Hiya Readers
Five days till release!!!!! Can you believe it?! I’m so excited! (Can’t you tell by my exclamation points?!)
xoxo Dana
Chapter Two
At the bottom of the stairs, Prue yanks her hand away from me. “That fucking hurts, Billie. Calm down.”
My body shudders with a sigh. “Sorry.”
I cast one final glance toward the upstairs. Dahlia looked at me like I am completely and utterly unimportant. And her little misstep? It wasn’t followed by any sort of apology, and it was one hundred percent on purpose.
Surveying the downstairs doesn’t bring me any comfort.
Jimmy and Micaela are sitting at the bar, talking and drinking. She’s the only one with alcohol, of course, because Jimmy won’t be twenty-one till August, but his grin says he’s having fun now that his kitchen shift is over anyway. Behind the bar, Xander chats with them between serving customers.
There are more people here than earlier, but not many. On a Friday night, nine o’clock is early. Pretty sure Prue expected this date to include a meal she was not provided.
I lead her to an open spot and rest an elbow on the oak bar.
Xander joins us without pause. “Anything I can get you?” His cerulean eyes meet mine for a second before finding something—anything—else to focus on.
“Can I have some water? She needs to rehydrate, but we’re leaving.”
Hand clutching my arm, Prue rests her head on my shoulder. How much alcohol did she have?
“Bottled?”
“Do you have to-go cups? Tap’s free, right?”
Without a word, he steps into a back room and returns with a foam cup and lid. “She okay?” He fills it with ice and water from the soda gun, covers it with the lid, and sets it and a paper-wrapped straw on the bar.
I tear open the straw. “What the hell is in a zombie?”
He casts a frown toward Prudence. “Rum, absinthe, and falernum syrup.” The words are short and curt, but I’m more focused on the content than the uncomfortable context.
I scoff. “Absinthe. Awesome.”
“Do you need help getting her to the car?” His mouth twists to the side, but I can’t tell whether it’s in irritation or concern.
Heels click clack across the hardwood floor nearby. A young woman, her tits spilling out of a plunging v-neck dress, leans against the bar beside me, and a flirtatious simper plays on her crimson lips.
“Cassie.” Xander surveys her cleavage without shame. “I was wondering if you’d come in tonight.”
She taps a red nail on the counter. “When are you off?”
He glances at the clock behind him and leans over the bar toward her. “A couple hours. What’re your plans tonight?”
“I’m free if you are.”
I stab the straw through the lid and hand the cup to Prue. “Where’d you park?”
Xander’s too preoccupied with the sexy brunette to notice our departure.
Near the exit, Jimmy sends me a wave, but beside him, Micaela watches the scene with a quivering lip.
Outside, Prue directs me toward her Pilot, parked on the next cross-street.
Prue swallows the last of her second glass of water. Her glazed-over eyes study the screen as Thunder’s fury bubbles under the surface. “Okay,” she says, clutching the glass, “I know I’m sobering up, but what the ever-loving fuck is going on in this movie?”
I snort. “They had to rescue these women from getting married to a creepy old sorcerer, they just killed the bad guy, and now, they’re trying to escape.”
On the TV, Thunder’s fury leads to catastrophic ends. The heroes barely escape before he explodes. I’ve seen Big Trouble in Little China a zillion times. It was the first film Xander, Jimmy, and I could agree on. We watched it several times freshman year—long before I realized it’s one of my all-time favorite movies.
Now, “we” is me and Prue.
I lean over the cushion between us and take the glass from her hands. “You want any more?”
A sheepish smile tugs at her lips. “Do you want me to piss all over your couch?”
“We do have a bathroom.”
She stretches to look over the couch toward the hallway leading to the kitchen and bathroom. “Yeah, but it’s far away.”
“You shouldn’t let random guys buy you drinks anymore.” I slide the glass onto the coffee table and pause the movie. “If you’d ordered for yourself, you wouldn’t have gotten so drunk.”
Prue runs a hand through her long brown hair and yawns. “Yeah, well, if Graham hadn’t taken the liberty of ordering because I was two minutes late…”
I grimace. “Really?”
“Yeah, that was the first red flag.”
“Why did you drink it?”
She scowls. “The bartender brought it over after I arrived, so it’s not like he slipped anything in it. Besides, I will never let a man ruin my night.”
In the time since we became friends—actual friends—Prue has shown herself to be one of the most strong-willed people I’ve met. I am continually impressed by her resolve.
