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I hissed. “Growing up? We have to do that?”
He let out a slow chuckle. “Most of us do. I’d say you’re a record deal away from getting to live out your rock star fantasy.”
Narrowing my eyes, I gave him a long look. “Used to be you supported me getting to live out that fantasy. You’re sounding a little bitter about it now.”
“Nah, not bitter. Life changes. I can’t be the head of your groupies anymore. Doesn’t mean I’m bitter.”
“You were never a groupie, Benny. You’re my friend. The plan has always been that I’d get a record deal and you’d be a teacher. Then, in twenty years, when I had kids, you’d go on the road with us and betheirteacher.”
It sounded ridiculous now, but we’d held onto that idea for a long time. The only thing that had changed was us.
“Well,” he tapped the counter with his long fingers, “the fantasy isn’t really the same as the reality. Back then, it was us sitting in my room, listening to the Pumpkins, talking about shit we never thought would really happen.”
I scoffed. “You’re talking like a record deal is a foregone conclusion. I’m still working security and playing bar gigs. I’m still in this shitty town, waiting for life to begin.”
He reared back, a mask of disgust covering his usual playful expression. “You’rewaiting for life to begin? Man, fuck you. Tell that to the girl you got sleeping upstairs, see how that makes her feel. If she was mine, she’d be my life.” He got up fast, the stool he’d been sitting on screeching across the tile floor.
“Jesus, I didn’t mean it like that,” I said quickly. “I’d be nothing without Tali.”
He huffed a humorless laugh. “No kidding.”
I crossed the room to stand in front of my oldest friend. “You going to bed?”
His eyes fell to the floor as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Eventually.”
“Want to play some ball?”
His gaze lifted, holding a wary expression. “Right now?”
“Yeah, I’m not sleeping anytime soon. Tino’s got the hoop just standing out there. Why not?”
He paused for so long, I was certain he’d turn me down. But to my surprise, he agreed. We grabbed a basketball from Tino’s garage, threw on our shoes, and went outside. The basketball hoop must’ve been installed by the previous owner; Tino wasn’t really into sports. It was a little rusty, and the net was long gone, but it would do.
I tossed Ben the ball, and he dribbled it back and forth between his two hands. We’d played on teams together up until our junior year of high school when I quit to focus on music. Ben kept playing until we graduated. I’d never tell him, but he was the superior player.
We didn’t talk much. We didn’t need to. Some of the distance that had been forming between us closed as we played. He pushed, I pushed back. He threw more elbows than necessary, but I didn’t call him out on it. We had sweat pouring out of us, and we played like we were trying out for the NBA.
In the end, Benny beat my ass by a landslide. My pride was wounded, but it was worth it. I’d been so focused on my music and my girl, I’d forgotten how good it could be to do this. To hang out with my boy, doing nothing but playing the game we both loved.
As we walked back inside, I gripped his shoulder. “Are we good?”
His eyes met mine. “We never weren’t good, Jude. Like I said, we grow up, things change. But we’re as good as always.”
The words were what I wanted to hear, but there was nothing behind them. I started to question what the hell was going on when my eye caught on Tali coming down the stairs, all sleepy-eyed and messy-haired. Ben turned to see what I saw looking at, and his shoulders stiffened.
He mumbled good night before brushing by her and disappearing up the stairs.
She came to me with a sleepy smile, grabbing the front of my T-shirt. “I came to claim my boyfriend. I need you in my bed.”
My arms wrapped around her, pulling her warm, soft body against mine. “Funny, because I need to be in your bed.”
I carried her to her room, holding her to my chest. She settled quickly, laying half her body across mine. The beer, the talking, the basketball, and the pretty girl in my arms all caught up with me, making my eyes droop and brain slow down. I had a lot of questions, things I wanted to mull over and figure out, but the pull of falling asleep with Tali was too great. Relaxing into the mattress and my girl, I let sleep take me over.
