wanna play pro.”
“ See what I mean, the smart one. Take a
seat, fellas. I’ll send Clarissa over to get yours ’ orders. Who’s the attractive lady here wichyoo ?”
“ That’s Declan’s new girlfriend,” says
Skate. “Least that’s what I think...”
Girlfriend? I can’t say I don’t like the sound of
that.
Mr. De Luca gives an approving smile, tips an imaginary hat.
“Pleasure to meet you, Miss...”
He stretches out his hand over the
counter. “Blaze, sir. Blaze Ryleigh.”
He gives me a warm smile and looks at me
and Declan a second. “Well, you look like you’ve been at it all
night as well. I recommend a Tom Burger Deluxe for a large appetite.”
After sitting and checking out the
menus, “Clarissa” comes
over—a dark haired girl that reminds me of Kat Denning, only with
bigger boobs. She chews on gum and stands with her hip cocked.
“Skate. Boys.”
Declan: “Waddup, Clariss.”
Trevor: “Yo, Clarissa.”
Skate clears his throat, looks down at his
hands. Mumbles something which I guess is a greeting.
The boys order up a feast (Huevos Rancheros, Spicy Chicken and
Cheese Omelet, extra Pancakes, extra bacon on the side). I end up
going with a salad, because I need some sleep before I put anything
in the burner or I might get sick. Declan orders a Vanilla Egg
Cream to drink. I take straight coffee and Trev and Skate go with
virgin Cherry-Lime Rickeys ( Tom’s serves no alcohol.)
Turns out the coffee is free, and so are the
cookies we’re served while we wait for our meals.
“ Your set was kickin, Heaven-Leigh,” says
Skate. Again !
I look down at my coffee. “Uhm,
thanks.”
“ So why haven’t we heard of you yet? I
mean, you should be all over town.”
I twirl my cup. Trevor picks up on my
discomfort. “Skate, what’s up with the twenty questions? Leave the
girl be.”
“ No, it’s cool. Uhm, well, it’s real tough
getting your foot in the door. Tonight— last night—well, it was a lucky break.”
“ You mean that Uncle shit?” says
Declan.
“ You heard about that?” I ask.
“ Yeah, Randy told me.”
“ Yeah, well, sorry to hear what happened to
those dudes. But, you reap what you sow, y’know. How do you know
Randy?”
He hesitates. Trev answers for him.
“Declan here was a wild boy once—”
“ No I wasn’t.”
Trev leans forward, eyes bulging
playfully, “Yes you was .”
“ Trev and I,” says Declan, “used to play
this scene a fair amount back in the day. Anyways, I did more than
him. And, well, Randy’s a man about town, you know.” He whispers
quietly. “He’ll give drugs to anyone who’s taking them, just for
some good company. I guess it’s loneliness or
something.”
Loneliness . The story of this scene.
“ Deck’s playing it down. Because Randy took
a real liking to him. It seems Deck here has a real good ear. I
wouldn’t know, he never listens to shit I tell him!”
Declan cocks an incredulous eyebrow, looks at Trev. “Whatever.
Randy and I just had similar, uhm, issues. So, we
were a mutual ear for each other I guess.” He turns to me now. “And
you? I mean, you must know him to have gotten the gig.”
“ No, uhm, Xavier. He and I... He’s an old
friend. I know him from back in the day when”—I look at the three
guys, realize I can talk openly to them—“back when I used to
roll.”
“ You don’t roll anymore?” asks
Skate.
I shake my head.
I feel that sadness approaching in the
distance, like black ink poured into a pool and spreading. I only
hope he doesn’t ask—
“ Why?”
The coffee has mellowed me out, so I don’t
feel as vulnerable about the subject as I did when Declan asked
about my tat earlier. But I don’t tell the complete truth. “Dunno,
just...enough was enough, you know?”
I sense Deck’s crystal eyes forcefully on
me, and I get the distinct impression that he knows I’m
BSing.
