“You leaving already?” Kendra asks.
I nod. “I have a lot of reading to do. But it was fun to hang out,” I say, and I mean it. I haven’t hung out with some of these girls in…well, ever really.
“You should come to Club Five next weekend. It’ll be fun,” Kendra insists.
“I will, if I can,” I reply. I look around and see that Anthony and Jimmy are nowhere to be seen. I call for a car and quickly make my way to the door. Clark’s back is turned to me as he talks to someone. I grab a napkin and waitress’s pen from his table and write him a note.
Clark,
I’m sorry. I was out of line. You didn’t deserve that.
I leave it there and rush out before he sees me. The night air is a little chilly for September. I wrap my arms around myself.
“Well, if it isn’t little Megan Lennox,” I hear a voice say and a chill runs through my body. I look to my right and see Anthony Allen leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette. I have no idea what he’s been up to since he graduated high school. I take that back. I had heard rumors that he dropped out of college and was now working in an autobody place somewhere around here.
I glance at my phone hoping the car I ordered will get here in the next ten seconds. Two minutes away. Damn.
“Anthony,” I acknowledge and look away. I feel him step toward me but the door to the bar opens and a large crowd of people walk out. They chat for a moment before walking away. I glance at my phone. One more minute until the car is here.
“Why are you here all alone?” he asks.
He’s close behind me because I smell his gross cologne. I nearly heave just from the scent. I’m about to say something when the door opens again. I turn and look past Anthony. It’s Clark.
“You need a ride, Meg?” he asks as he looks from Anthony to me.
I shake my head and hold up my phone, showing him the app that says the car will be here in thirty seconds.
Anthony sneers at me and walks back inside the bar.
“You OK?” Clark asks me.
I nod.
“Thanks for the note,” he says as a car pulls up for me.
“Thanks for…the dance,” I reply. He opens the car door for me, letting me get in before he closes it. We stare at each other without saying a word, yet an entire conversation passes between us. I watch him disappear from sight as the driver pulls out onto the street, taking me home and away from the one man that drives me crazy in good and bad ways.
Chapter Seven
Clark
“We’ll be in touch,” Curtis Gilmer says as he shakes my hand.
“Thanks again,” I add as I make my way out of the room. I weave back through the corridors to the front desk. I sign out and head to my car.
I haven’t even gotten my seat belt on when my phone blows up. I look down to see the family chat.
Mom: How’d it go, sweetie?
Dad: Text us when you finish. I heard they only interviewed ten candidates for six spots. Those are some good odds.
Kent: Are you on the mission to Mars?
Di: You’re a jackass, KJ. I hope you got it, lil’ bro.
Lanie: I’m sure you did great.
Kylie: If you wore that ridiculous green tie, so help me God, I will track you down and murder you.
Kent: Damn, Kyles.
Kylie: I told him red. The power red is the only acceptable choice.
Di: Maybe you should have gone down there to play dress-up with our brother.
Lanie: OMG, remember when Kylie dressed C-Dog for the first day of school?
Kent: (laughing emoji)
Mom: Aw. He was so cute.
Dad: Kathy, he looked like a clown dressed as a cartoon character. She put red lipstick on him, and it took me thirty minutes to wipe it off because I couldn’t find your makeup remover.
Lanie: Dying.
Di: Please tell me we still have those photos.
Mom: Of course, I do.
Kent: I’ll be stopping by later to get copies of those.
Me: The interview is over. I should hear by next week. And people who share embarrassing family photos get stitches, pretty boy.
I put my phone down because if I don’t, I’ll have to handle the barrage of family texts, and right now, I need to decompress. Cranking up my latest favorite jam, I sing along as I drive back to my apartment. I’ve done all I can. Now, I just wait.
My phone pings as I pull into my parking spot near the front door of my complex. I don’t recognize the number, but as I go to delete it, I see the message.
Unknown: Hi, Clark. It’s Meg. I got your number from Evan. I hope you don’t mind. I just wanted to say good luck with your interview today.
I stare at my phone for a long moment unsure of what to do. Never in a million years would I think that Meg would text me. Especially after last weekend’s mess.
I save her contact number under the name “Megladon” before I type my reply.
Me: Thanks, Meg. I hope yours went well too. Best of luck.
There, I think. That’s a very grown-up, mature response. I walk up to my apartment and my phone pings again.
Lanie: Uncle C-Dog, are you available for a sleepover at Mom and Dad’s? This is Ash BTW.
I laugh. My sister refuses to get my nephew a phone no matter how much he pouts about it. Since it’s Friday, and besides hitting up some house parties tonight, I don’t have any real plans, I grab my things.
Me: Uncle C-Dog is en route. See you tonight, buddy.
I text Evan and Grif. Both of them have dates tonight, so I’m sure our apartment will be some sort of love shack later.
I turn up my music and drive to my parents’ house. Thoughts about Meg keep popping in my mind as I steer myself home on autopilot.
As I pull into my parents’ driveway, I don’t miss that Meg’s car is parked at her parents’ house. I wonder why she’s home. I’ve seen her car parked there off and on over the years. And on rare occasions, I’ve even seen her coming and going from the house. I wonder if I should go knock on the door and say hello, but that thought is cut short when Ash runs out of the house.
“Uncle C-Dog! I got all the bases out for kickball and Grandma made cookies and she said I can stay up until ten and watch that new movie I told you about and we can sleep in the bonus room in sleeping bags,” Ash says in rapid-fire.
“Whoa, little dude. Calm thyself. We have all night. But you are missing the most important thing we need to do,” I say, pausing for effect. “We need to ruin dinner with ice cream. Come on, double scoops are on me.”
“Yes!” Ash says jumping in the air with a fist pump. I toss my stuff in the back hall and we walk several blocks to Main Street to get enormous ice cream scoops in giant waffle cones. I try to pay attention as Ash fills me in on life as a kid in Banneker. He continues his nonstop monologue the entire walk back home, during our game of kickball, during dinner, after dinner, while we watch the movie, and even when we get into sleeping bags. I’m relieved when the kid falls asleep within ten minutes.
After tossing and turning, I decide I’m too fucking old for sleeping on the floor and I head up to my room.
I can see Meg’s bedroom light on as I lie in my bed. It’s just like old times. The time when we used to be friends.
“Clark? You awake?”
I roll over and stare at the walkie-talkie. I press the talk button.