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“I’ll show you bodily harm.” But they keep gabbing like the Brady Bunch, over here. “Cool, well, we are late.”
“For what?” Lad searches my face for the truth.
“For dinner, with Bambi’s soon-to-be in-laws. So, you know the prep work we have to do beforehand. We have to put on our faces, and clothes, always a good option; we also need to find the right attitude, since many refer to mine as having a stick up my ass.” I am trying to push Bambi and the cart toward the check out, but she is not having it.
“The dinner isn’t until Sunday, but speaking of dinner, you should totally come! It’s at the governor’s house.” Bambi is no longer my best friend.
“Oh cool, dude, though his wife is a little strung out. I’ve met him a few times at charity events and shit.” Lad, of course has his connections.
“Heavy on the shit portion of your admission, I am sure.” This is ridiculous.
“Thanks for the invitation, Bambi, but maybe a raincheck. Hopefully, next time, Aly will be more comfortable with me being around the people she cares about.” Lad is so easy going it pisses me off.
“Yeah, bye, boy!” This time, I am leaving with or without Bambi. “Thanks for bringing me my phone.”
“I put my phone number in your phone, so you can text me,” Lad shouts behind us.
“Perfect, I will know what number to block,” I yell back, because why does he have to be who he is and why do I have to be me?
Chapter 8
Aladden
Alyeskaisstartingtowarm up to me, I know she is. When I sent her a heart emoji, she texted back only four knives with drops of blood. Yesterday, she sent thirty; it’s progress.
“Stop checking your goddamn phone, man. Her pussy couldn’t have been that good.” Rush takes his towel and whips it against my bare leg.
“Asshole, mind your own business.” Shoving my phone back in my bag. Practice is about to start, and all twenty-eight of us are geared up and ready to go. The others head toward the bleachers for coach’s speech this morning. Before I follow, I grab a few pills and knock them back when no one is looking.
I know it isn’t a good start to my promise to quit. But I am doing the best I can right now, because someone dropped out for a competition, and they asked me to join, and I want the extra practice.
There are only a handful left and the prescription runs out; unless I go see the doctor again. I don’t want to do that, I don’t need them, my body isn’t in pain, it is in the best shape it has been.
Honestly, should have chucked it a few months after the accident, but I used it as a crutch, and I’ve been handling it fine. I can stop whenever; some days are unbearable though.
“Lorenzo!” Coach’s voice booms, and I swallow fast and jog over to everybody else. “Thanks for joining us.”
“You’re welcome.” Coach goes off on times and sets, but I focus on the water and somehow, I get distracted, because then Coach is tapping me on the head.
“What is your problem, son?” Coach’s voice isn’t challenging, but his question is.
“Nothing, lost my train of thought.” I get up and head to the diving block.
“Maybe you want to stick around and find your train of thought while everyone else who came to work won’t be distracted.” Coach offers me more work and I accept the punishment.
“No problem.” I assure him, finding myself doing laps after laps until my arms feel numb.
Class is already started by the time I make it to my seat. Alyeska doesn’t give me the time of day as I pass her seat. The professor hands out our graded tests and I look down at the passing grade.
“Nailed another test. Ninety-three, man, I just keep winning.” I slap the paper; at least something this morning is going good.
“Oh no, how did this happen?” Aly covers her mouth and I think she failed.
“Don’t feel too bad, we all have off days.” I kick her chair and she spins around, showing me the red marker on the front of her test.
“Looks like I beat you again, ninety-seven, don’t feel too bad, champ. We can’t all be winners.” Her wink is a sinister tactic. “Oh, by the way, I got you something.” Opening her backpack, she takes the framed frog man in a suit out and gives it to me.
“What the hell is this?”
