Page 63 of Dash

“Nonsense,” Jake says as he throws an arm over my shoulder. “What’s a party if you don’t drink?” He chuckles to himself.

***

I sit on Jackie’s bed fully dressed and ready to go. I decided on a pair of jeans tonight. After what happened last time I wore a dress, I think I’ll avoid them for a while. I chose a pair of white jeans that have extra flare. You know the kind that are from back in the sixties. They’re so long that they cover my entire heels. I chose a light blue razorback tank top. I did my makeup light and left my hair down to cover the part of my face that still has bruises.

I open my purse and pull out my little mirror to redo my lip-gloss while I wait for Jackie to finish. The more time that passes, the more nervous I become. She hasn’t mentioned Dash at all, which I find odd. I mean, that’s what girls do; they talk shit about your ex to make you feel better. She hasn’t even asked me if I’ve spoken to him.

“Why are you acting so weird?”

I jump when she speaks as she exits her bathroom.

I sigh. “Why haven’t you asked me about Dash?” I just come out with it. What are friends for if not to help you?

She frowns. “What do you want me to ask you?”

I rub my sweaty hands on my jeans. “Is he gonna be at the party?”

“No,” she says without hesitation.

I release a long breath. “Why didn’t you tell me that? I’ve been a nervous wreck thinking that I’m gonna see him.” I can’t see him. I can’t allow him to corner me and tell me that he’s sorry. Sorry will just suck me back in. Or worse, but if he’s not sorry for the things he said? And if I see him, I may fall to my knees and tell him I’m sorry. Either way would not be good.

She sits down next to me and her soft blue eyes look at me nervously. “What is it?” I ask quickly. “Is something wrong with him?”

“I just didn’t think you wanted me to talk about him. I spoke to Blake earlier and he said that Dash had been invited to the party, but he said he wasn’t going. I guess he had gone out last night. So, he had plans to stay in tonight.”

I don’t know what hurts more. The fact that I thought I was gonna have to see him tonight or the fact that I won’t see him tonight. I have avoided all social media pages the last few days ever since I saw what the news was saying about Rodger and me. I don’t know how many times I’ve started to snoop on Dash’s pages but made myself put my phone down. It’s just not healthy. I’m going crazy!

“He and Blake went out last night?” She had called me at one point in time and said she was with Blake.

She shakes her head slowly. “Blake wasn’t out with him.” I hate the pain that I have in my chest. Sometimes, I think it would be better to be physically stabbed because that pain would eventually go away. But this pain I just can’t seem to shake. The kind that takes your breath away. “He was with her, wasn’t he?” He had to have been with Valerie. Why wouldn’t he? She practically throws herself at him. And he once loved her.

“He didn’t say,” she says softly as she reaches over and grabs my hand. “But let’s not worry about him. Okay?” she tries to give me a reassuring smile. “You’ve been through so much in the last few days. Let’s just go to this party and relax.”

“I’m not really in the mood to party,” I say truthfully.

“I spoke to Blake a while ago, He said it’s gonna be a small party, and it’s gonna be real relaxed. Nothing crazy or anything. And I promise I won’t let you get drunk and sleep with some random guy.” She laughs, but her words sting. Because that night Dash was just some random guy, but that morning after he became something more important. That seems like forever ago.

“Promise you won’t leave me?” I ask, laughing at myself. I sound like a child.

“Never again.” She reaches up and pulls me in for a hug. She holds on to me tightly as her hand runs up and down my back. “I love you, Tabatha. And I promise to help you get through this.” She pulls back and gives me a smile. The same smile that I see her give Blake all the time. It makes her eyes light up and her dimples show. It’s hard not to smile back at her.

I nod. “Let’s party.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

DASH

I told Blake I wasn’t gonna go to the party, but I changed my mind. I spent most of my afternoon at the track with Mr. Knight. If you ask me, things couldn’t have gone better. I’ve done nothing but ride nonstop for the last day. Mr. Knight said I had time to make up for, but I’m pretty sure he was just wanting to kick my ass for quitting on him days ago.

I went to my house and passed out. I woke when Blake called me informing about the party. I told him I was gonna skip this one, and I went back to sleep. Then I woke up wide-awake at a little past ten and decided what the hell? I got up, showered, threw some clean clothes on, and jumped in my car. I know the guy who is throwing the party. He was one of Jake’s best friends in high school. He was always cool with Blake and me tagging along. For some stupid reason, we looked up to them and wanted to be just like them. With their cigarettes and cheap-ass beer. Thankfully, we didn’t keep up with the smoking charade. Every time Blake and I would try one, we sounded like we were choking to death. Jake and Bobby made it look cool and easy.

I pull up to the million-dollar mansion and park my Bentley next to a Porsche. I guess you could say we were all spoiled little rich kids. Now we’re all adults and still rich idiots. We just spend our money on bigger and badder toys.

I walk up to the front door and the sound of the music carries through the walls to the outside night. It’s now almost midnight. I try the handle on the door, and it turns, allowing me to enter. I stand in the foyer as I look around at the house. The marble floor of the entryway shines ahead of me stands one large staircase that, once you get to the top, you can choose to go left or right. I start to move forward, and go around the staircase to find the kitchen.

“Dash!” a girl that we all went to school with hollers at me from behind the kitchen counter.

I nod my head and give her a smile. I fucked her once and you never wanna acknowledge that when you are at a party. Unless you wanna climb on top of it again. And last thing I had heard, she has four kids. Too fertile for me.

---