“Snack?” I rise from the couch and offer her my hand. “And bathroom time for you.”
Grudgingly, she accepts the gesture. We part ways at the bathroom.
When Prue stumbles into the kitchen, the popcorn has a few seconds left. She leans against the door frame and watches me with tired eyes.
“How you feeling?” I send her a smirk and pull the bag from the microwave before the timer goes off. “You should eat something.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
When I tear open the bag, steam billows out, and I lean back so it doesn’t fog up my glasses. I dump the contents into a big plastic bowl and throw away the trash.
“I don’t know why I do this, Billie.”
I join her in the doorway and hold out the bowl. “Do what?”
“Go on dates with complete strangers.” She pops a piece into her mouth.
“It’s good to get out there. You’re doing great.”
Most of the time, Prue doesn’t talk about Ruby, pretends their breakup at the end of freshman year didn’t bother her, but I know it does. It would be hard not to be bothered by your girlfriend of six months telling you she can’t handle your being bi—that it makes her too self-conscious, too worried about the competition.
She glowers, unimpressed. “Yeah, but it’d be nice if the guys who do online dating weren’t uber creeps. The sex has been good, but you know, women make better lovers, so that’s a given.”
I snort.
“You know, you could get back out there too.”
I link my arm with hers and lead her to the living room. “Prue, I’m not ready for a relationship yet, and I’m not interested in sleeping with someone to put myself out there. I want to get my life sorted out before I can bring someone else into it.”
That was the main reason Xander and I broke up in the first place.
I settle onto the couch, and she plops down beside me. “And you know, until then, I have a healthy relationship with my dildo.”
A long laugh bursts from her lips. “Trust me, you’re not the only one. No other cock has managed to get me off in the last year.”
I press play, but my phone lights up the moment I drop the remote on the coffee table. This time, it’s Imogene.
This fucking sucks, her text says.
Unease tugs at my stomach as I type up my response: Everything okay? I can call if you want to talk.
On the TV, Egg dumps a Bodai statue on Lightning’s head.
Then, she texts: No, it’s fine. I’m going to bed.
My stomach clenches. She’s reaching out while pushing away, and that sounds eerily familiar.
Okay, I send her. Have a good night.
When I lay my phone down, Prue scoots closer and confiscates some popcorn. “What was that?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. Mo’s going through some stuff, but she won’t talk to me about it.”
Prue’s mouth curls into a toothy smile. “I’d say you two were like sisters, but you know, you are.”
I roll my eyes. “Thanks for the reminder of how terrible I am with talking about my feelings.”
“You’re getting better anyway.” She nudges me in the side and turns her attention to the TV.
Outside, a pickup truck pulls into the driveway.
Jimmy enters a moment later, tucking his keys into his pocket, and Micaela stumbles in behind him. She clutches the door frame to steady herself and flashes us a grin before struggling to close the door.
Jimmy pauses in the foyer. “Hey. You feeling better, Prudence?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
He shrinks back at her curt tone. “We’ll be in the kitchen.”
Micaela latches onto his arm, and he leads the way as she continues, I assume, their conversation from the car: “I’m just saying, we’ve been friends for like five months. You should tell me more about this girl you have a crush on. Don’t keep everything to yourself…”
Her voice fades as they move farther away.
The movie is coming to its conclusion, and for the first time, Prue’s attention is hooked to the TV.
“You can be nice to him, you know.” I grab another handful of popcorn, but I struggle to find my appetite. “He doesn’t—”
“When he’s hurting you? No, thanks.”
I force myself to eat a piece, then another. “It’s okay, Prue.”
“No, it isn’t.” She releases a long, sad sigh. “He barely talks to you, and he’s supposed to be one of your closest friends. I thought you said he wouldn’t choose between you and Xander.”
“He’s family. Even when we don’t get along, he’s like my brother. Siblings fight all the time.”
Headlights flash across the walls and shift as the Camaro parks beside Jimmy’s truck.
“Doesn’t mean he isn’t being a shitty friend,” Prue says.
The irony makes me laugh. “It’s not like I haven’t been a shitty friend either.”
A few seconds later, Xander comes inside, his leather jacket slung over one shoulder. He pauses by the door to hang up the jacket and runs a hand through his slicked-back hair. He doesn’t bother to look our way before heading for the kitchen.
Prue bites her lip. “I know I was really drunk, but why were you freaking out at the bar? Xander or the alcohol?”
“You know that guy you were with?”
