A driveway full of cars was not something I expected when I pulled into Lisa's after work. The golf course had gotten so busy that I'd only stopped to give them drinks one more time on the sixteenth hole. He hadn't texted me again all day. My stomach knotted up nervously. Was this it? Had his brief moment of sweetness after taking my virginity faded away so soon?
I had to park out on the edge of the road. Closing my truck door, I started the trek to the door.
"You don't want to go in there," Bambam's familiar voice said in the darkness. I looked around and saw a small orange glow fall to the ground then get put out under a boot before Bambam stepped out of his hiding spot.
"Do you come to these parties to hang around outside?" I asked, since this was the second time I'd arrived at a party here to find Bambam outside alone.
"I can't seem to quit smoking. Lisa thinks I've stopped. So I hide out here when I need a smoke," he explained.
"Smoking will kill you," I told him, remembering all the smokers that I'd watched slowly dying when I took my mother to chemo treatments.
"That's what they tell me," he replied with a sigh.
I looked back at the house and heard the music pouring out of it. "I didn't know there was a party tonight," I said, hoping the disappointment in my voice didn't come through.
Bambam laughed and leaned a hip against a Volvo. "Isn't there always a party here?"
No, there wasn't. After last night I thought Lisa would have called me or texted me. "I guess I just wasn't expecting it."
"I don't think Lisa was either. This is a Somi party. She sprung it on him. The girl has always managed to get away with murder where Lisa is concerned. I got my ass kicked by Lisa more than once growing up because I didn't fall for her wounded puppy shit."
I walked over to lean against the Volvo beside him and crossed my arms. "So you grew up with Somi, too?" I needed something. Any kind of explanation.
Bambam cut his eyes at me. "Yeah. Of course. Lucy is her momma. Only parent she's got. Well..." Bambam pushed off from the Volvo and shook his head. "Nope. You almost had me. I can't tell you shit, Jennie. Honestly when someone does I don't want to be anywhere around."
Bambam stalked back toward the house.
I watched him until he was back inside before I made my way to the house. I prayed no one was in my room. If they were I was going to the pantry. I was not in the mood for Somi. Or the secrets surrounding Somi that everyone but me was allowed to know. I sure wasn't in the mood for Lisa.
I opened the door and was glad that no one was standing around to see me arrive. I headed straight for the stairs. Laughter and voices filled the house. I didn't fit in with them. There was no use in going down there and acting like I did.
I glanced at the door leading to Lisa's stairs and let last night's memories wash over me. I was beginning to think that was a one-time thing. I opened my door and stepped in before I turned on the light.
I covered my mouth from the scream that bubbled up when I realized I wasn't alone. It was Lisa. He was sitting on my bed looking out the window. He stood up when I closed the door and walked over to me.
"Hey," he said in a soft voice.
"Hey," I replied, unsure as to why he was in my room when he had a house full of people. "What are you doing in here?"
He gave me a crooked smile. "Waiting on you. I kinda thought that was obvious."
Smiling, I ducked my head. His eyes could be too much sometimes. "I can see that. But you have guests."
