Page 249 of Bossy Hero

Three gunshots ring out.

Pop.

Pop.

Pop.

Chapter45

That tragic night

Alan

Age 21 - Clearwater

Here’s a fun fact about my friend Robbie. When he’s pissed, he’s a shitty fucking communicator.

As it turns out, when someone is too upset to speak clearly, I desperately want to punch them. Let’s consider that a fun fact about me.

Facing off in a convenience store parking lot with him wasn’t on my list of things to do tonight. I thought this double-date hook-up thing would be much more enjoyable than it’s been thus far.

He glares at me over the hood of my dad’s Jaguar, irate fumes virtually billowing around him. I’veneverseen my friend this livid. The worst part is that I have no clue why he’s so enraged. The few words he’s spoken made as much sense as tits on a bull.

To honor my promise to return to Daniel quickly, I devised a solid plan, and it was going well.

After we picked up Ashley and her incredibly bangable friend Melanie, I pitched my idea of pizza, movies, and swimming at my house. The girls were immediately game for it, which is typically the case when ladies learn I live in the ritzy part of Clearwater.

Off we went. Everything was fine.

Or so I thought.

A few minutes into the drive, Ashley asked me to make a stop at the Circle K store for whatever the fuck girls buy before a hookup. Probably condoms, although I have plenty.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Robbie jumped my ever-loving shit. I sat there dumbstruck while he bumbled for an explanation that never came.

When he bashed his fist against the dashboard, I told him to get the fuck out and calm down. I’ll be damned if I let him trash my dad’s prized possession with his temper tantrum.

Rather than punch him, I hold my palms face out and address him calmly. “What’s the problem with going to my place, man? Did you see how quickly they agreed to my suggestion? They’retotallyon board. This is a good thing.”

He aggressively licks his lips. “Why did—why did you...dammit.” After rolling out his shoulders, he finally spits out his question. “Why did you change the plan without asking me first?”

I shake my head, face crinkling on one side. My fist twitches to meet his nose. “What’s the big fucking deal? You wanted to hang out with them, and that’s what we’re doing. I don’t see the problem.”

His pacing speeds up, and he glances at his pager again. “Alan, I wanted to hit the club first.” A smile gradually slides into place, but it’s fake as hell. “Thought we’d dance, get the girls some drinks so they loosen up, andthenwe’d take them somewhere private. Let’s get them to go along with that idea when they come out here.”

My gut grows heavy, reigniting the dumb fucking ache that started when my brother was doing his scared-to-be-alone bullshit.

Again, Robbie checks his pager.

The cliché about drug dealers having beepers comes to mind, but I push the ridiculous thought away. Robbie isn’t a drug dealer. He uses a pager because he can’t afford a mobile phone like me. That shit with Dad thinking Robbie’s sketchy is just messing with me.

He looks up from his pager and jabs his fingers punishingly through his buzz-cut hair.

The heaviness in my gut intensifies, gradually seeping into my chest.

Shaking off my nervous system malfunction, I attempt to appeal to his pride. “You said you’d spent time with Ashley before. You already hooked up, right?”

He nods brusquely.

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