The smile on my face probably looks cheesy as hell, but I haven’t enjoyed myself this much in a long time. Sweat pours off me and my grey t-shirt now appears black, but I can’t stop moving and jumping with the music. A twinge of disappointment hits me when Brady tells everyone it’s the last song.
I glance up from my guitar at the dark crowd below us and see her blonde head among all of the people. When she lands next to Sadie in the booth, Sadie immediately reaches over and hugs Jessa. I can’t tell if she’s been crying from up here, but I do notice the look of surprise when Sadie points to me up on the stage. Nodding my head her way, I quickly put my eyes back on the guitar, now eager to finish this last song and get down to her.
After the guys and I put away the equipment in Dex’s truck, they all change their shirts and I realize in my rush that I forgot one. I walk back inside the bar, astonished to find that Jessa already ordered a beer for me.
“Thanks,” I say, scooting in next to her.
“You’re sweaty,” she says, plucking at my shirt that’s currently stuck to my body. I’m surprised to see no trace of puffy or red eyes.
“I forgot a shirt to change into,” I apologize and scoot away.
“No need to do that, I’m used to it,” she jokes.
All the guys come over and everyone partakes in beers and shots, except for Brady, who has his usual water, and Sadie, who has a vodka tonic.
“Sorry, Jessa,” Dex says with clear sympathy.
“Well, it is what it is.” She seems completely casual about it, and I’m pissed that they’re going to try the long-distance thing. As though Rob would keep his hands to himself during three months of concerts and girls hanging all over him.
“He’s a fucking asshole,” Trey exclaims. “How could he leave us like that? A couple hours before the show and he says ‘see ya… ya’…asshole.” I don’t know Trey very well, but the anger coming from him seems foreign to his usual relaxed demeanor.
“It was a shitty thing to do,” Brady agrees and shrugs his shoulders.
“Shitty? It’s an asshole move. Please, tell me you are kicking him out,” Trey says, continuing his anti-Rob rant.
“I’m not going to leave him homeless,” Brady says.
“You should. What a fucking asshole.” Trey tips his head back, consuming his shot before leaving the table. My eyes follow him to a redhead at the bar giving him fuck-me eyes. He swoops her up and carries her into the dark hallway of the bar. I wish I had his balls. He takes what he wants and gives a shit about consequences.
“I guess we know where Trey stands on the issue,” Sadie jokes.
“Hey, let’s get out of here. I want to go over and see Jacks at the diner,” Brady says and stands up to help Sadie out. “Do you guys want to come?”
“No thanks, man. I see a brunette over there I wouldn’t mind having under me tonight. You guys have fun.” Dex walks away with a wave.
“What about you two?” Brady asks me and Jessa.
“I have to get out of this shirt first,” I say. “I’ll meet you there.” I scoot out of the round booth and to my surprise, Jessa follows.
“I’ll go with Grant. We’ll meet you there,” she tells them, and Sadie gives her a knowing smile.
“Sounds good.” Brady leads Sadie out of Aces and to the car, and I place my hand on the small of Jessa’s back, letting her go first.
We head out to the street and get in my beat-up truck. I’m embarrassed to have her in such a piece of shit, but what choice do I have?
“Sorry for the car,” I apologize, but she shrugs her shoulders like it doesn’t matter.
“If it has a radio and gets you where you need to go, that’s all that matters, right?” she says and starts fiddling with the radio.
“Are you really okay with him leaving?” I ask, not for myself but for her.
“I guess. I didn’t really have a choice. It’s not like he asked me or anything,” she reveals. “Not that I would have kept him from the opportunity.” She turns up the volume, signaling to me that she doesn’t want to talk about it. The rest of the car ride is quiet except for the radio.
I cringe when we get to my fraternity house. It’s obvious that an impromptu party has formed, probably because the bars are starting to close for the night. Cars line the streets and people are milling around the front. Jessa shifts uncomfortably in her seat when she notices it.
“Let’s go,” I tell her, getting out of the car. I grab her hand, weaving her through the groups of people. Numerous ‘Grant’, ‘What’s up, Grant?’ get called our way, but I just give a wave, not stopping to talk. When we finally arrive at my door, I ask her if she wants to come in, but she says she’ll wait outside.
“Okay, it won’t take long,” I say, walking into my room. I pull a t-shirt out of the drawer and then scramble into the bathroom to put more deodorant on before dressing in the cleanly laundered shirt. While I’m in there, I decide to quickly brush my teeth and run water through my hair before throwing a ball cap on backwards.
I’m about to open my bedroom door when I hear a prissy voice say, “You’re waiting on Grant?”
“Yes,” Jessa says, sounding unconcerned.
“Why would he bring you here?” she continues, and I know I should open the door and reveal myself, but I’m curious how Jessa will handle it.
“Maybe because I suck his dick.” Jessa’s voice is devoid of emotion, and I have to hold in my laughter.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” the girl’s voice asks. There’s only one reason someone asks to have something repeated during a confrontation, when they can’t think of a comeback.
“I know, sometimes all that hairspray just fogs the brain, right?” Jessa sarcastically responds. “Come a little closer then.” There’s a pause and I assume she’s waiting for the girl to walk toward her. “I said, ‘I suck his dick’,” Jessa repeats herself.
“You’re disgusting.” I hear the clicking of heels across the old wooden floors of the hallway.
“Oh yeah, one more thing princess,” Jessa starts talking again. “I swallow too,” she calls out to her.
I don’t hear the girl respond so I open the door. Jessa looks at me and I can’t hide my humored expression. She knows immediately that I overheard her.
“Don’t get any ideas, Bishop. I just had to get my point across,” she jokes.
“Aw man. Here I was going to pull you into my room and make you prove it. Just like every other girl, you’re just a tease. Saying you like to suck dick, when in reality you say that to get us to go down on you,” I tease her.
She leans toward me, so close that our lips are only millimeters apart and whispers, “Believe me, Grant, I’m far from a tease.” She turns around and walks down the hallway.
I casually adjust myself and stare at her sweet ass, while I follow her down the hall.
We get out of the house without any more confrontations. Not that there weren’t looks and appraisals from many of my ‘friends’, but at least no one opened their mouth. If they had, I’m not sure I would have had much self-control.
By the time we make it to the diner, Jacks is sitting down in a booth with Sadie and Brady. Jessa leads the way to them and I notice an older gentleman at the counter, eating a slice of pie and drinking coffee. I disregard him at first, but then I notice the dagger tattoo on his forearm and I abruptly stop. Standing in the middle of the diner, I glare at the back of his head. It’s him.
“You coming, man?” Brady calls out from the booth.
My feet feel like they are trapped in quicksand. All those feelings from five years ago wash over me and I sink further into the ground. I hear them calling my name, but I can’t move. Then the jackass turns around and stares at me. I’m sure I look different, older and bigger, but I see the recognition cross his face. He knows exactly who I am.
Pulling out his wallet, he leaves a few bills on the counter before walking around me and out the door. I don’t turn around to make sure he leaves, but I don’t walk over to the table either. I just stand there staring at the seat he was occupying. The man whose actions changed the course of my life.