The Beginning of Us (23 page)

“I guess he’s okay. We haven’t really talked for a while. Last I heard, he moved out of the apartment and is living somewhere closer to the city with some friends,” I say nonchalantly.

“Hmmm, okay, I’ll let it slide for now,” Kylee says giving me a weird look. A look that told me, ‘you’re not telling me something and I’m going to get you drunk and get it out of you’. I don’t like that look. That particular look has worked in the past, very well, might I add.

“Mira, Danny is totally in love with you. Don’t you see the way he looks at you? I see the way you look at him,” Kylee said to me as we were leaving the off campus pool hall.

We had just met Danny and Skylar there for a couple of beers and a game of pool. The owner was pretty cool and didn’t second guess our fake ID’s. We go there every couple of weeks to blow off steam.

“Kylee, he doesn’t look at me any kind of way. We’re friends, nothing more,” I said.

“Yeah. Okay. I almost believe that. You never see it, do you? Boys look at you like you’re the only girl in the room. If I didn’t know that I was a total knockout, I would be uber jealous of you,” Kylee said, trying to make the conversation less uncomfortable for me.

“Whatever you say, Ky. You must need a new prescription for your contacts, because your sight is totally off on this one,” I joked back with her.

“Uh huh,” Kylee said with a look in her eyes that I knew would end up being trouble down the road. “The guys had to leave to study for a quiz in Professor Jamison’s class tomorrow. Why don’t we get a few more beers before we go home? We don’t have classes tomorrow.”

“Alright, I don’t see the harm. As long as you promise we can walk home,” I said.

In Michigan, there is nothing better than the fall. There is no greater feeling than going to a party with a huge bonfire. Hoodies, jeans, and sneakers are a requirement around these parts.

After more than a few beers, I was feeling wonderful. I had a great buzz. I wasn’t drunk or anything, but I was right at the point where your face kind of goes numb and you feel on top of the world. I love that feeling.

“So, Mi, about Danny. What’s going on there, sunshine?” Kylee asked me again. I remembered answering this question earlier, but probably because of the alcohol, I decided to give her a little more of what she was looking for.

“Oh Ky, he’s amazing. He’s so sweet. Danny is always opening doors, pulling out chairs, getting the bar tab and telling me I’m beautiful,” I gushed. “When we left the party the other night, he kissed me.”

Now I have been kissed before. I never really had any boyfriends or anything, but I had a few guy friends. Most girls practice kissing with their girlfriends, I do things outside the box. My first kiss was from a boy named Jason. He was a football stud and we were juniors in high school.

I kissed a few other boys after Jason, but nothing too exciting. But this kiss with Danny? WOW! It took the oxygen right out of my body. I felt like I was floating.

“I knew it. You little tramp. How are you going to hold out on your best friend?”

“I didn’t know it was such a big deal. It’s not like we’re dating or anything,” I rebutted.

“Mark my words, Mira Rae Adams, you’re going to marry that boy one day. I can see it as clear as day,” Kylee proclaimed.

I just laughed and shook my head at her.

Now I remember what I thought about that look she gave me earlier. Came back and bit me in the ass.

“We should grab dinner before we go out tonight. How does going downtown sound?” Kylee asks.

I haven’t been downtown in a long time, probably since before Danny passed. “Sure, we’ll get dolled up, go to dinner and maybe hit a bar,” I respond.

“I don’t really want to get all fancy. Maybe we can hit one of the Greek restaurants by the casino and then walk to a bar somewhere in Greektown?” Kylee asks.

“Fine by me. Give me an hour and I’ll be ready.”

Chapter Eight

Mira

Even though I was a little excited to get dressed up, Kylee was right. The weather was getting cooler. I recently bought a brand new LBD, little black dress, and thought it would look perfect for a night on the town, but I probably would freeze my ass of wearing it. I opt for my favorite grey skinny jeans instead. I match the jeans with a shiny purple shirt that only has one sleeve, leaving me in a strapless bra for the night. Even though it was cooler out, it was bound to be warm in a bar or restaurant.

I walk down the stairs to find Kylee in the living room getting her clutch ready for the night. Us Michigan girls do it right. We carry giant catch-all bags during the day and the cutest clutch purses at night.

