AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She absolutely fucking knew that I was lying.
“Then I guess I’ll see you tonight,” she said. She threw open the door and waved over her shoulder as she left.
I gave her about thirty Mississippis to get to her car. Then I said five more.
Then I let go of the sheet, fisted both hands in my hair, and yelled fuck at the ceiling until I ran out of breath.
Later that night, I was questioning every decision I’d ever made. After a few hours of people invading my house while my head felt like it was going to fall off my shoulders, I was ready to lose it. The house was loud, drinks were flowing, the entire living room had a hazy quality, and I felt like I was going to puke.
“Why are you starin’ at the door?” my brother Micky asked, setting a cold beer against the back of my neck like an asshole. “You waitin’ on someone?”
“You got a girlfriend we don’t know about?” my cousin Olive teased. “Who is it?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” I replied, jerking out of Micky’s reach. “Knock it off.”
“You’ve been starin’ at the door for the last hour,” Micky pointed out, dropping onto the couch.
“Nova was supposed to be here after work,” I muttered. “Just gettin’ a little worried.”
“She texted me earlier,” Olive said with a wave of her hand. “She took another shift.”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” I sat up straight and immediately regretted it when my stomach churned dangerously.
“’Cause I figured Nova already had,” she replied slowly like I was an idiot.
“She didn’t.” I looked around the room and had to hide my grimace. There were at least fifteen people hanging out, and I didn’t want any of them in my house. It hadn’t taken much for me to get a party going, most of the people we hung with were always down for a good time, but now I was seriously regretting it. The only reason I’d had people over was so I could play off the lie I’d told Nova that morning.
I was still nursing a hangover from the night before. If I hadn’t been such an idiot, I could’ve been watching TV in my underwear instead of listening to a guy I barely knew trying to convince the group around him to sing karaoke.
“You okay?” Mick asked, his voice low. “You seem off.”
“I’m not off.”
“Okay, you seem pissy.”
“I’m not fuckin’ pissy, alright?” I snapped. “I have a fuckin’ headache.”
I turned to the idiot in the kitchen. “Swear to God, if you start singin’, they’re gonna have to take you out of here on a fuckin’ stretcher.”
“And that, my friends,” Olive announced as she got to her feet. “Is the end of tonight’s festivities.”
“She’s right,” I said, waving my hand around above my head. “Get the fuck out.”
“Jesus, Rumi,” my cousin Brody muttered, chuckling. “You’re the one who invited them.”
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the couch, listening as Olive shooed people out of my house. Thankfully, my place was small, and it didn’t take long.
“You wanna tell us what’s up your ass?” Micky asked, kicking my shin.
“Nothin’.”
“You really must have a headache,” Olive joked as she came over to us. She rested her hand on my forehead. “You’re usually the life of the party.”
“Me and Nova got fuckin’ plastered last night at Charlie’s,” I groaned, reaching up to push on my eyes where the headache was concentrated. “I’ve felt like shit all day.”
“Then why the hell did you ask everyone to come over?” Olive asked.
“Damn, and then she went and worked a double?” Brody said in awe. “That woman’s my fuckin’ hero.”
