Текст книги "Charade"
Автор книги: Nyrae Dawn
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CHARADE
BY
NYRAE DAWN
Copyright © 2012 by Nyrae Dawn
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission of the author except where permitted by law.
Published by
Nyrae Dawn
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Dedication:
To Tara. Just because you’re my BFF and BFF’s should always have a book dedicated to them. Love ya and thanks for being part of my life.
~CHAPTER ONE~
Cheyenne
I stare, unable to take my eyes off the scene in front of me as I try to process what my boyfriend just said.
“How exactly is being naked in bed with another girl not what it looks like?” My voice comes out completely smooth even though my stomach is a mess. It’s dropped to my feet and I feel like I could throw up at any second.
Please don’t let me throw up in front of them.
I stare at him, in bed next to some redhead and all Gregory can do is stare back. This is the guy I’d stupidly allowed myself to begin to trust after so long together—against my better judgment since I know, I’ve always known you can never really depend on someone.
Panic threatens me. Like the burned edge of a paper, wanting to take me over. My heart speeds up. My chest hurts. My vision starts to blur.
No. I cannot have a panic attack right now. I haven’t had one in years and I refuse to let this bastard get the best of me. But still, my body’s trying not to listen. My hands curl, opening and closing into fists. It’s like a flood of energy sent to every part of me, sending me into overdrive.
With everything inside me, I fight to stamp it down.
“Cheyenne, baby...I’m sorry,” Gregory says.
I shake my head back and forth, take a step back, more pissed and petrified than I’ve been in so long. He jumps out of bed. Naked.
“You know I love you. It was so hard last year…” He’s reaching for his boxers, tugging them on while he talks and moves toward me. “When you were still in high school and I was here. I just missed you so much, but this was the last time. I told her this was the last time.” He glances at her like he wants her to verify this fact, but she just scowls at him and starts to yank on her clothes. Gregory looks back at me. “I screwed up, but you know you’re the only one I love.”
Nausea hits me again. Lies.
“You missed me so you screwed some other girl?”
Red huffs, but we both ignore her.
“I’m a guy, Chey…” He shakes his head as if I’m being unreasonable for making a big deal of a little mistake.
“You’re a guy? That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard. We were together all summer at home, and we’ve been here at college two weeks already, and you’re still screwing her? That makes perfect sense! And yeah...thanks for not making me ask how long it’s been going on. A smarter man might have waited to see if I assumed this was the first time.”
Gregory’s eyes stretch wide as he realizes his mistake. Never admit more than you have to. With his attorney parents, he should know that. Jackass.
My eyes sting, but there’s no way I’m giving either of them the satisfaction of tears. I stopped giving people the satisfaction of knowing how they affect me a long time ago.
Red stands and glares at me, bumping Gregory’s shoulder as she passes him, saying, “I’m outta here.”
“Wait,” I say, recognizing her. “Didn’t you introduce me to her at the welcome party two nights ago?”
Red has the nerve to blush at this before she stomps out. She definitely has no right to toss any evil glares in my direction considering she knew Gregory has a girlfriend. Had. The word leaves a bad taste in my mouth. He was supposed to be safe. Our families are friends. He treated me so good when we were together. What is it about me that makes people think they can take advantage and toss me aside? Why am I so easy to betray?
A wave of dizziness hits me as I think about my mom. I try to shake the thoughts from my head. I’ve worked so hard not to be that girl—the girl whose own mother couldn’t love her enough to stay around. This isn’t the way my life is supposed to go. Not anymore. Everything’s been perfect for the past ten years. I’m a new person now and things were supposed to keep getting better. An easy, simple, perfect life to make up for what I didn’t have before.
I’m Cheyenne Marshall. The captain of the dance team. Voted most popular girl in my high school. I have friends. Tons of them.
But that was then...in high school. And now I’m here with Gregory in his territory where I have no friends yet. Every single person I know here, I know through him. I close my eyes and reach out a hand to steady myself against the wall as the reality of my new life slams down. I’m stuck here. Alone.
No, no, no. I can’t cry. Can’t lose it. I’m going to lose it.
The muscles in my fingers tense, trying to curl again.
“Chey…come on, baby. You know I love you. We belong together.” He steps toward me and there’s a second—one second where I consider holding my hand out to his. This is Gregory. I lost my virginity to him. I planned to marry him, because we fit. He wouldn’t leave me. I worked hard to be the kind of girl people don’t walk away from. I…oh God. I trusted him. How could I have let myself trust someone?
