Page 32 of All Your Tomorrows

I laughed as I pulled into the parking lot of The Taco Shop, parking by the pole that held the huge taco-shaped sign. I cut the engine and looked to Kyler who stared out the window at the run-down building.

“That’s his car over there,” he said.

“Great. You ready?”

He looked back at me. “Are you?”

“I’m a medium. I’m ready for anything.”

He laughed as I opened my car door and stepped out. He met me in the front of the car and we walked toward the restaurant. A girl walked out and held the door for me as we stepped inside. There were no booths, just a counter with a big menu filling the length of the wall.

“That’s him,” Kyler said, pointing to a guy grilling up some meat on the large grill behind the counter.

“Can I help you?” another guy asked.

I looked around realizing I was the only one in line. “Oh, I was hoping to speak to Bono for a second.”

Bono looked over his shoulder causing his shaggy blonde hair to fall in his eyes. Unfamiliarity flashed across his face, but then he smiled. “Hey, little lady? Have we met before?”

“No, I’m a friend of Kyler’s.”

The mention of Kyler’s name caused Bono’s slender face to fall. He dropped his spatula to the side of the grill and said something to the other guy, before removing his apron and walking around the counter to meet me. “What’d you say your name was?”

“Nora. I went to school with Kyler in Florida.”

He nodded, his face still filled with sadness. “He was my bro.”

“Still am, man,” Kyler said, trying to comfort his friend.

Bono led me outside to a picnic table on the side of the building.

“He’s still alive,” I said as Bono sat down on top of the table.

“Have you seen him?” he asked.

I nodded as I sat in one of the only spots that didn’t seem to have salsa dripped on it.

“Then you know it’s fucking terrible seeing him like that.”

I thought back to the sight of him in that bed with the tubes and machines. “Do you still visit him?”

“I can’t anymore. He wasn’t waking up and every time I went, I just left feeling guilty.”

“Why does he feel guilty?” Kyler asked.

“Guilty?” I asked.

“I shouldn’t have let him leave the party.”

“Was he drunk?”

“Nah. But that bitch Melanie was ragging on him and he’d had enough.”

“What?” Kyler asked.

“Enough of what?” I asked.

“He was gonna dump her ass. I told him to just do it at the party, but he wanted to sit her down where it was quiet and not at a wild party. He said he owed her that.”

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