A Shattered Moment (Fractured Lives 1)

“Why, thank you, my boy,” Chad answered, picking up the pizza crust we had rescued from the couch earlier. He sniffed it before biting an end off.

I shook my head. Men had no standards at times.

He polished off the rest of the crust, looking around for a pizza box he may have missed. “I’m starving. We should order a pizza.”

“You hungry?” Bentley asked me. My stomach grumbled, answering his question. I had skipped lunch since my stomach was tied in knots thinking about tonight.

We all laughed at my stomach’s reaction. “The lady’s belly has answered. Order us some grub, my good friend,” Chad ordered.

Bentley chucked the remote at him, but rose from the couch to call the pizza place anyway. I sat sandwiched between the two of them while they provided a running commentary throughout the movie. They could practically quote every line word for word. The movie was funny, but the premise was a little too unrealistic for me. Not that I would confess to Bentley that it wasn’t exactly the life-changing experience he had promised. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Besides, by the time the movie ended, I had to hold my stomach from laughing so hard at his and Chad’s impressions of the characters.

It was by far the most fun I’d had in a while. Chad was like a big kid, thrusting an Xbox controller in my hands because he insisted that I had to give Halo a try. He then proceeded to mock me as I fumbled around like a complete novice. Bentley offered helpful hints in between shooting his own aliens, but it became apparent that I wouldn’t have a future as a pro gamer.

“Hey, has she met Sherman yet?” Chad asked as we cleaned up the pizza mess.

“No. Why would I let her meet that no-good future pair of boots?”

“Harsh, man.” Chad looked at me, patting my hand. “He just doesn’t understand Sherman. I’ll be right back.”

“Chad, come on,” Bentley objected.

“No, it’s cool. I want to see him,” I piped in.

“See. Listen to your lady, bro,” Chad added to rub it in.

He returned seconds later, holding the large reptile. It was the first time I’d seen an iguana in person. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought it was fake because Sherman never moved as Chad carried him. That is, until Bentley came close, at which time he hissed like he had seen a mortal enemy.

“Wow, he really doesn’t like you, does he?” I asked.

“I told you,” Bentley replied. “That fucker is the devil.”

“You want to hold him, Mac?” Chad asked.

“Maybe next time,” I said, hesitantly reaching a finger out to touch him. His skin felt rough and leathery. I almost lost my balance from jumping when he suddenly moved his tail with my finger on him.

“That’s enough Sherman now,” Bentley said, catching me to steady me on my feet.

“All right, come on, Shermi, say bye,” Chad said, taking one of the iguana’s menacingly clawed limbs and pretending to wave.

He returned moments later, shocking me by giving me a bear hug before I left, sending my cane clattering to the floor. He retrieved it for me after giving me a pat on the head. “Come back again soon,” he said, sinking back down on the couch.

Bentley apologized a few times for Chad during the ride back to my dorm. “He has no social life,” he explained, finding an empty parking spot in front of my building.

“I liked him. You could have just dropped me off.”

“Friends drop each other off. Boyfriends walk their girlfriends inside.”

“Whoa, did I miss the memo?”

He climbed from the car without answering, jogging around to the passenger side to open my door. Holding out his hand to help me, he pulled me from the seat and placed his hands on my waist to face him. “Do you have a problem with that?” he teased.

“Hmmm, I don’t know. You’re awfully presumptuous.”

He quirked his eyebrow. “Maybe, but do you always kiss your friends like that?”

“Well, since I don’t have any friends . . .” I regretted the words as soon as I said them. I’m not even sure where the statement came from. Bentley looked completely shocked, like he’d mistakenly said something wrong.

“Mac, I’m sorry. I wasn’t saying—I mean. I wouldn’t do that.” He tripped over his own tongue, searching for an apology that wasn’t even necessary.