He’s been screwing other girls! I can’t look past that.
I fight back the tears smashing against the dam of my eyelids. “No, Gregory. We don’t belong together.”
He stands between the bed and me, his boxers all crooked, looking very...shall we say, deflated? “What are you saying, Chey? You want to break up?” He huffs a frustrated laugh. “That’s a crap idea. You don’t even know anybody here. None of the guys are going to go after you. They know you’re mine.”
His ego makes me nauseous. I won’t be that girl. Won’t be alone, and need him like he thinks.
“I am not yours.”
“Chey…” He’s trying to sound all gentle. “I’m just saying that’s how they’ll always see you.”
“Not everyone,” I say, trying to smirk. Trying to show him I don’t need him.
His face hardens and his eyes slant.
“Who? Someone’s been hitting on you?”
Actually, I’ve only hung out with Gregory and his frat brothers. It’s all lies, but the pissed off look on his face fuels me.
“That’s none of your business,” I say, crossing my arms. “All you need to know is, while we were together I never cheated. But we’re not together anymore.” Let him suffer with that thought the way I’ll suffer with the images of him and Red in bed naked together. I turn to leave.
“Cheyenne!” he calls after me, but I keep going, slamming the door to his apartment. I don’t drive very far before pulling off to the side of the road. In the safety of my car, I give myself five minutes to let go. Five minutes for the loud sobs to wrack my body.
How could I have given him power over me? Any power? Gregory was supposed to be my normal. Constant. He wasn’t supposed to leave me. More tears. My head drops forward against the steering wheel. All the pain inside me wells up, sloughing up old dirt I haven’t let myself think about for so long.
“Baby, Mommy, will be right back, okay? You stay in this room till I come back.”
Mama kisses my forehead and walks out of the room. It’s loud. So loud with the music and the banging that I put my hands over my ears. She said she wouldn’t leave me. That she’d never leave me alone again.
I huddle in the corner, my knees pulled up to my chest and my hands still on my ears and my eyes squeezed closed. She’ll be right back. She promised. The door pushes open and I don’t know how I know, but I do. I let out a breath, knowing it has to be her. My eyes jerk open. A guy, a big guy with a beard comes in and a woman too. They’re kissing and it’s gross. Their hands are all over each other. What are they doing?
“Vince. There’s a kid in the corner.” For a second I wonder if they’ll help me. If they’ll find my mama for me, but then they both start to laugh. My eyes are stinging and tears slide down my cheeks.
“Get out of here, kid! You don’t wanna see this.” The scary man yells. He’s right. I just want Mama. I want to go home.
I push to my feet and run out of the room. There are people everywhere. So many people I can hardly get through. They push me and step on me and the music is so loud it makes my heart pound.
I keep searching through the house. Searching for people. For Mama. The house stinks, but I don’t know what the smell is. Someone spills a drink on me and I cry harder. This smell I know. It’s beer. Mama’s old boyfriend used to like to drink it.
No one offers to help me.
I can’t find Mama.
She left me alone.
Another voice. Another man… “I’ll help you find your mama…”
Sitting up, I shudder and wipe the tears away. I’m not that kid anymore. I don’t want to be defined by those memories. I try to focus on the here and now.
I might not have completely let Gregory into my heart like normal girlfriends do, but I trusted him more than I should have. I vow to myself right then and there I will never make that mistake again. People hurt you if you let them. I won’t be hurt again.
With a glance in the mirror I see that I look halfway decent. There’s only a light pink tinge to my dark brown eyes. No red blotches mark my clear skin. Opening my purse, I pull out my eyeliner and reapply. Mascara comes next. I even add a little lip gloss. Still looking in the mirror I reiterate, “I’m not that kid anymore.”
That quickly, I’m Cheyenne Marshall again. Not the little girl at that party—the girl who gets abandoned and panics. I’m stronger than that. I’m the Cheyenne Marshall I fought to become.
One deep breath later, I start the car again and drive away.
***
“Men are such assholes. My last boyfriend cheated on me, too. Things are so much easier with Veronica.”
