If You Met Me First

Downhill From Here

Brantley was tinkering around his garage for the better part of the morning. Aniston stole the master bathroom shower, relishing in the feeling of the rain shower head with the good water pressure. She walked through the door that connected the garage to the laundry room. Her brown leather bag slung over her shoulder. She came to a stop behind Brantley as he was leaned over the engine of the Cougar. Her black flip flops scuffing on the cement. She ran a hand through her wet hair as she peered at him from behind her favorite pair of sunglasses. 

"I'm out of here." She said, watching him working so intently. 

"Not staying for the BBQ? I'm gonna fire up the Traeger." He asked, coming to a standing position as he rubbed his hands clean on an old greasy towel. 

"Nah. But you enjoy spending time with Amber and her family." Aniston's tone digging a little. 

Brantley chuckled, shaking his head. Aniston kissed his cheek before heading out to her white Chevy Tahoe. Brantley leaned his back against the car, watching as she hopped up in the SUV and turned the key to start the engine. She was something else. Aniston backed up slowly, watching the camera on her dash so as not to run over the magnolias that were planted in the middle like last time. She followed the drive way back up to the road, turning to the right to go in to town. It was Saturday, which meant Jake was working late. Or so he said. She had never heard of a construction company working late on the weekends. But if that meant some peace for a little while, then she wouldn't question it. 

Aniston drove slowly as she came to one of the only lights in town. She looked up ahead, noticing the blue beat up truck in Kolby's driveway. She smiled to herself as she pulled up along side it, cutting the engine. She hopped out, shutting the door behind her. Aniston was met by a pair of eyes staring at her, holding a cold beer in one hand and scrolling his phone with the other. 

"Look what the wind blew in." Kolby called out, standing up to greet her. 

"Thought I'd stop by for a little bit. Jake's working late." She sat down next to him on the other rocking chair after he embraced her in the biggest and best bear hug. 

"I have never heard of someone doing a construction job on the weekend." Kolby scoffed, taking a long sip of his beer. Aniston let that roll off her back. She wasn't in the mood to get in to it with him. She knew everyone's feelings on Jake. But she loved him. And he was good to her, sometimes. "Not staying for the BBQ over at Brantley's?" 

Aniston side eyed Kolby as he braced for a punch to the arm. "You two think you're so funny. I'll just tell Amber that I sleep in Brantley's bed when I stay over while I am at it. That outta go over like a snake in the tall grass." 

"Who's the snake, you or her?" Kolby chuckled. 

"Brantley." The two bust out laughing louder than a pack of hyenas. 

"Well, we are going to do a bonfire down in the field after their little Brady Bunch get together. You should come along with me. I'll shield ya from the daggers she shoots out of her eyeballs." 

"I'd love to, Kolbs. But Jake and I are supposed to hang out when he gets home from work. He said something about going to the bar." Ansiton played with her now dry hair, twirling a piece around her pointer finger. The baby pink polish needing a touch up. 

"Are you being serious?" He asked, placing his beer on his knee as he rocked himself back and forth. 

"I do love him, Kolby." The words tasted like vinegar as they left her mouth, leaving a sour mood between them. 

She really did. Or so she thought. She had met Jake in high school. The two were inseparable. Aniston had felt like a queen. There weren't any warning signs of him being capable of abuse. Not until one night when he found out that she stayed at Brantley's because she had gotten too drunk at one of his bonfires to drive home. He knew her first. Before Brantley or Kolby even batted an eye her way. So he did what any guy would do. He went and got back what was rightfully his. Even if that meant hurting her in the process. And it was all down hill from there.