Anything Goes on a Friday Night (13 page)

“Thanks for the offer, but I just can’t move again.”

She smiled and nodded. “I understand. Why don’t you come with me this weekend to see where I’ll be living?”

“Okay. That sounds like fun.”

“Great! We can go have lunch and get caught up on what you’ve been up to. How’s Channing, Katie, Dillon, and Alyssa? Are you still getting to see them since you moved?”

I shrugged. “Not really.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, honey. You can tell me all about it on Sunday. How does that sound?”

I just nodded. I doubted I’d tell her anything. I swept that shit under the same rug that had a fuckload of other disappointments under it.

And that was it.

I left and went home. I could tell she didn’t want me to stay much longer because, let’s be honest, it was awkward. Sunday, whatever it entailed, would be better.
Hopefully.

A
FTER WORK I JUST
wanted to clear my head. I had plans of sinking my nose into a good book and eating a shitload of ice cream. But then my phone dinged with pleas from Jane to come to hang out at her friend’s house with her.

Me: I don’t know…

Jane: Come on. You deserve fun, and I promise it’ll be fun. We’re just hanging out around a fire and chillin’. It’ll be fun.

The next message that came in was the address and her telling me I wasn’t allowed to say no. What could it hurt? It’d be fun to hang out with people and just forget about everything.

I pulled up to the house that was down a forever-long dirt road. I’d have to wash my car tomorrow. I locked the doors and pulled my beanie out of my back pocket, placing it on my head. I shoved my hands in my pockets and made my way to the back where I saw smoke and heard laughter.

When Jane spotted me, she jumped from her chair and skipped toward me. Her eyes were glazed over and drooping slightly. I laughed. Jane was high. She laced her arm with mine, and we went over to sit with everyone. I watched as a joint was passed around and wondered what I’d do once it reached me.

I should stand up and leave the Mary Jane circle.

No, I should sit here and enjoy. It’d take my mind off things.

The last time I was high, I was with Dillon, and it felt sacrilegious doing it without him.

Just say no. That’s what the commercials tell you.

But it smells so good, and it’ll feel so good.

I already passed my drug test for work.

I took it between my fingers when it reached me and put it to my lips before I could talk myself out of it.

Inhale.

As I exhaled, I passed it to the person to my left. It continued its way around the group until it was gone, and I was floating. I smiled at Jane, and she nudged me.

“See? You needed this. Much better than sitting at home, right?”

I nodded and leaned back in my chair, enjoying the peace of mind. “Yeah. But I’m kind of shocked. I didn’t see you as one to do this. But I’m happy. I’m happy we’re friends, Jane. God, this is great. Isn’t this great?”

She burst into laughter, and it was contagious. We all laughed at absolutely nothing, and it felt fabulous. Painless. My mind was at peace.

I heard a truck pull up and the engine cut off. I stood to be a little closer to the fire because it was getting cold. No one was acting worried, so I assumed that whoever was here, it wasn’t parents or cops. I held my hands out toward the fire and watched the orange and red flames dance around the wood pile.

“I have to say I’m shocked to see you here,” Finn said from next to me.

I looked at him, and my eyes widened. “You’re here?”

He smiled. “Yeah. And so are you.” His eyes narrowed a little as he got a better look at me. “And you’re high.”

I looked back at the fire and put my hands in my pockets. “What makes you think I am?”

“Your eyes are completely fucked.”

The sides of my mouth twitched but never reached a full smile. “Maybe it’s smoke from the fire, Finn.”

“Is it?”

I looked at him and shrugged. “Why are you here?”

He looked around before smiling at me. “These are
my
friends. What are
you
doing here?”

I looked at Jane and then back at Finn. “Jane is my friend. She invited me.”

“Are you scared to make friends other than Jane?”

I squinted, trying to look angry because he was prying again.

“Would you stop analyzing my life?”

“Elena, you can’t walk around sulking all the time and expect people not to ask what’s wrong. What if I care? What if I’m just trying to be a friend to you because you look like you need one?”

“I have Jane.”

“So, you can only have one friend here in Kerrville?” He cocked a curious brow at me.

“Why are you trying so hard to be my friend? I don’t trust people, Finn! I have major social issues that are kind of new, and I just…I just don’t need any more disappointments.”

“You’re ridiculous. And I find it unfair that you would think I’d be a disappointment.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Please, don’t do this.” I let my hand fall and looked at him. “Please, Finn. I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need it. I just need time to process things that are happening in my life, and the less people I interact with the better.”

“That’s stupid logic.”

My mouth fell open. “How can you even say that? You have no idea what I’m going through! What is your deal with me? Just leave me alone!”

