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"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." He sniffles and lifts his thumb to wipe an imaginary tear from his cheek. He turns to look at me with a dramatic pout.
"Fuck off." I shake my head and let the quiet music from the radio wash over us as we sit in silence for the rest of the drive.
The effects of the whiskey Braden made me gulp down before we left hit me as we pull up outside the small bar. This bar used to be the place to be during hockey season in college—back when the team was at the top of the social circle, I guess.
"Everyone else is inside already." Braden opens his door and rolls up the sleeves of his plain black shirt to show off the detailed sleeves of black tattoos on his forearms as usual. We step out into the warm rain. Thankfully my nerves have been calmed by the excessive booze my liver is trying to filter through, and I follow after him.
"Always gotta be fashionably late eh, buddy?" I tease as we walk up to the entrance. I pull open the door and walk inside. It's nearly empty here. The only people present are the bartender and the massive huddle of hockey players with their plus ones. They take up the back of the restaurant, taking up all of the brown booths.
"About time!" Matt slurs as he stumbles in our direction, skimming the bartender's shoulder as he does so.
"Careful," Braden laughs and places a hand on his shoulder to steady him as we make our way over to the group. My eyes land on Oakley. He stands with his back to us, a full drink in his hand and the typical Seattle cap resting backward on his shaggy hair, his back straight. His shoulders are squared as he nods his head to whatever Adam is spewing in his ear. It isn't until Braden shouts some inaudible greeting at the group that he turns around and sees me for the first time since throwing a fist into my face.
We both freeze, our feet glued to the floor as we glower at each other. The air grows thick with tension as the rest of the group catches sight of our stare-off. Adam is the first one to speak up with an over-exaggerated shout.
"It's about to be one hell of a night, boys!"
