Page 3 of Heal Me

“Fair enough. Have fun,” I say, walking back to Jen’s table. And things are exactly as I left them, with the two of them fused together. Scanning the bar, I recognize no one else, and that leaves me with nothing to do except play on my phone until Jen’s ready to leave. They’ll have to come up for air eventually, I tell myself.

Collins and his new girl head to the bar, and Elliot announces he has to “go to the pisser.”

“You waited too long to make a move on Collins,” Jen says as she moves over to the seat next to me.

“Darn,” I say, snapping my fingers.

“Oh well. Let that be a lesson to you. Hey, I’m going home with Elliot,” she says, grabbing her purse and standing.

Yes, this evening is coming to an end! “Sure. Just drop me off at the apartment,” I tell her as we bob and weave through a sea of inebriated people.

“That won’t work. Elliot lives just a few minutes from here. We’d have to go all the way to Midtown just to turn around and come back downtown.”

“Then let me drive your car home and you ride with him.”

We step inside the bar and I’m hit with that same noxious combo of noise and smell. “He didn’t drive, and it looks like Collins is taking Nichole back to her place,” Jen yells. “Just go grab a cab. I saw one out front when we came in. Byyye.” With that, she sashays across the bar and starts grinding against Elliot.

I cannot believe she talked me into coming out, only to bail on me! Feeling my teeth grinding, I will my jaw to relax. The future dentist Stephanie would chastise me for it.

I heave the door open and step outside, but there’s not a cab in sight. Grabbing my phone out of my purse, I search for a rideshare. Everyone must have had the same idea, as there’s no driver available for at least another hour. I could go back inside and beg William for a ride, but I doubt his new girlfriend would be into that idea. Besides, William will likely be shutting down the bar, and I’m not up for an all-nighter.

“You alright?” a friendly, good-looking guy dressed in a collared button-down shirt and khaki pants asks me. He’s around six feet tall, with short brown hair styled to the side, and brown eyes. His face has a cute, babyish quality to it.

“I’m fine, thank you. I’m just trying to find a rideshare to come pick me up.”

“My Uber is two blocks over. I told the driver just to wait there and I’d walk to meet him. I guess it’s too complicated with these one-way streets. Wanna walk over and share a ride with me?”

“Um,” I pause.

“How about you drop me off first, that way I won’t know where you live? In case you’re worried about that,” he amends.

“Thank you.” I let out a sigh of relief. “That’d be great. What’s your name?”

“I’m sorry. You must think I have terrible manners. I’m Brad Cunningham.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say. “I’m Charlotte Patel.”

“The pleasure’s all mine. Did you have a nice evening?” Brad asks me as we make our way down the deserted street.

“It was fine, until my roommate ditched me without a car.”

“I’m sorry. How very inconsiderate.”

“Thank you,” I say, still seething at Jen. “How about you?”

“It was good, but things just got a whole lot better now that I ran into you.”

He smiles at me, and I get a really uncomfortable feeling. Chastising myself, as this guy is only being nice, we keep walking until we reach the next street over. It’s empty. Eerily empty. Looking both ways, I don’t see the headlights of a single vehicle. “You sure your Uber is here?”

“One more street over,” he says, glancing at his phone and placing it in his pocket. Telling myself to relax, I keep stride with him. “You mentioned a roommate. So you’re a student?” he asks.

“Yes. I graduate from the University of Memphis this semester.”

“Congratulations. What major?”

“Thanks. Biology. How about you?” From Brad’s preppy look, I’d guess him a fraternity guy.

“No, I already graduated. Living the dream.”

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