Acid Rain

Chapter 5

                I called the clinic and scheduled an appointment for next week on Wednesday at 1 PM. It was now Saturday. I tried not to think about mine and Brian’s quick decision and convinced myself it was better this way. I never wanted kids, especially not with a father like Brian.

                To keep myself from thinking about the thing inside me, I kept myself busy with my job at the local library. Today was a slow day and I had grown increasingly bored. I checked a book out for someone when much to my surprise Jimmy “The Rev” was next in line.

                “Jimmy!” I gasped. He grinned goofily and leaned on the counter, “shhh Blake we’re in a library.”

                I didn’t know what he was doing here, I barely knew him and here was standing in front of me. Jimmy didn’t look like the type to read but I also never told him where I worked, so what was he doing here?

                “You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here,” he sighed leaning on the counter and cleaning out a chipped black painted fingernail. “Really? What gave it away?” I smiled nervously.

                He grinned, “no need to be nervous, I’m not a stalker or serial killer, I found out where you worked from one of your friends, Katie, I think. Boy she was something else, I walked up to ask her where you worked and she planted a wet kiss right on my mouth. I’ve been kissed many, many times and that, that was disgusting.” “Okay Jimmy get to the point,” I interrupted. “Right,” he paused and adjusted the small black rectangular glasses on his face, “so anyways, I asked her where you worked and she told me. Now that I’ve found you I have something to ask you. I am having a small movie night tonight and I want you to come.”

                I stared at the odd man standing in front of me dumbfounded. “You came all this way looking for me, to invite me to a small party of yours?” He nodded happily. I was going to say no but something held me back, maybe I should give him a chance. If things go awry I had pepper spray and I was a track star all throughout high school.

                “Who all will be there?” I asked while scanning a book for a little girl who had shyly tip toed to the desk eyeing Jimmy nervously. “Matt, Zack, and Johnny, oh and Matt’s wife,” he counted on his fingers. As I scanned “Where the Wild Things Are” Jimmy looked at the little girl and smiled, “that’s a cool book you’ll enjoy it.” The little girl smiled back at him then grabbed the book when I handed it to her and skipped away.

                “So no Brian?” I asked. “No Brian,” he clarified.

                That night Jimmy drove to my apartment and picked me up to take me back to his place. I wore a pair of dark skinny jeans, a large half sleeved grey shirt and put my hair in a side braid. Jimmy was wearing a bright red t-shirt black skinny jeans and thin white sneakers, his glasses still on his face. His car smelled like cigarettes and alcohol. That seemed to be a smell that followed him around everywhere.

                “I never would’ve thought you wore glasses,” I stated. “No One Lives Forever” by Oingo Boingo was playing on the radio. “I have for awhile now,” he confirmed while rubbing his chin around his lip piercing. “You like Oingo Boingo?” I asked. “Yeah in fact it’s one of mine and Brian’s favorite bands, we grew up together listening to them,” he answered with a smile on his face. He was always so happy, it confused me, I guess that was just something you had to get used to but I liked Jimmy so I didn’t mind it.