Pure Belleza | ✔️

(20)

There was smashed ceramic all over the floor, holes in the walls and a definite sort of satisfaction that came with each swing of the sledge hammer or each punt of a plate at the wall.

Max's idea of relieving stress and blowing off steam, was to go to a huge warehouse that was separated into dozens of rooms where destruction was the entire idea.

We paid ten dollars each and were given an enormous stack of plates, cups, bowls and ceramic vases that we were allowed to have at.

It was a miracle none of us had injured ourselves considering Max and Abby were half cut. Pun intended.

"How come you've never told us about this place before?" I asked Max as he dropped a mug and kicked it so hard it flew across the room and shattered.

He turned around and wiped his brow which was damp with sweat. The room was humid as fuck. There were no windows. Just a small vent in the ceiling for air conditioning.

"Because I knew you guys would want to come down here," he said and Abby recoiled with offence. "I wanted something that was just for me, alright? We all spend so much time together. It was something that was mine. Just mine."

"I get it," I said.

We did spend a lot of time together and that had a lot to do with me forcing us into group bonding as often as possible.

We shared friends. We partied together. We were in each other's space a lot. So I didn't begrudge him for needing something that he didn't share with us.

We walked back to the car after we were done and I realised this must have been how Max kept his shit together all the time.

I was starting to believe he was adopted. In some form, we'd all taken after Dad and his impulsivity.

Not to mention mom's temper which she managed just fine. It just so happened that when she did get pissed off, you better get the fuck out of her face because she doesn't hold back.

"Home?" I asked as we climbed back into the car.

"Nope," Abby declared, reaching straight for the bottle of Absolut I'd left in the centre console. She unscrewed the cap and settled into the back seat. "You both got to choose something to do. Must be my turn."

I turned in my seat and stared at her as she guzzled the vodka back so fast that one would think she was a seven foot Swedish man.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

I glanced at the clock on the dash when I started the car and noticed it was almost nine.

Max turned in the seat and gestured for the bottle of alcohol which Abby was more than willing to hand over.

I promised I would look after Max and make sure there was no excessive drinking. I had failed. But I could still get him home on time? Not that we were given a curfew.

Ah fuck it. "Where am I going?"

"What the fuck," Max laughed, staring at the front of the bar.

We stood on the footpath and I was beginning to question this idea that the three of us spent too much time together. Clearly, we didn't spend enough time together.

The bar had saloon style doors and a neon sign that flickered as if it was losing its life. "The bull."

"What the hell is this place?" I said to Abby as we walked inside, passing a couple of tall cactus plants. The smell was awful.

If I was pulled over in a car right now, my blood alcohol level would be off the charts from inhaling the air in this place.

Abby waved at an older man behind the bar. He was short, fat and looking at my sister with a predatory stare.