Holding My Breath [Wattys 2016]

2 7 ~ R u s t y

                

Present Day ~ May 30, 2011

"Straight," I grin, laying down my cards. Colt frowns at my hand.

"Hmm..." he mumbles something under his breath. It's down to the two of us.

"Show us your cards, Colt," Bailey calls from the other side of the drug store.

"He's mad because he lost to a girl," Sawyer says, grabbing a pack of gum from a rack nearby and taking out a piece.

I'm actually playing poker. Who knew?

"Actually," a smirk spreads across Colt's face as he looks up at me. "I think you should take a closer look at the cards," he says, putting his next to mine.

Blue lets out a low whistle, then high-fives Colt. "Royal flush. Damn."

"And you're gonna have to pay for that, Sawyer," Colton says when Sawyer pops another piece of gum in his mouth. Bailey hops up on the counter and snatches the pack away to get herself a piece.

Colt pulls in the thirty-nine cent pot. The stakes are always high.

The door rings and we all turn to see. There hasn't been a customer in here for over an hour, hence the poker game. As soon as I see the man who comes in, I freeze. My heart starts pounding in double time so I tug my hat down. It was only, what? A month ago? Surely he'll recognize me again.

"Morning, officer. If you need any help just ask," Colton says as the man nods back and turns into the aisle of chips.

I slip around Sawyer and start familiarizing myself with all of the types of gum they sell here. Mint, mango, strawberry...

The rest of the group continue to talk but I only hear their voices in the background. I have to squeeze my eyes shut to stop flashing back to when that cop was pointing his gun at my face. When I escaped. It was just days before I got to Wallen.

The cop comes up the counter and Bailey hops down so Colt can ring up the order.

"Have a nice day," Colt says with a smile, and the cop turns to leave.

Then his eyes catch me.

I try to act normal, grabbing something off the shelf and walk up to the counter. The cop takes a step back and keeps looking at me. "Do I know you?" he asks.

"Um," I toss a glance over my shoulder, quickly enough so he can't get a good look at my face. "I don't think so."

My voice is shaking. Maybe nobody can tell.

The cop doesn't say anything for a moment. "You shouldn't wear a hat inside. It's rude," he comments and Bailey giggles. I hear the bell on the door ring again.

He's gone.

"You got in troouubblleee," Colt laughs.

"Take off your hat or we might have to call him back in here," Bailey giggles.

"That's a great idea," Sawyer smiles at me, then snatches my hat off, tossing it over his shoulder into a random aisle. I laugh nervously. My hair tumbles down from where it was tucked up.

Blue isn't laughing. He's watching me carefully, concerned I think, but after a moment he smiles along with everyone else. He reaches around me to grab the deck of cards. "I'd hold off on that Sawyer. He'd be more likely to leave with you in handcuffs."

I smile.

Sawyer sticks his tongue out at his cousin, snatches the deck from him, and waves it in the air. "Another hand, anyone?"