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we got mugged at the airport in the parking garage . |
i didnt want to spend all evening talking to him about what happened . |
i wanted more details about what was going on here . |
however , id let him talk since , if itd been the other way around , i would have been concerned to see nolan hurt . |
nolan winced . |
seriously ? |
i thought airports were supposed to be safe , with plenty of tsa around . |
did you call the cops ? |
he tossed a can of beer to me and i caught it . |
you kicked their ass , right ? |
man , why wouldnt mia tell me something like that ? |
he crushed the empty can in his fist . |
damn , no wonder she didnt answer her phone earlier . |
i raised an eyebrow . |
this guy was the buddy i remembered . |
thank goodness . |
seemed like you were pretty quick to get off the phone with her when you saw me . |
nolans face fell and he grabbed his phone again . |
shit , youre right . |
im a horrible brother . |
maybe i should go see if shes okay . |
shit . |
shes fine . |
more or less . |
a few bumps and bruises , but i protected her . |
speaking of which , what about that prick of a boyfriend she has ? |
i waved a hand at his protests . |
dont . |
what happened to the best friend i knew who gave a shit ? |
he looked hurt , but i didnt care . |
i crossed my arms over my chest , not backing down . |
she only told us about the relationship with him recently . |
i dont think theyve been together very long . |
shes ... i dont know ... more quiet recently . |
he shrugged . |
maybe shes just lonely . |
it is the holiday season . |
people tend to be pretty lonely during the holidays . |
thats when most people dont even start talking about those kinds of statistics . |
i dont want to hear them . |
i sat in my dads armchair and popped the top on my beer . |
but still ... thats pretty different from the girl i used to know . |
shes changed , man . |
after you went away to the military , she became more withdrawn . |
i think she likes you . |
shrugging , he started flipping channels again . |
i couldnt believe it . |
how could i react to that ? |
inside , turmoil and need was running rampant through me , but i couldnt reveal my feelings . |
that wasnt me . |
besides , she was in a relationship . |
there was nothing i could do about that . |
i wouldnt try to sweep her off her feet when shed already chosen someone else . |
my vacation was crazy enough already . |
i couldnt even tell my best friend why i was bloody . |
yet the idea of becoming involved with his sister wouldnt leave my thoughts . |
we sat in silence watching college football . |
it was crazy how good even the little things like watching television felt . |
the simple comforts of being in my living room without worries of people shooting at me . |
id learned to get used to it . |
somewhat . |
but id known enough people who died overseas and in a combat zone , and it was still nerve wracking , even on the bests of days . |
so , hows things with sandra ? |
i didnt need to talk , but i wanted to catch up . |
know what the people i cared about were doing these days . |
sandra ? |
nolan scratched his head . |
who ? |
oh , her . |
we broke up a few months ago . |
im with a new girl now . |
jennifer . |
the doorbell rang , and nolan jumped up from the couch . |
seemed like his sister wasnt the only one on the dating scene . |
nolan had never been the type to settle down and commit , but i couldnt help my surprise . |
didnt he want something solid ? |
to have a family , now that he was out of college , instead of playing the bachelor . |
maybe he displayed his need for freedom in a different way than i did . |
fair enough . |
after you went away to the military , she became more withdrawn . |
those words buzzed around my head . |
guess i hadnt thought about others feelings when id made my choice . |
the idea of doing something for my fathers honor and getting an education had seemed the best way for me to go after my folks died . |
having the army distract me , so i wouldnt have to face the hurt . |
maybe id been selfish , but at least id had a good reason . |
i set aside the empty beer can aside , then popped open a new one . |
ever since the incident in the bathroom with mia , i couldnt control my feelings . |
they kept spinning through my head like a carousel . |
the scent of spicy pepperonis broke me from my thoughts . |
nolan set the pizza on the coffee table , and i grinned . |
at least one thing hadnt changed while i was gone : our shared tastes in pizza . |
i remembered again why we were best friends . |
chapter eight mia loud knocking sounded at my door . |
i leapt from the couch , nearly knocking over a lamp on the side table . |
sunlight filtered in through the blinds . |
had i fallen asleep ? |
chanting under my breath , i stared at the front door . |
fear pumped adrenaline through my veins . |
who could it be ? |
ethan never dropped by my place , but maybe ... maybe hed decided to visit ? |