“I have to get better because of my twin, Mena. She can’t live without me. At least that’s what she says.”
I chuckle. “At least your sister needs you. I think mine probably already packed my things up and moved me into the attic.”
“Your sister’s a bitch?” He laughs. “Spoiler alert. Mine is too. She just hides it from the media.”
“My sister owns it. Wears it like a shiny piece of jewelry she wants everyone to see.”
“Do you two get along?”
“Yeah, Penny’s all right.” I force a fake smile and add pep in my voice that sounds sarcastic as hell. “It’s going to be super great redoing my senior year along with my little sister.”
Loden laughs. “Oh man. You’re totally a fuckin’ cheerleader, aren’t you?”
“Was. I gave that up when I lost my mind.”
Loden smacks my ass. “I always wanted to fuck a cheerleader.”
“Asshole,” I say, shoving him away, but giggling. “I clearly remember a rule about no fucking. I’m pretty sure you signed the same papers I did.”
“Well, birthday girl, lucky for you, I don’t stick my dick in sweaty vaginas. I’m more of an ass man.” He waggles his brows. “Now him…”
We both glance over at the man delivering waters. He’s cute and his white slacks hug his ass.
“I don’t have a sweaty vagina,” I grumble.
“Sorry,” Loden mumbles. “I couldn’t hear you over the sound of all the blood rushing from my head to my dick. Excuse me. I need to go flirt with that fucker.”
“Don’t get kicked out, horndog,” I warn. “You’re my only friend here.”
“I’ll be a perfect angel,” he vows.
His wicked grin says otherwise.
Cal
Two and a half months later…
“You’re awfully broody,” Roan says, dropping onto the lawn chair beside me.
I shrug. “So?”
“Is everything okay?”
Clenching my teeth, I stare into the fire. Tonight is one of the last Campfire Chaos meetups we’ll have before the start of the school year. Kids will go back to high school or off to college. Always such a transitional night. It just doesn’t feel right without Terrence.
Just thinking about him makes me shrivel the fuck up inside.
“Peachy, man,” I finally grunt out, fixating on some chick way too young to be gyrating in a pair of cutoff shorts.
“Right. I believe that.”
We remain in amicable silence until Jordy returns from his walk along the river with Roux. It’s weird as hell seeing her with a baby bump. I still can’t believe Jordy knocked up Little Hoodlum. Come Christmas, we’ll have a mini Hoodlum join our ranks.
“Where’s the rat?” Jordy asks, taking the empty chair beside me and pulling Roux into his lap.
“Work.” A smile tugs at Roan’s lips.
I want to joke and give him shit like old times. Give him a hard time about thinking about dick, because that’s the same stupid smile he gets when Hollis is on his mind.
“Do I want to know?” Jordy rumbles, already coming to the same conclusion as me.
“I get it now. He always says the whole firefighter uniform thing is hot,” Roan says, making his sister pretend to gag. “His EMT uniform is so fucking sexy.”
I snort out a laugh, finally finding humor in the situation. “Good thing Hollis can’t get pregnant like fertile Myrtle over here,” I say, playfully poking Roux’s cute stomach. “You guys would be like the damn Brady Bunch with a million kids.”
“We want more,” Roan admits, his voice serious. “Not right now, but before Sebban gets too much older.”
“Speaking of that little terror. Where is he?”
“Karen and Kelsey wanted to take him see a new Disney movie. He’s spending the night. Hollis gets off early, so we’re making it a date night.”
I notice he’s not drinking and is dressed kind of nice.
“When did you get so old?” I tease.
Roan smirks. “It’s called being an adult. You should try it sometime.”
“Terrence and I,” I start, but my words die in my throat.
“Me and Roux went by and saw him today,” Jordy says. “Still looks good.”
As good as one can look, relying on machines to keep him alive. And it’s a lie. We all know it. I have been up there every single day since the accident. He doesn’t look good. Terrence looks like shit. I watched him deteriorate over the past couple of months. All of his muscle tone is just melting off him. His dark brown skin is ashy, making him seem lighter. Rhetta keeps his hair cut and attempts to keep his facial scruff trimmed, but there’s only so much she can do with him in his situation.
The situation that doesn’t get any better.
Rhetta’s been looking at coffins. She thinks he’ll die soon. I nearly lost it when she told me she was starting to get things in order for when he dies. If it weren’t for Tierra being there, I would’ve lost my shit on an old lady.
“How’s the new place?” Roan asks, changing the subject once he senses my dark mood.
“Better than an apartment,” I admit. “Dad was renting it out and the assholes bailed, leaving the cabin to shit. I’ve spent the last week ripping up carpet that smells like cat piss. I tried for this cabin, but he wouldn’t let this one go.”
“’Cause this is our cabin,” Roan teases. “You don’t want all these assholes showing up at your house. Trust me.”
Speaking of assholes, some senior kids get in a fight. We all watch with mild interest as they beat the shit out of each other. Eventually, their friends tear them apart.
“Wannabe Hoodlums,” Jordy grumbles.
“No one could ever be us,” I agree. I just wish all of us were here.
“Charlotte looks good,” Roux pipes up, gaining my attention. “Now that she’s finally back from rehab, we’re going to go wedding dress shopping tomorrow.”
I arch