Making sure I have the necessities in my clutch; license, credit card, cash, lip gloss and a condom, just in case, a gal can never be over prepared, I walk toward the couch where Kylee is sitting.

Kylee is wearing an outfit similar to mine; skinny jeans and a sexy, but not too sexy top. She decided to match her outfit with a sparkly pair of black six-inch heels. I, on the other hand, decide to be a little more practical. Knowing we were going to be walking around Greektown, I chose a cute pair of black and purple ballet flats that match this outfit perfectly.

“Ready, sexy,” I call out to Kylee.

“Let me check my hair, and I’m good to go,” Kylee says while walking to the full-length mirror in the hallway. “Damn I look good. Detroit boys, eat your hearts out.”

“There she is, ladies and gentlemen. The modest Kylee Anderson,” I joke as we walk out the door.

The ride downtown doesn’t take long, maybe twenty minutes. We decide to park in the casino parking garage knowing as long as we go into the casino, we can get our parking validated. Plus, it’s the safest parking you can find in the city at this time of night.

We choose a cute little Greek restaurant right outside the casino. We eat a wonderful meal and laugh about old stories. We even played a little game of ‘remember so and so from that place’. It was the best time I’ve had in a long time. I didn’t realize how much I missed Kylee until now. Talking on the phone and Facebooking just isn’t the same as sitting down face to face. I make a mental note to figure out a way to solve this problem at another time.

We walk over to the casino to get our parking validated right after dinner, checking that off of our to-do list for the evening. I was never really into gambling, but I stand by while Kylee feeds a few dollars into a quarter slot machine. Of course with her luck, she wins a hundred dollars on her third go round.

“Drinks are on me, pretty lady,” Kylee says with a huge grin on her face. Of course I accept at the time, knowing that we were going to drink well over a hundred dollars worth. Especially since we’re drinking downtown.

We walk around, still laughing and joking, for about twenty more minutes before we come across a bar by the police department.

“How about this one? Do you get a good feeling about it, Lady Luck?” I ask.

“Let’s do it. There are some pretty awesome bikes parked out here. Maybe I’ll end up someone’s biker babe before the night is out,” she says laughing and walking towards the entrance.

There were quite a few motorcycles parked on the sidewalk in front of the bar. I hesitantly walk in behind her, not wanting to get any unwanted attention by some burly bikers. I do not want to be someone’s biker babe tonight. Shit, I don’t ever want to end up a frizzy haired blond wearing an American flag as a bathing suit. Maybe I watched too many 90’s music videos growing up.

“Mi, over here. I found us a table,” Kylee yells from across the crowed bar.

There are so many people in this bar. Looking around, there are about fifteen flat screen TV’s posted in each conceivable direction. It looks like some sort of game is on. Oh, that’s right; the Red Wings are playing tonight. That explains the heavy traffic in the bar at only ten at night.

The waitress comes over and to take our drink orders. Kylee and I always order the same thing. Cotton candy vodka and sprite with a lime on the side. It was kind of our signature drink in college. Neither one of us can stand the taste of alcohol but the cotton candy flavor masks it. But you have to be careful, these things are so yummy, they sneak up on you quick.

“I hope this game is over soon. The sign on the door says they have a great DJ on Friday nights. I’m in the mood to dance,” Kylee says, taking a sip of her drink.

“That would be nice. I’m in the mood to dance too,” I say back to her.

After another forty-five minutes and three more drinks each, the game is over. The fans start to pay their tabs and leave, which is great. Now we can see a little more of the place. The bar is nice. It isn’t huge like most downtown bars and it has a cozy kind of atmosphere. That is until the college kids from U of D Mercy start coming in the doors.

Girls wearing next to nothing and guys have pants sagging off their asses. Oh hell, what did we get ourselves into?

After all the sports fans leave the bar, the DJ sets up fairly quickly. He puts on a catchy song. Rihanna was singing about birthday cake and it seems that all the college girls like this song. I’m only twenty-four but it seems that I’m going to join the dance floor with a bunch of young immature girls that only want to grind their asses on the closest crotch they can find.

