Under Shadow: Chapter 28
Najia tossed her empty beer can down on the tiled floor as she searched the aisles for something that tasted better. She needed an excuse to stretch her legs and get away for a moment. She eyed the daiquiri mixed and contemplated the difficulty in crafting such a beverage when she heard shuffling behind her. She turned to see Shane trudging over to her side, bending down to examine the cases of beer.
“Out already?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Just stocking up.”
Najia fingered the old, dusty price labels absentmindedly. Her head was already buzzing. She really didn’t need to drink any more. Maybe she would just crawl into the car and sleep the night away.
“Sam your new buddy?”
Najia turned to him but he continued to stare at the warm cases of beer.
“Is Leah yours?”
“Do you have a problem?”
“Do you?”
Shane straightened and sighed. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“We don’t even know him,” he said. “I wouldn’t be so quick to share your secrets with him.”
“I don’t exactly have any secrets,” Najia muttered.
“Whatever,” Shane slurred. “You know what I mean.”
“Not really.”
“The kid held a gun to my head.”
“Oh, poor Shane,” Najia mocked. “Like it’s not the first time you’ve looked Death in the face.”
“If I’m going down,” he said abruptly, “I’ll be damned if it’s by some kid who doesn’t even know the difference between a Glock and a Ruger.”
“Doesn’t matter what he knows as long as he knows where the trigger is,” Najia reminded him.
“Exactly. He could shoot anyone, any time, even by mistake, and that’s not a chance I’m willing to take.”
“Since when do you care if someone gets their brains blown to bits?”
“I don’t care, as long as it’s not you.”
“Oh.” Najia stared at the beer cases in front of her. She pointed to one at random. “How about that one?”
Shane huffed to himself and picked up the case. The make-shift cardboard handle ripped instantly and the cans tumbled and rolled across the floor.
“Fuckin’ dammit,” Shane muttered, kicking at a stray can. It bounced off the far wall and began spraying.
“Just get another one,” Najia said.
“I don’t want another,” Shane practically yelled.
“Alright,” Najia muttered, turning away. “Fine, Crybaby.”
Shane’s hand pulled at her shoulder and before she knew it, his lips were hard on hers. Najia stiffened but did not pull away until Shane did first. Her head spun as she stared blankly at him.
“What was that?” she asked softly.
Shane turned his back to her and grabbed another case of beer. Najia watched as he hoisted it into his arms and walked it down the aisle.
“Are you pleased with yourself?” Najia said, running after him.
“Should I be?”
“You can’t just go kissing whoever the hell you want.”
Shane shrugged and kept walking.
“I want it back,” Najia stammered.
Shane stopped, turned to her, and smiled. “Yeah?”
“No,” she said quickly. “No. Go away. You’re best friend’s waiting for you.”
“My best friend is dead,” Shane snapped.
“You’re trashed,” Najia hissed.
“Good.” Shane turned again and started walking. “You’re a shitty kisser.”
*****
Najia stared at the roof of the car. She was sprawled out in the back seat. She had half expected to see the sun streaming through the window. She turned to see two bodies sleeping soundly in the front seat. She pushed herself up and winced; her head was pounding. She drank more than she realized, but at least her stomach was still.
She stumbled out of the car and closed the door as quietly as she could. There was a fire going and Marlon and Gil stood with their coffee in hand. They looked up and smiled as she approached.
“What time is it?” she groaned.
“’Round five,” Marlon said.
“Who am I sleeping with?” The more important question.
Gil laughed. “Leah and Abigail.”
Najia sighed, relieved. “I don’t remember going to bed.”
“Leah put you to bed,” Marlon told her. “After you told her how much you hated men.”
“Oh.”
“They’re dick-weasels, as you put it,” Gil said.
Najia smiled apologetically.
“You also said we were best friends forever,” Leah’s voice said from behind Najia. She wrapped her arm around Najia’s shoulder.
“Sounds about right,” Najia muttered.
“’S’okay,” Leah said. “I could always use a BFF. And someone’s gotta take care of your drunk ass.”
“It won’t happen again.”
Leah smiled. “’Course not. But if you ever need me to kick someone’s ass, I’ll do it.”
“At least I have one friend in this hell hole.”
Leah pushed a bottle of pain killers into Najia’s hand. “We’ve got a coast to reach,” she reminded her. “If we get moving soon, we could be there by tomorrow.”
*****
Najia avoided Shane who in turn seemed to avoid her. Najia climbed into the car with Leah, Abigail, and Penny as they continued their journey to the coast.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Leah asked, looking in the rear view mirror at Najia.
“About what?”
“Why we hate men?”
“Oh.” Najia looked out the window. “No. It was stupid.”
“It’s okay,” Abigail said. “We can all hate men. They’re not exactly the brightest beings.”
“Did Shane do something?” Leah asked, narrowing her eyes in the mirror. “You warned me he was trouble.”
“You two seemed pretty friendly last night,” Najia muttered.
“Ah, that was just the booze talking,” Leah said, turning her eyes back to the dark road.
“Yeah, well, booze does a lot more than talk.”
Leah’s eyes flashed to the mirror once more. “What did he do? I’ll neuter him.”
Najia shook her head. “You don’t have to do that. That’s where his damn brain is.”
“So, it’ll kill him,” Abigail said. “What’s the problem?”
“What did he do?” Leah pressed.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Talk.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“It was to you last night.”
“That was the booze,” Najia pointed out.
“Something happened,” Abigail said. “They’ve been avoiding each other all morning.”
“If he so much as touched you-”
“Stop,” Najia shouted. She felt her face heat up in the darkness. “It was just a kiss,” she muttered.
“A good kiss?” Penny asked.
“No,” Najia said quickly. “I don’t know. I don’t remember. What does it matter? He was drunk.”
“Probably because Sam was flirting with you,” Leah said casually.
“Sam was not flirting with me.”
“Oh, please,” Abigail said.
“Men have such a dominance issue,” Leah continued. “Everyone wants to be the big dick in town.”
“They’re big babies with huge jealousy issues,” Abigail confirmed.
“No one has jealousy issues,” Najia muttered.
“Well, if it’s not a big deal,” Leah started, “then you should both be able to forget about it and move on. Just a little drunken mishap, hm?”
“Sure.”
“What if it was more?” Penny asked.
“Do you think his ego is too big to admit it?” Abigail said.
“Shane’s an arrogant ass that thrives off of making people feel shittier than he does,” Leah said.
“So?”
Leah turned to Abigail. “Oh, I don’t know, I thought we were just making fun on Shane. What were we talking about?”
“It wasn’t anything more,” Najia said. “Not to me, anyway.”
“Right,” Leah said with a nod. “So, fuck that guy.”
“Not literally, though,” Abigail said.
Leah shook her head. “Who cares what he thinks?”
“He’s an idiot if he thinks he has a chance with anyone,” Abigail said.
“Exactly.” Leah met Najia’s gaze in the mirror. “How’s that? Do I ace at being a BFF or what?”
