It’s nice and safe. Middle-class, maybe. A little bit on the new side, I can’t really tell. It’s certainly nothing like the area we grew up. “Do you live around here?”
He nods to a building that sits on top of a dry cleaner business. “Yeah, I live right there. I moved in right after graduation.”
I look at the guy I dated for a year, the last guy I remember dating, and shake my head. Why does being with him feel okay, like nothing’s changed, but every time I’m around Kelsey and Adam and my parents I feel like I’m one more strange comment away from snapping and going insane?
I take a seat in a leather chair in front of the fireplace while Tyler gets our coffees. I’m still rubbing my shoulders and my arms when he comes back. I give him an uncomfortable glance and watch him resting in the chair.
“So how’d you get lost tonight?” He peers at me over the edge of his paper cup, his lips puckered as he lightly blows to cool down his drink.
I do the same and then exhale. “I don’t remember anything.”
His eyebrows pull together. “You mean from tonight?”
“No. Since … well, you. I guess.” I shrug like it’s no big deal that I’ve lost two years of my life.
“Yeah, I heard about your accident. I’m glad you’re okay, considering.”
Yeah, I’m okay. I’m a bundled wreck that could snap at any second. I have dreams that terrify me, and I get lost taking a walk to cool down.
I stare off into the fire watching the yellow and red flames dancing in their cage. I can relate to the enclosed madness.
“So what happened to make you lost?”
I sigh and look at Tyler. I really take a good look at him. He’s so handsome. I understand why my parents thought he was the perfect mate for me. Yes, my mother used that word. I swear she wanted a Labrador instead of a daughter. Lucky for her she got a nutcase.
“My boyfriend, Adam, and I got into a fight and I couldn’t stay.”
“Did he hurt you?” He leans forward and looks at me seriously. It almost makes me want to laugh. Oh, the irony.
“No, he didn’t hurt me.” I flash him an innocent smile. “You don’t like him?”
With what I guess is a subconscious gesture, Tyler rubs the bridge of his now slightly crooked nose. “He broke my nose.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You cheated on me.”
“God, I was hoping you forgot that,” he mutters, shaking his head and looking at the floor.
I gasp, mostly from shock, but then I see his horrified expression and I laugh. Loudly. If there were other customers in here right now, I’m sure we’d have the attention of everyone in the bar.
“I’m so sorry,” he starts to stutter out, his cheeks bright pink from embarrassment.
“Don’t worry about it. I mean, other than being horribly inappropriate considering, it was the funniest and most honest thing I’ve heard.”
I’m laughing so hard I have tears running down my cheeks, but I don’t care. Tyler looks like he doesn’t know what to do with me. Mental breakdown? Possibly. I have no idea either.
I’m trying to take a deep breath and regain some sense of control when I see a flash of purple and then I’m wrapped in someone’s arm, or a chokehold, before I can blink.
My body freezes and I gasp, staring at Tyler over a mess of purple and hot pink with wide eyes. He shrugs, but his eyes are just as big as mine.
“Uh.”
“Oh my gosh! Amy! You’re back! I’m so excited to see you, but yeah … your accident. So I take it you’re okay? Ready to come back? We’ve missed the ever lovin’ shit out of you.”
I recognize someone talking to me … quickly. So quickly I’m not sure she’s stopping to breathe, but I can’t say anything.
“Uh …” I try again, but the crook of her elbow is pressed against my throat, making speaking difficult.
She pulls back and I want to laugh. This – person – is pierced. Like everywhere. I count at least four on her face and all I can see on her ears are flashes of silver and purple
He nods to a building that sits on top of a dry cleaner business. “Yeah, I live right there. I moved in right after graduation.”
I look at the guy I dated for a year, the last guy I remember dating, and shake my head. Why does being with him feel okay, like nothing’s changed, but every time I’m around Kelsey and Adam and my parents I feel like I’m one more strange comment away from snapping and going insane?
I take a seat in a leather chair in front of the fireplace while Tyler gets our coffees. I’m still rubbing my shoulders and my arms when he comes back. I give him an uncomfortable glance and watch him resting in the chair.
“So how’d you get lost tonight?” He peers at me over the edge of his paper cup, his lips puckered as he lightly blows to cool down his drink.
I do the same and then exhale. “I don’t remember anything.”
His eyebrows pull together. “You mean from tonight?”
“No. Since … well, you. I guess.” I shrug like it’s no big deal that I’ve lost two years of my life.
“Yeah, I heard about your accident. I’m glad you’re okay, considering.”
Yeah, I’m okay. I’m a bundled wreck that could snap at any second. I have dreams that terrify me, and I get lost taking a walk to cool down.
I stare off into the fire watching the yellow and red flames dancing in their cage. I can relate to the enclosed madness.
“So what happened to make you lost?”
I sigh and look at Tyler. I really take a good look at him. He’s so handsome. I understand why my parents thought he was the perfect mate for me. Yes, my mother used that word. I swear she wanted a Labrador instead of a daughter. Lucky for her she got a nutcase.
“My boyfriend, Adam, and I got into a fight and I couldn’t stay.”
“Did he hurt you?” He leans forward and looks at me seriously. It almost makes me want to laugh. Oh, the irony.
“No, he didn’t hurt me.” I flash him an innocent smile. “You don’t like him?”
With what I guess is a subconscious gesture, Tyler rubs the bridge of his now slightly crooked nose. “He broke my nose.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You cheated on me.”
“God, I was hoping you forgot that,” he mutters, shaking his head and looking at the floor.
I gasp, mostly from shock, but then I see his horrified expression and I laugh. Loudly. If there were other customers in here right now, I’m sure we’d have the attention of everyone in the bar.
“I’m so sorry,” he starts to stutter out, his cheeks bright pink from embarrassment.
“Don’t worry about it. I mean, other than being horribly inappropriate considering, it was the funniest and most honest thing I’ve heard.”
I’m laughing so hard I have tears running down my cheeks, but I don’t care. Tyler looks like he doesn’t know what to do with me. Mental breakdown? Possibly. I have no idea either.
I’m trying to take a deep breath and regain some sense of control when I see a flash of purple and then I’m wrapped in someone’s arm, or a chokehold, before I can blink.
My body freezes and I gasp, staring at Tyler over a mess of purple and hot pink with wide eyes. He shrugs, but his eyes are just as big as mine.
“Uh.”
“Oh my gosh! Amy! You’re back! I’m so excited to see you, but yeah … your accident. So I take it you’re okay? Ready to come back? We’ve missed the ever lovin’ shit out of you.”
I recognize someone talking to me … quickly. So quickly I’m not sure she’s stopping to breathe, but I can’t say anything.
“Uh …” I try again, but the crook of her elbow is pressed against my throat, making speaking difficult.
She pulls back and I want to laugh. This – person – is pierced. Like everywhere. I count at least four on her face and all I can see on her ears are flashes of silver and purple
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