I took off running the streets, barely keeping my sanity while searching for Kellan with the belief that if anyone could find him, it would be me. I searched everywhere that I could think of: The park, their secret place in the woods, the school, the old hangout spot. You name it, I went and looked. When every place came up empty, I had a nervous breakdown. Rumor was he couldn’t handle living without Adric and went crazy, crashing his car to take his own life or some shit. They were like brothers. The thing is, I didn’t just lose one that day, but two best friends. I had already lost Adric and I couldn’t cope with losing them both. I was dead inside, hollowed out. I just wanted to be lost and never found.
Kade eventually found me in the woods at their favorite place. I was broken and a total mess, crying my eyes out while staring up at the tree house Adric built when I was nine. He somehow pulled me out of the trance I was in. After that, he became my rock and my best friend, helping me to stay strong. It wasn’t the same as having Adric and Kellan, but he was all I had left. Him and Jen, but I was different.
Now, after eight years, here Kellan is, close to town, owning a tattoo shop named after my brother, and yet he couldn’t even contact us. The thought alone feels like a knife to the chest at the hands of the one you love. Doesn’t he understand the hand we were dealt or the hell I’ve walked through?
The thought still shocks me and as far as I can tell, Kade feels the same way. He was a total wreck when we walked out of that shop. He wouldn’t even speak to me on our way back to my house. He just kept muttering under his breath and gripping the steering wheel so tight I thought it was going to break, but never taking his eyes away from the road. I haven’t seen or spoken to him since and I really have no idea what to say to him. We’re at the park setting up for Dale’s company picnic and Kade should be arriving any minute. That’s if he plans on even coming at all.
“Phoenix, pass me the damn tablecloth.”
I’m pulled from my thoughts at the sound of Saline’s voice. “Excuse me?” I look up from the ground and blink a few times trying to rejoin reality.
Saline brushes past me, bumping me out of the way and reaches for a red tablecloth, spreading it out and waving it up and down in the air. She looks pretty pissed off for some reason and I’m guessing it’s my fault. “Never mind, I’ll just do it myself. Why don’t you go ‘not help’ somewhere else. I’m trying to get this shit done.” She looks me in the eye and sneers before pulling a piece of platinum blond hair off her face. “Can’t you see how hot is out here?”
“Someone’s a little pissy.” I reach for the end of the tablecloth and help flatten it over the table. Wouldn’t want to upset the princess even more. Then again, why wouldn’t I? “Sorry, I was just thinking,” I mutter. “Let me take care of this. Why don’t you take a break and go get something to drink.” My eyes trail her glistening body and I smile, somewhat enjoying her breaking a sweat. “You’re looking a little sweaty. Maybe you should pour some of it on your head to cool off. You wouldn’t want to stink up those designer shorts, now would ya?”
“Fuck off. I’m not in a good mood. I hate these stupid picnics.” Rolling her eyes like the cold-hearted bitch she is, she turns on the heels of her cowgirl boots, the heels digging into the dirt, as she waves her arm and walks away.
Well, that solves one of my problems. Now, if only the rest were so easy.
I spend the next ten minutes focusing on getting the tables covered and set up. Right when I’m down to the last one, a strong wind comes and blows the tablecloth out of my arms right as I spread it out to place over the table. “Dammit!” Figures, right when I’m almost done, that’s my luck. I run around chasing it, until it plasters itself against someone’s body. From the looks of the Puma shoes, I would say that it’s . . .
“Jen.” I laugh as I reach out and pull it away from her face to find her smiling underneath. “Where have you been?”
She grabs the end of the tablecloth and helps me cover the table and secure it down. “I’ve been over there by the food. You know like fifteen feet away from you. What’s with everyone today? Luna is helping Saline with the decorations, they’ve been arguing for like ten minutes, and you haven’t even said anything. You’ve been over here daydreaming. It’s very unlike you not taking a stand.”
She takes off walking back over to the table that is covered in a variety of food and I follow in suit behind her.
The first thing I notice is the fantastic smell, before my eyes land on two trays of Mrs. Watson’s homemade fried chicken. Mmm . . . Today might just be a good day after all. “It smells so damn good over here, Jen. How can you work over here without eating all of the food?” I reach for a chicken leg, but Jen slaps my hand away. What the . . . what was that for?
“Nope, not on my watch.” She smiles apologetically. “Dale said to keep you away from the chicken until everyone starts eating. I made a promise. Now back off.”
“You’re joking, right?” I push her with my hip and reach for another piece of chicken but this time she pinches my arm. She must be taking this watchdog thing serious because it really hurt. “Ouch!” I rub my arm while scrunching my forehead at her. “Tell him to stop being such a jerk. I just want a snack. He acts like I’m going to eat it all.”
“Because you will and he knows it. You act as if you’ve never been to one of these things before.”
“When have I eaten all of the chicken? There are plenty other people here that eat chicken. How does he know who’s eating what?”
“Are you serious right now? People have eyes, Phoenix,” she says while dicing up a tomato. “Every time someone looks in your direction at one of these events, you have a piece of fried chicken hanging between your lips. Hell, you even stole a piece of chicken off Mrs. Henderson's plate once when she wasn't looking.”
She saw that? I guess I’m not as slick as I think I am.
“It was only the skin,” I point out. “She shouldn’t have taken the last piece and then left it sitting there untouched for over ten minutes. Yes, I counted the time and I’m not ashamed. Plus, I don't even think she noticed.”
“Oh, she noticed. Trust me.” Kade’s tired voice jumps in from behind, causing Jen to snicker.