Our food arrives which, thankfully, swerves the conversation from
me toward one of full mouths
“ See what I mean, the smart one. Take a
seat, fellas. I’ll send Clarissa over to get yours ’ orders. Who’s the attractive lady here wichyoo ?”
“ That’s Declan’s new girlfriend,” says
Skate. “Least that’s what I think...”
Girlfriend? I can’t say I don’t like the sound of
that.
Mr. De Luca gives an approving smile, tips an imaginary hat.
“Pleasure to meet you, Miss...”
He stretches out his hand over the
counter. “Blaze, sir. Blaze Ryleigh.”
He gives me a warm smile and looks at me
and Declan a second. “Well, you look like you’ve been at it all
night as well. I recommend a Tom Burger Deluxe for a large appetite.”
After sitting and checking out the
menus, “Clarissa” comes
over—a dark haired girl that reminds me of Kat Denning, only with
bigger boobs. She chews on gum and stands with her hip cocked.
“Skate. Boys.”
Declan: “Waddup, Clariss.”
Trevor: “Yo, Clarissa.”
Skate clears his throat, looks down at his
hands. Mumbles something which I guess is a greeting.
The boys order up a feast (Huevos Rancheros, Spicy Chicken and
Cheese Omelet, extra Pancakes, extra bacon on the side). I end up
going with a salad, because I need some sleep before I put anything
in the burner or I might get sick. Declan orders a Vanilla Egg
Cream to drink. I take straight coffee and Trev and Skate go with
virgin Cherry-Lime Rickeys ( Tom’s serves no alcohol.)
Turns out the coffee is free, and so are the
cookies we’re served while we wait for our meals.
“ Your set was kickin, Heaven-Leigh,” says
Skate. Again !
I look down at my coffee. “Uhm,
thanks.”
“ So why haven’t we heard of you yet? I
mean, you should be all over town.”
I twirl my cup. Trevor picks up on my
discomfort. “Skate, what’s up with the twenty questions? Leave the
girl be.”
“ No, it’s cool. Uhm, well, it’s real tough
getting your foot in the door. Tonight— last night—well, it was a lucky break.”
“ You mean that Uncle shit?” says
Declan.
“ You heard about that?” I ask.
“ Yeah, Randy told me.”
“ Yeah, well, sorry to hear what happened to
those dudes. But, you reap what you sow, y’know. How do you know
Randy?”
He hesitates. Trev answers for him.
“Declan here was a wild boy once—”
“ No I wasn’t.”
Trev leans forward, eyes bulging
playfully, “Yes you was .”
“ Trev and I,” says Declan, “used to play
this scene a fair amount back in the day. Anyways, I did more than
him. And, well, Randy’s a man about town, you know.” He whispers
quietly. “He’ll give drugs to anyone who’s taking them, just for
some good company. I guess it’s loneliness or
something.”
Loneliness . The story of this scene.
“ Deck’s playing it down. Because Randy took
a real liking to him. It seems Deck here has a real good ear. I
wouldn’t know, he never listens to shit I tell him!”
Declan cocks an incredulous eyebrow, looks at Trev. “Whatever.
Randy and I just had similar, uhm, issues. So, we
were a mutual ear for each other I guess.” He turns to me now. “And
you? I mean, you must know him to have gotten the gig.”
“ No, uhm, Xavier. He and I... He’s an old
friend. I know him from back in the day when”—I look at the three
guys, realize I can talk openly to them—“back when I used to
roll.”
“ You don’t roll anymore?” asks
Skate.
I shake my head.
I feel that sadness approaching in the
distance, like black ink poured into a pool and spreading. I only
hope he doesn’t ask—
“ Why?”
The coffee has mellowed me out, so I don’t
feel as vulnerable about the subject as I did when Declan asked
about my tat earlier. But I don’t tell the complete truth. “Dunno,
just...enough was enough, you know?”
I sense Deck’s crystal eyes forcefully on
me, and I get the distinct impression that he knows I’m
BSing.
Our food arrives which, thankfully, swerves the conversation from
me toward one of full mouths
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