Page 19 of Shattered

“Three shots.” I signal to the bartender.

“Don’t serve those,” Kal’s joyless voice interrupts, receiving a curt nod from the bartender before attending to another customer.

“Kal, what the hell?” I say, frowning and tightening my fists. Why can’t my friends relax a little? Fuck!

Kal sets a beer bottle down in front of me.

“I’m not telling you to stop drinking, but ease up on the shots. Tray’s right. Tomorrow is Monday and we have practice. You’re skating on thin ice with Coach.”

“Sure thing, cap.” A sharp sting shoots through me as Kal slaps me on the back of my head. With a laugh, I grab my beer and join him at the table. I can’t stand how frequently my eyes dart toward the door. I want to text him, call him out, but what’s thepoint? The drugs will always come first. I pull my phone out and bring up a text thread.

“Who you texting?” Kal speaks from beside me, shifting himself so he can lean sideways to peer at my phone. “Who’s L?”

“Lanson.” I reply.

“Lance,” Kal and Tray say in unison.

“Bro, get off my back. Lanson, Landon, Lance. What does it matter?” I huff. “Do you both want to suck his dick or something?” I sarcastically respond before shifting my focus back to my phone.

“That guy won’t drop to his knees for anyone except you, even if I wished he would.” Trayton laughs.

“Because he knows he won’t get better elsewhere.” I glance at Trayton with a smirk before going back to my phone, ignoring his trash talk.

Me:

Where you?

L:

Hi, I’m in my dorm. What are you up to?

Me:

Come out for a drink. Meet me at Pythons

L:

You know I can’t. I’m not old enough.

I roll my eyes, laughing. He’s too innocent for me. Why he keeps coming back, I’ll never know.

“Tray, you can getLancein the Pythons, yeah?” I raise an eyebrow in question. He nods.

“Yeah, are we going there?”

“We are now. I want a few more drinks, and I need Lance awake and ready for me when I’m finished.” With a smirk, I turn my attention back to our messages.

Me:

Don’t worry about that. Tray will get you in. Meet me there in 20.

As I’m about to put my phone away, it pings, and it’s L again.

L:

I can’t do that. We have class tomorrow.

Me:

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