My eyes snap over to my dorm-mate. School’s only been in a couple weeks and we’re never here at the same time. This is probably only the third time I’ve spoken with her. “How—”
“I’m bisexual,” Andrea sits up on her bed. “Problem with it?” Her pink hair is tied back in a ponytail and she’s wearing a pink volleyball shirt.
I’ve never known someone who likes both girls and guys before. I don’t know why, but I would expect her to look different.
I stop studying her when her question sinks in. I straighten up as though that will make me less transparent. One look at me and she knew about Gregory. “No. I was going to say how did you know my boyfriend cheated on me?” See how nonchalantly I said that? It’s because I don’t care.
I need her to think I don’t care.
Without waiting for her to reply, I turn over, facing the wall as I settle on my bed. The last thing I want is for her to see I really am upset. How embarrassing is this? My first two weeks in college and I find out my boyfriend is sleeping with other people. Or at least one other person.
How did this happen to me?
“Hiding in your bed, isn’t going to make it go away.”
“I’m not hiding,” I tell her without moving.
“He’s not worth it. Don’t let him get you upset.”
How does she know what Gregory is worth? That isn’t what I say because I’m not supposed to be upset. Not over a guy. I’m better than that. “Please. Like I’d let him hurt me. I’m over it. Just tired, Andrea.”
She shuffles behind me and I’m pretty sure she stood up. “Sure you are. And the name is Andy.”
The door creaks open and then slams closed. My heart jumps at that sound. Who does that girl think she is? Pretending to know me when she doesn’t have a clue who I am. I bounce back. Move forward. Forget the past where people leave me behind. I’m definitely not going to let Gregory and Red get me down.
Which is exactly why I should get out of this bed right now and move on. Find that guy I lied about or go to a party. Do something. I’m in college and nothing should have me lying in this bed.
But I’m tired. Too tired to do anything, so instead of getting up, I pull a blanket over my head and try to figure out what happened to my life.
***
“You sound tired,” Aunt Lily says through the phone.
“Do I? I’m not sure why. Everything’s fine. ” I swing my legs off the side of the bed and sit up. The second I push my dark hair behind my ear, it flops free again.
Aunt Lily sighs. “If you’re sure.” For just a second I wish she’d push. Wonder if I could tell her, but that means letting her in. I don’t need to be pushed.
I stand. There’s no reason for me to still be in bed. It happened, nothing will fix it, so I might as well get over it. There’s no point in dwelling on facts. Not when they’ll be there no matter what I do.
And there’s also no point in holding off on this. Aunt Lily and Uncle Mark will find out. It’s better if it comes from me. “Gregory…he cheated on me.” The words make me fall back to the bed. Saying them makes it more real. He cheated on me. I played the perfect game. The perfect girlfriend and it still wasn’t enough.
Lily sucks in a breath. “You’re sure?”
“I came back to campus early and I found them together.”
There’s a few seconds of silence on the line. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.”
I hear the pity in her voice. Know exactly what she’s thinking. After all she’s been through, she shouldn’t have to deal with this, too. I don’t want pity. “I’m fine, Lily. It’s really not a big deal. I was thinking of breaking up with him anyway.” The lie rolls easily off my tongue.
She pauses and I wonder if she wants more from me. Wishes I could let myself be closer to her. Really let her in. For a second, I let myself wish it too.
“It still can’t be easy. Are you sure? You never let anything get you down, Cheyenne. It has to hurt.”
All over again, I feel like I might vomit. My head pounds. Stop it! I’m past panicking. I don’t let myself freak out anymore. “It happens, Lily. I’m shocked, but they say most young relationships don’t work, right?” I play the game, hoping she buys it.
Aunt Lily sighs. “I’m proud of you… Your mom would be too,” she adds.
With that my body tenses. Would she? I don’t know. The woman I knew doesn’t seem to be the same one Lily grew up with. The one I knew left me alone at drunken parties and didn’t care if I went to school or not. A flash of Mom’s smile jumps into my head and makes my heart hurt. I loved her smile. Loved her laugh.
My eyes sting again. “Someone’s at my door. I need to go,” I lie and hang up.
I fight for renewed strength to push through me. I won’t be that little girl again. I don’t need Gregory. Anyone. I’ll show him I can move forward. I’m better off without him. If there’s one thing I know, there’s no way in hell I’ll risk getting close to someone again.
~CHAPTER TWO~
Colt
Dying people have a distinct smell to them. Even people who could have months to go. It’s an almost old smell that clings to their skin. Which is gross as hell, but when it’s someone you love, you don’t think about how disgusting it is, but how much it fucking sucks.