Jane walked over and grabbed my arm, pulling me away from Finn. He was lucky. I was about to knee him in the balls.
Asshole.
What were his intentions anyway? Why was he trying to so hard to befriend me?
Jerk.

“What the hell was that?” Jane asked, pulling me into the house.

We walked down the hallway, and I followed her into the bathroom. I scrunched my nose when I saw peach walls and stenciled rabbits. It was the ugliest bathroom I had ever seen.

“Elena?”

I looked away from the hideous decor and at her. “Huh?”

“What just happened between you and Finn?”

“He keeps getting in my business, and I don’t like it. Can we leave?”

“Yeah, as soon as I pee. And cut him some slack. He’s a nice guy.”

“Pfft. To you. I see right through him. He’s the same as the rest of the human race. You’re the only human I like Jane. And Dillon. And Alyssa. That’s it, though.”

She laughed and pulled down her pants. She sat on the toilet and smiled at me. “So you like three people?”

I nodded and leaned against the horrid wall full of rabbits. “Pretty much.”

She finished up, and after she washed her hands, she smiled. “Let’s go to my place.”

“As soon as the high wears off and we can drive, I’m all for it.”

“Right. Let’s go raid the kitchen. Caroline’s parents always keep the best snacks.”

I followed her into the kitchen and downed a can of Pringles.

S
UNDAY ROLLED AROUND QUICKLY.
I was excited to hang out with Mom. I got to the house, and she was waiting in the car for me. I saw a stack of boxes in the carport.

I slid into the passenger seat and smiled. “Packing already?”

She nodded as she pulled out of the driveway. “Yup. I move in less than a month.”

“If I have time, I can help you sometime.”

She reached over and patted my knee. “That’d be great, Ellie!”

“So, where are we going for lunch?”

“Well, we need to do something first.”

“Like?”

She swallowed hard. “I really want you to see what I’ve been up to on the weekends. I’ve been really involved with the church, and while I know you don’t really see eye-to-eye with me on that stuff, this is something I want you to see.”

“Mom…”

She laughed a little. “We aren’t going to church. We’re going to the jail.”

“What???” I snapped.

“Calm down, Ellie. I’ve been doing the Lord’s work and going on little mission trips to jails and nursing homes. It’s amazing how good it feels to bring the good message to those that are hurting. It’s been great therapy for me, and I thought it’d be good for you too.”

“Well, I don’t! Are you kidding me? No! Forget this! Just take me back to my car.”

“No. This is our day together. It won’t be long. I need to drop off some Christmas cards. I know it’s early, but the inmates that don’t have any family need them. It gives them hope and helps them do better because they feel like someone cares.”

“Christmas is two months away! Mom, please don’t make me go! I’m not comfortable with it.”

She didn’t respond. She just kept driving. If I hadn’t almost killed myself the last time, I’d jump out of the damn car again. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and huffed loudly. I couldn’t believe this. Just when I thought there was hope for her, there was none. She was insane.

We pulled up to the jail, and I refused to get out of the car.

“Elena, the security guard is going to make you get out. They don’t let anyone wait in their vehicles. It’s security protocol.”

“I’m so angry with you right now,” I said with my teeth clenched as I got out of the car. I had my purse over my shoulder and the sourest look on my face I could manage. I was pissed, and I’d make sure everyone knew it.

We went in, and after being felt up by a security guard and showing her my driver’s license, we were let into the meeting room. The room was large with white concrete walls and round metal tables placed around it. I followed Mom to a table near someone she obviously knew. They both smiled when they saw each other and exchanged hugs.

“Elena, this is Laura. Her son is in here, and she comes to see him every Sunday for visitation. We’ve become great friends over the past few weeks.”

I didn’t smile or offer her my hand. “Hi.”

“Well aren’t you a joy,” Laura teased. “Your mother said she’d be bringing you by and that’d you probably be in this kind of mood about it.”

I looked at Mom and then sat down at the table. This was ridiculous.

Mom sat down beside me and explained that soon they’d let the inmates in. She said she requested to see one in particular that she had been praying with the past few Sundays. She said they’d bonded, and she felt like she needed to be his friend right now. I didn’t care. I just wanted this experience to be over.

I spent most of the visitation hour in the bathroom. I was so uncomfortable with the whole situation, I couldn’t even sit in the room with Mom and the Phil guy she came to see. He tried to make small talk with me and kept telling me how pretty I was. It was creepy as hell, and I wanted nothing to do with him.

The car ride to where we were eating lunch was quiet. Right before we hit a red light, Mom broke the silence I was appreciating. I didn’t want to talk to her.