“Want to play?” His dark hair hung over his eyes, but he kept it swept to the side. His arms were thick and muscular, and I imagined he was a football player or something equally as physical.
“I think I’ll just watch for a bit.”
“You want a drink or something?” he asked.
I knew better. I knew Brock would be absolutely livid. But he wasn’t here. He broke his promise of forever. I glanced over my shoulder at Trish, avoiding Abel as I looked back to mystery guy and nodded.
“I’m Delilah.”
“Hey, there, Delilah.” He laughed as he sang the song title, and I fought against rolling my eyes. He was kind of a douche. “I’m James.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“I’ll go grab that drink. Wait here.”
“OK,” I whispered, as he set off toward the kitchen, and I was left awkwardly watching a bunch of drunken strangers play dice. Trish dragged Abel over, and her eyes were lit up like she had just spotted some unattended drugs.
“So?” she asked.
“He seems nice.” I nodded. “He went to get me a drink.”
“He’s a gentleman!” she squealed.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Abel glared down at me.
“What?” Trish and I asked in unison.
“You’re going to let some strange guy pour your drink?”
“He’s not strange. He’s nice,” I replied defensively. I knew I was being stupid, but I was tired of everyone telling me what was best for me.
“Every guy is nice when he’s trying to fuck you,” Abel sneered. My smile fell, and I felt everyone turn to listen to our conversation. “God, you’re like a fucking child. Do I really need to baby‐sit you again?”
James appeared at my side as he looked back and forth between Abel and me with a plastic cup in his hand. “You all right?” he asked, and Abel took the cup from him and placed it on the coffee table.
“She’s fine. This conversation doesn’t concern you.”
“I was asking Delilah.” James didn’t back down from Abel’s menacing tone, but he didn’t look at him either. He kept his eyes locked on mine for an answer.
“You all right, Delilah?” Abel said my name as if it were a curse word, and I flinched, feeling like I’d been physically hit. “Tell you what.” He turned to look at James as he picked up the cup. “Why don’t you drink this, James?”
“I got my own, man. What’s your fucking problem?”
Abel’s eyes met mine, a faint smile on his lips, as if he had proven his point. “What’s my problem?” He repeated the words as his eyes searched mine.
“I’m fine. I have to go. You’re welcome to join me, James.” I looked at Trish, who seemed completely confused, then up to Abel, who was ready for a fight. I shoved past him and worked my way toward the front door with James trailing behind me. I was out in the warm night air before the sadness rose, and I wished I hadn’t told James to follow me.
“What the hell was that?” he asked, as he pointed over his shoulder to the house.
“Just a…misunderstanding.” I shook my head as I ran my hand over my forehead. “Can you take me home?”
“Of course.” He smirked, and my stomach turned.
James pulled a set of keys from his pocket and hit a button on the key chain. A car across the street beeped, and the lights flashed, signaling it was now unlocked.
I crossed the street and didn’t give a second thought to slipping into the passenger seat. Abel appeared on the porch of the house, and when he saw us, he ran across the road.
“I just want to go to my place,” I told James, who still had his door open. “Alone.”
“Oh, come on, baby. The night is young.”
“Get out of the fucking car, Lie.” Abel was next to James’s door, his jaw clenched in anger.
“She wants to go home with me, bro. Better luck next time,” James shot back, but Abel ignored him, glancing around his side to see my face.
“Is this really what you want?” Abel asked, and I glanced at James. I sat back in my seat and turned to look out the front window.
“Take me home, James.”
“Don’t worry, man. I’ll call you later.” James closed the door, and his comment didn’t make any sense. I turned to him, confusion written on my face as he flipped through his keys.
“What do you mean ‘call him later’? You know him?”
James laughed and shook his head as he stuck the key in the ignition. “Everyone knows Abel.”
It dawned on me that James probably was referring to buying drugs from him, and I’d wished I hadn’t been so fucking stubborn and had listened for once. As the headlights came on and illuminated Abel, my eyes were drawn to the shiny metal object in his right hand.