The second I walk into the apartment, the scent hits me. I’m not sure whether to breathe through my nose and risk catching another whiff or through my mouth and puke, which makes me about the biggest pussy on the planet. If she can take going through it, I should be able to visit.
“Colton? Is that you?” Her voice sounds happy despite what she’s going through. Does she smell the death like I do? Does it make her nauseous or is she immune? I’m such a prick.
“Of course it is, Mom. You expecting some other gorgeous, young guy to show up?” I round the corner into her living room. The curtains are open in the big window on the wall. She’s always loved sunshine. I wonder what the hell there is to be so sun-shiny about.
Mom laughs as she’s sitting in her old-tattered wheelchair. The robe I bought her for Christmas like eight years ago is around her shoulders. It has holes in it. The stupid thing needed to be thrown away a long time ago, but she doesn’t throw anything away. When you don’t have much, you take care of the stuff you do have.
I lean forward and kiss her forehead. I feel like a dick because I have to hold my breath to do it. She’s not wearing a hat today and all that’s left of her hair is fuzz. “What’s up?” Dust kicks up when I fall into the chair beside her.
“Not much. How are you today?” Her voice cracks and she starts to cough. Damn if I don’t want to plug my ears so I don’t have to hear it. Yeah. What a good son I am. She’d do anything for me, but I can hardly stand looking at her.
“How are you feelin’?” It’s a much more important question than anything about me.
Her hair used to be blonde and shiny. I remember people saying it looked like sunshine. Maybe that’s why she likes the curtains open so much. Winter will be hard. She probably won’t be here…
“I feel great.” Mom crosses her arms.
I roll my eyes. Yeah. How great can she feel? She’s dying. The docs say it could be a week, could be three months. You never can tell with this stuff. That’s a shitty answer if you ask me. They’re doctors. Aren’t they supposed to know that? If they can tell you you’re going to die, they should be able to narrow it down a little better.
“Mom…”
“Colton,” she throws back at me, a smile tilting her lips. “Tell me about school. How are your classes?”
Shitty. I hate them. They’re not nearly as important as what’s going on with you. “They’re cool. It’s only been a couple weeks.” Every year it’s the same. It’s all she cares about and all she talks about and every time I feel like I want to explode. I shouldn’t be worried about grades. I should be taking care of her—doing whatever the hell it takes to take care of her. It’s why I do the things I do.
Mom gives me another smile, her eyes a mixture of joy and pain. That look has the power to eat me up inside, like it burns through me the same way the cancer is burning through her body, destroying everything in sight. She touches my leg. Jesus, her fingers are thin.
“I can’t believe my son is a junior in college. You’ve grown into a man so quickly. I always knew you could do anything, Colton.”
Now guilt is my disease. Because I don’t see the point. Because I never gave a shit about going to college. I know who I am and what I amount to and no stupid degree will change that. Her? She always wanted it for me. She was born a crack baby, and survived. Bounced around between foster homes and survived. She always knew who her mom was—high school drop-out, runaway, drug addict. Mom didn’t do drugs, but she got pregnant with me young, just like her mom did. Became a high school drop-out. Are we seeing a pattern here?
The shitty part is my money comes from the thing that’s caused her all her problems. Drugs.
She’s survived everything. Not let it get her down. Worked her ass off. Took my dickhead dad in when he stumbled back into our lives and tried to be my mom and dad when he was gone.
All she ever wanted was for me to finish high school. Go to college, like that bullshit would make me better than my destiny.
“It’s not that big a deal, Mom.” I squeeze her hand so she doesn’t see I’m pissed, but do it carefully so I don’t hurt her.
“Yes, it is.”
She got sick when I was a senior in high school and it happened fast. I promised her if she got better, I’d do everything she wanted. I’d go to school. We applied for scholarships, financial aid and all that together and she did start to get better. We thought she beat more odds, but by then, I was stuck. I’d made a promise and I knew it meant more to her than her life.
Three years later, I’m still in school and she’s really dying this time. All she wants is to know I’m going to finish—like the piece of paper will all make it worth it, or something.
