping the side steps?" of course I don't mind. If I did mind then I'd probably be fired, and I need this job.
I snatch the broom and dustpan from the gremlin with a fake smile. He returned the gesture and nodded as he walked off, crossing me off the checklist of his.
"God I can't wait to get out of this fucking place" I hide to myself as I go around the side of the building to sweep up the trash littered there.
All while talking to myself to keep me sane throughout the day.
People passed me by without second thought of the chick talking to herself. Wouldn't be anything new to the people of this town.
"Fucking gremlin look alike. Hate this place" I snap.
I was just about to sweep the trash I swept together into the pan when I heard a chuckle from beside me. Turning my head I gasp when I see Billy leaning against his car. Arms folded over his chest and a cigarette behind his ear.
My heart pounded faster than ever as I dropped the broom and took a step back.
"My bad, didn't mean t'scare ya" he says smiling at me. His white teeth showing just a bit as his eyes seemed to light up.
I just stared at him for a moment, not sure what to say or do.
"I-I...it's okay" I reply leaning over to pick up the broom. My hands suddenly became shaky, every action I'd perform from then on would be done with the utmost caution and finesse.
It's been about a week since that day I passed the bar. He didn't show up like I thought and secretly hoped he would. So I chalked the two encounters up to just a day, or two that I ran into Billy Darley. I was dumb for thinking anymore of the incidents. Wasn't I?
"Reese right?" he asks pushing himself off the car. I gasped and gripped the old broom until I felt splinters poke me as he made his way to the steps. He stayed at the bottom one, letting one of his boot covered feet linger on the first step.
Deciding that I spent more than enough time with my mouth open I nod.
"Yea" I squeak licking over my lips. I catch his eyes flicker down to them as i nervously push hair behind my ear.
Again he grinned at me, that grin made to seduce every ounce of will power I possessed. He stepped up once more until he was a step below me.
Watching me like I was food, or a high priced car; or maybe in his case a high priced hooker on sale, I don't know.
"You remember who I am?" he asks. I would have if I was brave enough called that a stupid question.
"Billy" I say clearing my throat.
His grin widens before he nods at me, never breaking eye contact with me as he replies.
"Good" that deep voice of his seemed to only deeper and raspier.
With confidence I knew no existence of I ask.
"Why's that good?"
Billy chuckles and steps down back onto the sidewalk. He didn't answer and gave me one last lingering look before he was in his car, driving away.
"Late isn't a time Reese" my mother sighs as she walks past my open door with another laundry bin filled with clothes.
"I know, Ma" I reply as I tried with my shaky hands to apply my eye liner.
I catch her gaze through the mirror and ignore with raised brow.
She puts the hamper on the floor and her hand on her hip. Knowing that I knew that gesture and the look meant business.
"Ma, it's a party...it's already 9:30. I don't know what time I'll be back"
Rolling her eyes she leans over slowly and grabs the bin again.
"If it's past 3, stay with Tee, she is goin' I'm assuming?"
I nod as I start on my eye shadow.
"Be careful Reese, don't do anything stupid"
Again through the mirror she gives me the other look. The one that you expect when you know you'll never live something down.
"I wont" I groan "I'm not drinking, I'm not smoking I might dance with a few guys but that's all. I promise"
"You used to say that a lot you know" she says still staring intently at me. I couldn't even be mad or annoyed at her anymore. She has every right to worry.
"I mean it now, Ma" I say turning to face her from my vanity.
She stood there for a long time just watching me.
"Be safe, and wear those shoes that match that one purse so you can fit the pepper spray in it" she says with a nod before she walks away.
On my way out I ruffle Jason's hair and kiss my mother on the cheek.
"See you in the morning"
Outside waiting for me in her fathers car was Tee. My best friend since preschool. She leaned over to the passenger window and yelled out.
"Hurry up bitch, we're gonna be late!"
Rolling my eyes I walk only a bit faster which wasn't much considering the heels I was wearing.
"Late for what Tee, it's a fucking party"
"We have to make a stop" she retorts as I get in. She starts the car and presses the gas hard, peeling out onto the street with a loud screech.
"A stop? Where?" I ask warily, pulling on my seatbelt. Nothing was ever simple with this girl. A stop probably meant nothing of the sort.
"Picking up a friend, relax"
Just the same, a friend was not simply a friend in Tia's case.
"Who's the guy?" I ask kicking off my heels until we reached the club I town.
