Jenalyn: Daring to Defy (#1)[Complete]

Chapter 99: Rob

Sunday, 10:31 P.M.

Dane calls almost as soon as I get back to the room. I can tell on Jena's face as she tears into the paper bag of airplanes bottles I had tossed to her, that she knows it's him.

She almost freezes in place, her eyes growing wide and brows raising. 

"Yeah." I say, answering the call while nodding my head to confirm for her that it's Dane. 

Dane wastes no time before filling my ear with his angry, yet intoxicated voice. "Where the hell are you, Robert? I'm at your apartment... and you're not here."

I can see a look of panic spread across Jena's face before realizing she can hear him. She quickly begins to shake her head, mouthing the words 'I'm not here' before clamping both of her hands together to silently plead.

"I'm surveilliencing the newbie's routes tonight, Dane- same thing I always do when we recruit a bunch of rebels." I say, trying to keep from sounding snappy.

I can hear Dane lift a bottle to his lips, and take a few long swigs before letting out a small cough. "Oh...yeah." he says through it, barely second guessing it. 

I haven't really had to surveillience those girls- but he wouldn't know that. He's been too busy trying to avoid the same girl he claims he loves to have noticed.

Dane sighs after a few moments of silence, hanging up the phone without letting out any other word or direction.

I toss my phone on the bed beside me, holding back an eyeroll though he couldn't see it even if I let it out while still on the phone.

"He hung up on you?" Jena asks after noticing the call had ended a bit abruptly. She resumes her savage tearing into the tiny bottles of alcohol without a beat, downing a full one with her eyes glued to me.

I nod my head, and hold out my hand with a resigned sigh. I told myself as I drove off from the alcohol store that I wasn't going to have any shots- that I'd just throw back a beer if anything.

I didn't stop at the gas station though. I didn't pick up any beer- just 6 more than the 2 I said I'd grab for this girl.

and honestly... I don't know if a beer would be enough.

How the fuck did I end myself up in this situation?

She tosses me one without hesitation, and watches intently as I proceed to tear off the lid and down the entire thing.

"He didn't ask about me?" Jena asks, already knowing the answer to her own question. She mindlessly reaches for another bottle and twists off the lid. "Or about anything? He's really not onto us at all?"

I shake my head, though she's too busy downing her shot to notice it. "You should probably slow down." I say as I throw myself back against the headboard of the bed and pull out a cigarette. "That's two whole shots in barely two minutes, kiddo."

Jena giggles, reaching out her hand for a cigarette expectantly. I don't even bother to say or do a thing about it- I mean... things have obviously changed, what's the point? I toss her a cigarette.

"Why?" she asks as she catches it, and proceeds to signal for my lighter, too. "This is like... the closest thing to a life we'll ever get. Dane doesn't even know where we are, and he's obviously not looking! Live a little, Scrooge!"

I can tell she's already feeling the shots. If not for her glazed over eyes, and suddenly bubbly demeanor- it'd definitely be in the little pep talks I noticed she likes to give a lot while drinking.

She tosses me another shot, flashing me a smile that makes me feel... funny. She takes a few drags from the cigarette I'd given her and then reaches for another shot herself.

"Lets toast!" she giggles as she cracks open her shot and signals for me to do the same. 

I roll my eyes, but can't help the smile from creeping onto my face. I crack open my shot, and raise it with her.

"To... doing what makes us happy for a night!" she practically yells, her eyes sparkling under the dimmed hotel lights. "To drinking so much we puke! -and not worrying about Dane in all of it because he doesn't fucking care! To freedom!"

I can't help myself from cracking up at her adorable little speech. I honestly don't think I've laughed like this in... years. I'm not even being dramatic when I say that- but when you see shit I've seen? Laughing kind of gets written out of your owner's manual.

"For a night!" I reiterate as I laugh with her, pouring our shots back like champs before continuing to laugh.

"For a night!" Jena repeats.