When I got home I threw myself on the couch and quickly fell asleep.
Jared wake up. Jay. Jared!
"What Shannon?!"
"What are you doing?"
Are you fucking kidding me? "I was asleep." I groaned and stretched. I'm getting old. I sat up and looked at Shannon who was now sitting on the couch opposite of me. "What is it?"
"Well one it's like seven thirty, and two where's this 'girl' you speak of?" Just then the gate buzzer went off. I got up and let her in. Shannon and I waited at the door for her. As she walked up Shannon looked at me sideways as if to scold me. Maybe it was the uncontrollable smile on my face. We both stepped aside for her. Shannon immediately followed her to the kitchen. I shook my head and shut the door. She sat on the stool and laid her head on her arm. "You look flustered."
"That's an understatement." She mumbled.
I stood on the other side of the island playing with the bat pendant on her bracelet. "Well, are you hungry? We can go eat and you can tell me about it."
She turned her head to watch me fiddle with the bat. "What about the media?"
"Fuck'em I go to dinner with a lot of female friends. How is this any different?"
"Yeah, but not known junkies." Shannon chimed in.
"Shannon! What the hell man?"
Rhiannon put her hand on top of mine to get me to calm down. My god her skin was soft... "It's fine Jared." She slowly turned to Shannon and cocked her head to the side, "That's the pot calling the kettle black, is it not?"
"Excuse me?" Shannon hated it when someone brought up his drug problem.
"I've seen you plenty of times at Veneer spun the fuck out, falling over floozies. I don't know how many pairs of Ray Bans you've left."
I tried my best to contain my smile. "Whatever. You're a bitch and I'm leaving." He turned and stormed out of the house.
"Sorry about him. He's kinda touchy on that subject... So are you hungry?"
"I know I've been there and I am starving where do you want to go?"
"Well...how about Katiana's" She laughed at my suggestion. "Why's that funny?" She shook her head and laughed as she headed for the door. I followed her to my truck repeatedly asking her what was so funny. "Are you stoned or something? Tell me what's so funny!"
"Nothing, nothing. Just get in I'm hungry."
"No not until you tell me."
"OK then I'll just take my car and you can join me when you're done pouting." Her statement struck me. No one ever talks to me like that.
"Excuse me? I am not pouting. And don't talk to me like that."
She looked me dead in the eyes and I tried my hardest to stare her down but she wouldn't budge.
"You're a diva. Get in; let's go." I stood there shocked who the hell does she think she is? I climbed in and slammed my door. The drive to the restaurant was soooooo uncomfortable. I kind of felt bad for throwing my fit. But I didn't want to let her win.
"Look I'm sure you're used to people bowing down to you because of who you are, but I won't. I don't give a fuck what your name is or what it means." She had me fuming. Game on. We pulled up to the restaurant I turned the engine off and sat there for a second. I could feel her watching me.
"Challenge accepted."
"What?"
"I said, 'challenge accepted'."