"Remember Joe from school?"
"There were like 10 Joe's Tia, specifics"
"From sophomore year, remember he dropped ou-"
"Joe Darley?" there's that damned name again. Of course I knew the youngest Darley. Yet another thug who'd earned a name for himself. Mostly because of his nasty mouth. And let's not forget his older brother who I'd heard wasn't really about letting people fuck with his family.
"Yes" she nods
"Are you crazy?" I ask.
"I'm not, we ran into each other at that party you bailed on l-"
"You mean that party that got busted the first 5 minutes at their house?"
Weeks before we'd been invited by a friend of a friend to a party the Darley's were hosting at their place. In no way was I interested in lounging around with a bunch of felons and gang bangers. Tia however was. And for the record, no matter how sexy and mysterious I find the older Darley to be theirs no way I'd ever become [i]that[/i] interested in him.
"Anyway, we been texting' ever since. He's a sweetheart actually?"
Sure that only means he probably asked what flavor condom she liked. That was pretty mean...
"I guess, so he's coming with us to a dance club?" I ask snorting.
"Sorry I just don't see the appeal"
When she didn't reply I stared at her for a moment. She was smirking a bit and I instantly knew what that meant.
"Ohh okay...the appeal is sex. Tee if you wanted to get laid there was no need to drag me along" I sigh exasperatedly fumbling with the dress used my last pay check for.
"We're not Reese, I just wanted to hang out with him for a while. But the thing is that the club is kinda out..."
"What the hell does kinda out mean?"
"I don't sound like that, and it means that if you don't get to pissed and demand I take you home that we're going to a bar"
"Where?" I ask immediately
"Heard of Four Roses?"
My heart sank, could this evening get any better? Insert heavy sarcasm.
"Heard of it, Tia it's the Darley gangs fucking den. Why are you doing this, do you want us to get killed?"
"I highly doubt anyone would want to kill us, we're fucking hot"
"Oh gosh thanks for the compliment, now we'll just get raped first"
She inhaled deeply and sighed and I notice we turn a corner. The bar is at the end of the street the only thing remotely lively on the block except for a stray cat strolling by.
"You're being dramatic. We were invited, we'll be fine"
Again my outfit reminds me of myself.
"Seriously" I grouse pulling at the short length of my dress. "You couldn't tell me this before, I would have dressed prepared for this" I can already feel the eyes laying it thick on my bare legs.
"Would you please try to relax and keep an open mind. You're usually up for anything"
"Almost anything Tee, you seem to forget how things were two years ago, my mother barely trusts me to go to the store for her"
"Is she still on that, god. Listen to me" she says as she parks behind some car. She turns to face me with a serious look.
"Nothing bad will happen, if anything happens, anything you don't like we can go. Just say the word and we're gone"
My eyes flicker down to her slightly open legs and then back at the bar behind me.
"Fine. By the way I can see your vagina when you sit like that"
From the moment we stepped through the door it was as if life itself had stopped. In no way am I being conceited or anything but seriously. Everyone stopped what they were doing and eyes us like we were meals on legs. I pushed again at the hem of my dress.
How out of place we looked, the only women in the place and ot to mention I was dressed in this brightly colored cocktail thing that stopped well above my knee with 6 inch knock offs.
Tia was even worse but seemed to be right at home in the smoky pub. She had on a black dress, just as short as mine with a plunging neck line. Not to mention she's much curvier than I am.
Compared to my tall slightly curved body frame, caramel skin and dark hair she was the exact opposite. Short, pale, curvy and blond.
"Let's get out before they stake us" I whisper from the side of my mouth.
She snickers and grasps my hand as we step further into the room. People whispered and pointed and I all of a sudden felt like I was the main attraction at some disgusting circus.
We walked through, her taking the lead until we reached a more secluded part of the bar. There was a long wooden table with about 10 chairs around it. A few drinks were scattered across it but was empty for the most part.
To the left of the table further back was a pool table. Around it stood 2 guys. One I immediately recognized as Joe Darely, he looked a lot scruffier since highschool. A Spanish guy who looks like he was having a hard time standing straight stood across from him. You could see his dialated pupils from practically down the street.
Tia subtly cleared her throat and Joe snapped his head back. A big smile came over him and he put the pool stick he was holding down on the table. She let go of my hand and grinned as he walked over to her.
"Ayy" he said softly wrapping his arms around her. Letting his grubby little hands grip and squeeze her ass. Raising a brow at them I simply take note, exactly how well did they know each other?