She nods.
“He’s one of Dahlia Finnick’s friends.”
A grimace spreads across her face. “Fuck. She’s who walked into you by the stairs, right?”
I scrunch up my nose. “I’m impressed you remember.”
“I’ll have you know, I’ve only blacked out once, and tonight was not that night.” But while her words are confident and determined, her hand squeezes mine with tacit softness. “I’m sorry I was drunk.”
“It’s fine. You know I’m always here if you need me.” By the time I reach for her, she’s already retreated, and I slide my hands into my pockets. “It could’ve been four in the morning, and I would’ve come for you.”
“I know.” She tugs at the silver chain around her wrist. “But how much time do you spend around alcohol anymore? Jimmy and Xander don’t keep it in the house. You never hang out with anyone who drinks regularly. I’m sorry I put you in that position.”
My chest tightens. “Are you apologizing about the alcohol or running into Dahlia or about me having to pick you up at the bar where Xander and Jimmy work?”
“All of the above.”
I snicker. “I see the guys on a regular basis. That’s what happens when you live with someone.”
Her fingers release the chain, and she relaxes. “Yeah, but you don’t normally have to interact with them—or Micaela.”
I frown. “She invited me to sit with them again.”
Finally, Prue looks up. “Does she know you two dated? You’d think she’d pick up on the awkwardness between the object of her affections and his roommate.”
“We didn’t date.”
Despite the heavy sorrow in her eyes, Prue chooses not to respond. “I think I’m sober enough to drive now.”
My brow scrunches together. “I doubt that very much.”
“One last glass of water before I go?” She nods toward the kitchen, where the soft voices of my roommates and Micaela emanate from. “Is it too much to ask for you to join me?”
“Of course not.”
Jimmy, cheeks pink, rests against the counter with an open can of Coke. Micaela stands next to him, her hands clasped around a glass of water. On the opposite side of the kitchen, Xander rifles through the fridge.
Prue fills her glass with filtered water, and I hover in the doorway—as far away from everyone as possible.
Xander doesn’t glance over.
“Okay, but you had this big thing for a girl over the summer,” Micaela says into her glass. “It’s the same girl, right?”
Jimmy fidgets with the hem of his Draft Horse shirt. “No comment.” The red tee highlights his blush.
“Oh, come on!”
Prue downs her water, then pours herself more. I’m surprised she has room considering how much she drank tonight—water and otherwise.
Xander pulls back from the fridge with an apple and takes a bite as the door closes.
Micaela turns on him. “You know who it is, don’t you, Xander?”
He shrugs. “That doesn’t mean you’re going to find out.”
She takes another drink. “What’re you doing now? Going to hang out with us?”
Her tone is hopeful—overly so—but Xander never lets her crush faze him. Despite his best efforts, the months he’s ignored her feelings have had no effect on their existence.
“Nah, I’ve got plans.”
Jimmy raises an eyebrow.
“Cassie asked if I could hang out.” The apple crunches as he takes another bite, and a drop of juice slides down his chin as he chews. “I’m going over to her apartment for a bit.”
Micaela’s face contorts with disappointment, and I turn away when Prue joins me.
“Okay, I’m good,” she whispers.
I need no further instruction before exiting the kitchen. We stop by the front door. “You sure you’re sober enough to drive?”
“Probably.” Her fingers toy with the knob, but she doesn’t make a move to open the door. “You ready to go to bed?”
“I’m exhausted. Thought I might draw for a little while to relax.”
She pulls me into a tight hug. “Okay. I’ll text you tomorrow.”
As I climb the stairs, their voices fade to nothingness, and I shut myself with my glass of water in my bedroom.
Without Prudence, the house is lonely and cold.
I flip open my laptop, log in, and play a song in my library. I crank the volume as Tool’s “Schism” begins to play. I want to drown in the enthralling beat.
My favorite thing about this house is the window seat in my bedroom.
Originally, this room was supposed to be Xander’s because it has access to the roof over the porch. But before we moved in, he offered it to me. I like sitting in windows and drawing, and he insisted he wouldn’t need the roof access—because quitting cigarettes would be “easy.” Jimmy and I laughed at him then.
But this is Xander, so of course it was easy.
I curl up with the pillow and flip open a sketchbook.
Below, a car engine turns over. Xander’s red Camaro backs out of the driveway and zooms down the street. He must be tired of waiting for his booty call.
The music switches to AC/DC’s “Spellbound,” and I press my pen to paper.