“Mira, come on, let’s dance. I love this song,” Kylee says as she grabs my hand and pulls me toward the dance floor.

I grab my drink and carry it with me on the dance floor.
I am not getting roofied tonight, boys
, I think to myself.

We’re dancing and laughing. One song bleeds into the next. I easily keep rhythm during the changes of the songs along with Kylee. The little girls didn’t do so well. It looks like the younger they are the less they can tolerate their booze. Thankfully Kylee and I perfected our ratio of dancing to drinking, giving us the perfect buzz and enough courage to break it down on the dance floor.

I’m seductively swaying my hips to another hip hop song with my drink in my right hand that’s in the air when I see him.  

Skylar was sitting at a table with a group, of what appeared to be, bikers. There were three other guys at the table, all looking just as scary as Skylar. He has totally changed. In college, Skylar always wore fitted jeans and fitted shirts. I know all too well what that boy is packing under all of those clothes. Now, Skylar is wearing a pair of loose faded jeans, white sneakers and a plain white tee shirt. He’s also wearing a black leather vest, the same as the other guys.

I try to get a little closer without being totally obvious and having Kylee question what I’m doing. When I move around to the other side of the dance floor, I see his vest has a patch on back. “What the hell is Hooliganz,” I say aloud to myself.

“What did you say?” Kylee asks.

“Um, oh, nothing. Just talking to myself,” I say back to her and try to move her to the other side of the dance floor.

Kylee squints in Skylar’s direction. Her eyes go big and I know she recognizes him.

“Skylar McBride? Holy shit, is that you?” Kylee asks as she leaves me on the dance floor and runs over to the table.

“Well if it isn’t Kylee fucking Anderson, in the flesh,” Skylar says as he picks her up in a giant hug. He spins her around once before setting her back on the ground.

“Mira, get your ass over here. It’s Sky,” Kylee yells.

Skylar looks at me and his eyes go from excited to angry so quickly I’m scared to go over to the table. Knowing I can’t back down, I place my empty glass on a nearby table and walk over toward them.

“Hey Sky, how are you?”

“I’m good, Mira, how are you?”

“I’m doing well. Working a lot, but I can’t complain,” I say.

I’m really not in the mood to re-hash all that went wrong with Skylar and me, so I decide to take drink orders and head toward the bar. This is a thankful reprieve from what could go terribly wrong, but the more I think about it, I begin to panic. I left an intoxicated nosey Kylee alone with Skylar. There is no way she’s not going to get the dirt on me now. Shit.

As I make my way back from the bar, drinks in tow, I recognize another familiar face.

“Jacoby, is that you?” I say, walking toward a guy that looks almost identical to my boss from his side profile.

“Hey Mira, how are you? Are you and your friend out for a night on the town?” Jacoby asks, with a little bit of a slur in his voice.
Someone has had a couple drinks
, I think to myself as I get closer and can smell the whiskey on his breath.

“Yeah, my girlfriend Kylee and I, who’s around here somewhere, decided to come down for dinner and drinks.”

“Why don’t you and your friend come and have a drink or a shot with me and my friend?”

“Um, are you sure we wouldn’t be imposing?” I ask, a little unsure of the situation. In a professional social setting, it’s okay to have a drink or two with a co-worker or a boss. I’m dressed a little too sexy for this to be professional.

“Really Mira? Get your friend and come on back. We never pass up an opportunity to have drinks with beautiful women such as yourselves.”

Well, hell. This night out just took another unexpected turn.

“Yeah sure, let me run and find Kylee and drop these drinks off. I’ll be right back,” I say before my brain can process that I just agreed to have casual, non professional drinks with my boss who just inadvertently called me beautiful.

I carefully carry the drinks back to where Kylee and Skylar are standing. Placing the drinks on the table, I turn to Kylee who gives me a puzzled look. I really don’t like when Kylee gives these looks. And even more than the looks, I hate that I know what the looks mean. That look means ‘yeah bitch you’re busted’.

“Kylee, I have some friends on the other end of the bar who want to have a drink or two with us. Do you want to go or do you want to stay here?” I ask her, not making eye contact with Skylar.