"How are you?" Tia whispers
"Fuckin' perfect now, you look good" he let his eyes wander allover her body.
"You think so?" she asks licking her lips, putting on the charm.
He just made a noise and I couldn't help but gasp, he sounded just like Billy.
"Who's this?" he asks wrapping his arm around her waist as they both turned to face me.
I smile at him and wave.
"This is Reese, my best friend. She went to school with us"
"I remember, you used to have glasses" he nods
I have to say I was flattered at his memory.
"Still have them" I nod.
He smiles, "I'm Joe" he says holding out his hand. These manners are throwing my head for a spin.
"Nice to meet you" I say trying not to look as surprised. He squeezed my hand firmly and eyes me up and down for a moment. Then he looks at Tia and does the same for longer.
"You two don'look dressed for this shit-hole" he strolls over to the table and we follow.
"I had to get this one out of the house" Tia says pointing back at me as she holds his hand and leans up pecking his cheek.
Joe smirks at me then at Tia, "You two want a drink?" he asks raising a brow at us as he makes his way to the bar.
"You can sit if you want"
"Yea, just get some shots and none of that dark shit you and your brother drink"
Joe laughs and stalks off, his red hair gleaming under the dim lighting.
"Oh so you drink with the Darley's now?" I ask crossing my arms over my chest taking a seat at the far end of the table in the corner. She sits across from me and shakes her head.
"Once, I got way too drunk and fucking threw up all back there" she smiles pointing to the darkened hallway beyond the pool table.
"Charming" I snort stiffly.
I could feel her gaze burning into me and ignored her my best. It took a while, and I held out longer than usual but her stare broke me down. I sighed and dropped my head and then my arms.
"He's not gonna be here is he?" I ask warily, looking at her from across the table. My eyes flickering quickly to the guy who was nodding off in the corner.
"Who?" she asks leaning closer.
"Billy" I say in an almost hushed tone. Like his name was forbidden to speak.
"He's really not the bad, unless he's extremely pissed. Which it doesn't take long to get for him bu-"
"No I'm not that scared of seeing him because I'm scared of him" I lie "He, he came to my work a couple weeks ago."
"What happened?" she asks shrugging.
"Nothing much, he asked my name, got some food. But he came by again the other day and didn't"
"Didn't what?"
Before I could finish Joe came back with a tray of six shots. He placed it down and started handing them out.
"To the head, both shots, no bitching out" he says placing two in front of Tia then me and taking the seat beside her stretching his arm across the back of her chair. She kept her eyes on me for a second letting me know the talk wasn't over.
I looked down at the two rather large shots of clear liquid, assuming it was vodka aka my cup-or cups of tea. And okay I lied to my mother, but a couple shots won't hurt. Besides I know I'll need this if I plan on having even a semblance of a good time tonight.
Before the new couple could even think about lifting their glasses I was putting the second glass to my lips. I slammed it down with a guff and took a deep breath.
When I peeled open my eyes Tia and Joe were gazing at me curiously. He with a smirk and a raised brow and Tia with squinted eyes.
"I like her" he says to Tia.
There's a term that Tia and I used to use a couple years ago. When we were wild and younger, carrying on in these streets without a care in the world. On those days and nights when we were good and drunk, or high one of us would look at the other with our red drunken eyes and slur.
"I feel niice"
Joe bought himself and I, 3 more shots and by my 5th I was there. I had just enough alcohol in my system to forget my worries.
"We're done after this Reese" she says pointing a stern finger at me. She was for the most part sober, since she was driving tonight.
"Done as in going home? 'Cause I don't wanna go I wanna staaay" I whine
"No drinking I meant, that's the last shot" she says pointing to the glass I slipped from Joe's hand.
"Mmhm last shot" I nod and down it. I put it down on the table and grin. The burn was gone now and it was only like a dull reminder.
When I came to, Joe and Tia were off in their own world and I was having trouble staying in my seat.
Just when I was thinking of finding whatever music source there was playing soft rock and dancing like a hippie the front door opened. People seemed to make a little less noise than earlier as several sets of heavy feet strolled through the room. And then rounding the small corner was him. The man who churned my guts into a million little knots over. Shit.
A/N: I know I promised Billy in this chapter but there has to be some build up for you all. He will definitely be in the next chapter though. Which I might even upload tomorrow, I'm not sure yet. Review :) They spur my writing...