“What time’s Maggie coming home?” A subject change is definitely in order. Maggie’s an ex-nurse mom became friends with. They’re roommates and she’s mom’s caregiver now. Hospice comes in to check on her, but it helps knowing Maggie’s here all the time. We struggled for insurance all our lives, but once you’re dying, things are different. Sucks that it has to come to that.
“About an hour. I’m really tired though.” She yawns. It happens like that a lot. She’ll seem okay, but then her body can hardly stay awake any longer.
“I’ll put you to bed.”
“I’m okay. I want to visit with you.”
“It’s okay. I need to go to work anyway. I just wanted to stop in and see how you’re doing.” At my fake job. Fast food won’t bring in the kind of money and flexibility I need to be here for her. Hospice might take care of the fact that she’s dying, but that’s not all there is to worry about.
“If you’re sure.” She yawns again. I stand, about to push her into the other room, but she stops me. “I feel like walking. Can you help me walk?”
I squeeze my eyes shut, pain lancing through me. How fucked up his this? She’s thirty-eight years-old. She shouldn’t need my help walking to her bedroom. “Absolutely.”
She leans on me as I help lift her from the chair. Her arm wraps around me loosely, so I hold her tight to make sure she doesn’t fall. It takes four minutes to make a thirty second walk, but soon we make it to her bedroom. To the hospital bed in her room. I help her sit down, but when I try to take the robe off, she stops me. “I like to wear it. It makes me feel close to you.”
I bite my tongue. Shit, this is hard. “That’s what all the ladies say.” I wink at her before making sure she can lay down okay. Pulling the covers up, I give her another kiss on the head. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
She doesn’t answer and I know it’s because she’s worn out. My hands are begging to hit something. To do something, anything to try and make the pain inside go away.
When I get to her bedroom door, I hear a creaked, “Colton?”
Turing back, I look at her. “You can do anything in the world. I’ve always known that. Don’t forget it.”
My insides shatter. I’m definitely not who she thinks I am and I’m not even sure I want to be. Luckily, I don’t have to answer her, because that quickly, she’s out.
***
There’s a different smell permeating the next house I walk into: alcohol, weed, and who knows what else. Music thumps so loud the walls vibrate.
“’Sup, man?” Adrian nods his head at me. He’s leaning against the wall with a girl kissing his neck.
“Havin’ fun?” I smile at him, knowing he’s not going to be in the living room with this chick much longer. They’ll find a room, closet, car or something soon. Not that I blame him.
“You know it,” Adrian replies and I keep walking.
When I left home, all I wanted was to be alone, but stepping into our packed, shitty, little house I know this is exactly what I need. Distraction. Probably the same kind Adrian’s getting.
I head straight for my secret stash, locked in my closet, grab the bottle of Tequila and take it with me. Space opens up on the couch as soon as I walk back into the room, so I take it, putting the bottle to my lips and gulping some down at the same time.
It isn’t two minutes later I feel someone sit beside me. “Hey, Colt.”
Still leaning against the back of the couch, I turn my head to look at Deena. I knew it would be her. Her black hair’s pulled back. She’s wearing all kinds of makeup, but I don’t care about any of that. She’s exactly what I want right now.
“Wha’cha doin’?” I ask.
“Looking for you.” She pulls her bottom lip into her mouth and I know it’s a game. I’m okay with it being one too. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Then what are you doing way over there?” I don’t move. Don’t have to.
Deena doesn’t have to be asked twice. She climbs onto my lap and her mouth comes down on mine. Screw the tequila. Screw everything else. I grab her, taking the kiss over and fighting to forget everything else.
It doesn’t work, but I find a way to pretend.
~CHAPTER THREE~
Cheyenne
I can’t believe how much it sucks to walk across campus alone. I feel like a loser, like everyone knows, even though they probably don’t. Yet. The school’s not that huge, so it’s bound to get around soon.
My phone buzzes. Seeing its Gregory for the ten millionth time, I hit ignore. Does he really think I’m going to talk to him? That after one day I’m ready to hear more of his excuses? Obviously he doesn’t know me at all. Did I ever give him a chance to really know me?
I have a sudden huge craving for caffeine. Nothing makes things better like an iced, skinny caramel macchiato. I pick up my phone to call someone and realize I have no one to go get coffee with me. No one. I haven’t really had the chance to get to know many of the girls here. The ones I do know are the people Gregory introduced me to—girls in his sister sorority and girlfriends of his frat brothers. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to let this happen to me.
My heart starts to beat faster. I breathe deep to try and calm it.
