Night in the Ruts

Shit - Steven

I suppose I could be thinking about a lot of things right now, like how Charlie and Annie will kill me, or how horrible of a person I am, or about how Joe will kill me... But all I feel is gratitude.

        And, of course the absolute fear that resulted from when my girlfriends just met.

        But mostly gratitude.  And it's gratitude to the person you'd least expect: Charlie's friend, Nicky.

        He fainted like he overdosed, which freaked Charlie out, and drew the attention away from Annie.

        "Do something!" Charlie screeched.

        Joe is first to stand up.  "Annie," he says, "c'mon."  He grabs her wrist and pulls her away, glaring at me.

        I'm glad Joe pulled her away.  She looked kind of frozen in shock and was white as snow.

        I then took Nicky by the arms while Brad and Joey took his legs.  "Tom," I say, "tell Joe that you're taking Charlie back to the apartment.  Then do it."

        "No, I'm going with Nicky," she said.  Tom looked weary, like this plan would never work.

        "Please just go with Tom?" I practically begged, looking down at Nicky.

        "No."  She stepped up right beside her best friend, who was hovering above the ground by the assistance of Joey, Brad, and me.

        "He's fine.  We'll be back shortly.  Go with Tom."

        "I can't," she says, meaning she doesn't want to leave Nicky's side.  In fact, her eyes are starting to fill with tears.

        Oh, dammit, no.  Don't cry.  Please don't cry.  If you cry, all hope is lost.  Please don't make me cave.  "Just do it, Charlie," I say flatly.  "We need to go."

        Tom puts an arm around her shoulders and leads her over to Joe, who was standing on the opposite side of the bar from where we were.

        "C'mon guys," I sighed, dragging Nicky outside.

        "You can put me down now," Nicky said impatiently once the doors shut behind us.

        Brad shrugged, and we set him down on the gum-covered sidewalk.

        "You're taking Charlie back to your apartment?" Nicky demands.

        "Yeah," I say.

        I think I hear him hiss, "Idiot!" but I can't be sure.  "Why would you do that?  What about Annie?"

        "How do you know about Annie?" I demand.

        "It's not like you're trying to keep it a secret or anything," he says.

        "How was I supposed to know you'd be here?!"

        He's blaming me for this?!  Seriously!?  This is Hopedale Massachusetts!  They live in Rhode fuckin' Island!

        "Uh, hell yeah I'm blaming you for this!" Nicky says like I'm the stupidest person on the planet.  "One girlfriend wasn't good enough so you get another.  Genius."

        "Whoa, whoa, whoa," I say, holding up my hands.  "One girlfriend wasn't good enough?" I ask in bewilderment.

        "It's what I said," Nicky replies.  Joey takes a step back.