S!N

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"We are going to get our asses kicked," Darius huffs for the tenth time. I know its the tenth time, because I'm counting. On each of the previous times I've wanted to say "screw it" and turn my ass around. But I haven't. Instead I'm standing in front of Rhage while Kat tries to sweet talk the bouncer at the door.

"Damn it, S!N!" Darius calls from behind me as I leave the line of losers and step up to the front, where Kat is still talking to the bouncer.

"This is a really bad idea dude." Darius growls when he comes to a stop next to me. I pull my sleeveless hoody over my head and Darius does the same. We could've worn caps, but I look shitty in a cap, so this had to do. Besides hoodies are my signature look.

"Just be cool." I'm standing behind Kat now. The bouncer is a new guy, otherwise I never would've drawn this kind of attention to us. I pull a fifty out of my pocket and hand it to him. He's a big guy with a bald head and a tear tattoo on his cheek. To bad that tear is going to turn real, real soon. About as soon as Diablo finds out he let us in without Mikael or Tino.

The bouncer opens the door and waves us inside with a big meaty hand. I keep my head low, following Kat and her party of friends. My guess is this is their first time here. The girls all giggle and point at the bird cages in the four corners of the room. Each of those cages have a scantily dressed girl in. I scan the cages quickly, just to make sure that I don't know any of the girls. Luck is on our side because I haven't seen any of them before.

I bite back a smirk when Kat smacks Kevin in the back of the head. Seems she doesn't like him looking so closely at the girls. She shouldn't have brought him here then. I don't think Kat had any idea of what Rhage is all about. Darius snorts and hands one of Kat's friends a note. I hope its for a drink. I could use a drink. And I already told Kat we can only stay that long. So if its a shot, even better.

Kat's friend comes back with three shot glasses. All filled with a clear liquid. I can already feel the burn coating my throat. Darius takes his shot and the girl passes me mine. He lifts his drink and tilts it into his mouth. I do the same. When the liquid slides over my tongue and coats it in its fiery taste I swallow, welcoming the sting all the way to my stomach. Darius smacks the girl on her ass and pushes her back toward the bar.

"One more." He says when he meets my glare. I see Kat at the back of him, with two of her friends. She's moving to the dance floor. She lifts her arms up over her head and starts swaying her hips to the beat-

"Dude! Take the shot," Darius says pushing my shoulder.

My reluctant eyes move slowly from Kat and back to the shot in front of my face. I take it from the girl and slam it back.

"Let's go," Darius says already moving toward the door.

I nod. "Let's me just tell Kat. Shit!" The word leaves me mouth in a hiss.

"Damn it! Let's go." Darius says dropping his head and turning his back to the dance floor.

Diablo's right hand man is dancing with Kat. Actually if he exhaled he'd be right on top of her, he is that close. She tries to wiggle out of his hold but he isn't letting her go anywhere. Where's that stupid ass boyfriend of hers anyway.

"Where's Kevin?" I bite out.

"Over there, at the cages," Darius says, nodding his head toward the corner.

My head whips from Kat to Kevin like a damn ping pong ball. He is a damn fool for not staying by her side. Deacon or what ever numb nuts is called is still all over Kat and I can tell she's really uncomfortable now. He's hands are on her hips, holding her to him.

"Let Kevin handle it, S!N. We need to go. Now." Darius looks like he is about the make a run for the door. The only place I want to go is over to Kat and into Deacon's face. That's my girl he's rubbing up against. She might not have chosen me, but I've chosen her a long time ago.

Just as I decide that I'm really going to die tonight, Diablo comes from nowhere and pulls Deacon away from Kat. That's not good. For me or for Darius, but very good for Kat. Deacon won't bother her again.I stalk over to Kevin and spin him around by his shoulder.

"Look. After. Your. Girl!" My voice is barely audible over the loud music that's playing, but I know he heard my by the way his eyes widen.

I leave the idiot gaping after me as Darius and I leave Kat in his very incapable hands. That's why I'll never deserve that girl. I'll always be running from something and she'll always be left behind.

***

Hours later I'm still laying awake in my bed, listening to the empty apartment. I'm thinking about Kat and how her night went when I hear her voice from the stairs. I lift my head and look at the alarm clock. It's two in the morning. She'd never stay out this late if her mom wasn't working. The sound of keys falling, followed by her giggling makes me sit up in bed. Is she drunk? If she is, that asshole boyfriend of hers better make sure she gets inside okay. Her gift is still sitting next to my bed so I scoop it up and use it as an excuse to check up on her. It's nothing fancy. Just a silver bracelet I saw at the pawn shop down at fifth street. It has a single charm on it. A little bird.

When Kat and I were younger she found a Swallow with a broken wing on the stairs between our apartments. She tried her best to fix that bird, but just like me, it was too broken. She cried for half a day when it died. She has a good heart. Too good for this place.

I pull my front door open just as Kevin turns to leave. His glassy eyes try to focus on my face and for a second he looks like a chameleon with his one eye pointing way over my head and the other focused on my throat. I laugh, because its funny as hell. Kevin takes a step in my direction. He doesn't like me laughing at him. That makes me laugh harder.

"You left without saying bye," Kat's voice stops me mid chuckle and I turn my face to her. Her cheeks are flushed and some of hair came loose from the clip holding it in place.

"Sorry, I had to run," I say on a shoulder shrug. She doesn't have to know how literal I mean that.

"Goodnight Kevin," Kat says looking back at her boyfriend who is now leaning heavily on the rail of the stairs. He nods and walks down slowly.

"Is he driving?"

"No, we called a cab. Is that for me," she asks pointing at the little box in my hands.

"Yeah, happy birthday Katie," I say on a smile. Sometimes I forget we are all grown up now and call her on her baby name.

"Thanks" She smiles as she rips into the gift wrap to get to the gift inside.

Kat holds the little silver bracelet up to the light and her mouth turns down. She doesn't like it.

"You don't like it?" I ask trying to hide the disappointment in my voice.

"No," she clears her throat. "No, I love it. I can't believe you remember the bird."

Kat smiles softly at me.

"I remember everything about you." Then realizing I've said to much, I lean over and kiss her on her cheek quickly. And because I'm a really big asshole I close the door in her face. Smooth S!N, real smooth.

Copyright © 2014 AJ Summer