It doesn’t take long to get to the coffee house and order. I sit in the corner, trying to work through my mess of a life. Gregory’s words bounce around in my brain. No one’s going to go after you. They know you’re mine.
I hate that he’s right. Need him to be wrong.
How the hell do I do that alone though? Ugh. I don’t want to date. Just the thought of the smiley, get-to-know-you phase makes me want to puke. And dating here at school isn’t going to be easy, considering everyone seems to be friends with Gregory, or at least know who he is.
Gregory.
A moment of hurt sneaks its way into my heart. I don’t want to miss the idea of him. The idea wasn’t real. I don’t even know if I loved Gregory. Yeah, we said it, but did I really love him? Love, on principle, scares the hell out of me. I haven’t let myself love someone in…
“You can’t go where Mommy’s going.”
I squeeze my eyes shut as though that will quiet Mom’s voice in my brain.
I might not have loved Gregory, but I thought we would be together forever. I thought we’d be happy together. Now, I know I wasn’t the only one with secrets. At least mine didn’t consist of being with someone else.
And why does every thought in my brain have to go back to Gregory? I’m a nineteen-year-old college girl. I should be living it up. Enjoying my independence and...singleness.
I sit up straighter. I might feel like crap inside, but I’m not about to show it.
I look around. None of the guys who walk in the coffee shop are Cheyenne material. And why am I looking at guys anyway? Because I made it look like someone’s been hitting on me. Or maybe I just want to show him, people will look at me.
The door opens. Oh my God. I duck down in my seat. What are you doing, Cheyenne. Sit tall, be proud. You’re better than this.
Only I can’t make myself do it.
I gave him two years and he doesn’t care?
He called me half an hour ago yet here he is with Red on his arm.
Two years.
Oh God. My chest hurts. My breaths come out faster and my vision becomes blurry.
This can’t be happening to me.
I fight to slow my breathing—find something to concentrate on, keeping my eyes anywhere except on Gregory. There’s a little menu with their specials and I read it—the same thing over and over just to give myself something to focus on. The coffee shop gets kind of quiet. An eerie feeling settles over me, and I swear I hear whispers.
I look up, hating myself for not having more self-control. I immediately wish I hadn’t peeked.
I glance over again, see Gregory say something to Red, kiss her and then run outside. I’m pretty sure Gregory didn’t see me, but the fact that Red is walking over tells me she did. It’s strange, the conflicting emotions warring inside me. There’s the tough Chey. The one I’ve worked to become who wants to get up and give her hell, but the weak girl—the one who hid in rooms at the parties and cried when Mom was gone who wants to freak out.
“He feels sorry for you, you know?” Red crosses her arms.
“And I feel sorry for you, if you believe that.” I roll my eyes at her.
“We’ve been together since last year. I knew about you. I also know your families are friends. That Gregory took you under his wing, and now he feels some stupid sense of obligation to you. That’s all it is. I know it. He knows it and now you know it too.”
Her words hit all of my buttons. I feel used. I was an obligation to Mom, then to Lily and Mark, and now Gregory too? And with him, he doesn’t even know everything about me. No! “Did you ever think he said that to get in your pants? I mean, not that it was obviously very hard for him to get there.”
Her face turns as red as her hair. “Screw you. I feel sorry for you, thinking all this time he really still wanted to be with you. I know what it really is. He wants me. Now you can live with that. If you’ll excuse me, my boyfriend should be back any second. He just went to get something out of the car.”
She turns and walks away. I push to get up and find a way to defend myself, but Gregory’s voice breaks through. He’s standing by the door, obviously having walked back in.
“Watch where you’re going!” Gregory says.
Gregory’s standing straight, trying to make himself look tall and Red steps up to his side. Another guy stands in front of him. He has dark blond, clouds-over-sunset colored hair. It’s messy, like he hasn’t combed it all day and he’s a good four inches taller than Gregory. His pants are wrinkled and there’s a hole in the knee. I can tell it’s from wear and not jeans that you buy to look like that.
A black t-shirt stretches across his chest and all the way down his right arm are tattoos. Like, so many of them I can’t even see his skin.
Tattoo Guy laughs. I see the tightness in Gregory’s face. I wonder if Red knows it. If she knows him well enough to read what his look is saying. He’s pissed that this guy would laugh at him, and embarrassed, too.
