Chapter 7

  Safety Dance

  A few isoted minutes pass while I sip my coffee, prattling around in circles around a circur manga dispy. I spot Brian heading towards me from what I assume is the employee break room.

  “Heya Brooke, I’m gonna pull my truck around, Casey’ll be out in a minute.” He says, looking far more alert than he previously did at the coffee stand.

  Is this store just that mind numbingly slow?

  I watch Brian head out of the front of the store and into the parking lot like he was just given a new lease on life. His steps are almost as confident and firm as mine. I watch for a bit while I chew on my straw and sip at the remnants of ice and coffee. The light jingling and footsteps I’ve come to know as the ‘pink cloud’ approach me from behind.

  She's gonna try and scare me. Good luck goblin.

  Two fingers pinch at my sides from behind, accompanied by a sharp bzzzzt sound effect. I stay still like a denim covered gargoyle.

  “Aaaaaahhh” I say ftly before looking over my shoulder at Casey’s now pouting face.

  “You jerk, that was supposed to scare you.” She whines at me before heading toward the front of the store.

  “You did scare me.” The monotone lie follows Casey out of the store as do I.

  Dropping my empty cup into the trash I stand next to Casey outside of the store and wait for Brian to pull up with his truck. It’s a rather quiet event, standing beside the mildly upset Casey as she picks at her sleeves. There’s still a slight flush to her cheeks.

  What approaches from the far end of the parking lot isn’t what I’d call a three person vehicle. Brian squeals up to the curb in an eggshell white Toyota Tacoma. Second gen. Single cab. Bench seat. Manual. I would never judge a person's vehicle, I rather like this truck. But it’s gonna be a tight squeeze.

  Casey throws her bag in the bed and climbs into the passenger seat first and I climb in after her with a heavy determination. The taco door shuts with an undampened thunk and hips meet hips, nobody is comfortable. It’s a short drive to the mall, all should be fine.

  Crack.

  “Casey move your knee, I have to shift.” Brian compins

  “Where the hell do you want me to move it to, doofus?” She whines back.

  “Literally anywhere else, man.”

  “I’ll move my knee into your face you-“

  Her voice cuts out when my hands grip her waist and with a huff of effort, I lift her onto my p.

  “Safety first. Dudes gotta be able to shift.” I say toward the window, hands still holding firmly on Casey.

  She’s so fucking soft. Warm. Soft and warm. Oh my fucking god why did I do this.

  Casey’s hair brushes against my face as Brian throws the truck in gear and starts rambling about what he’s excited to buy at the mall.

  “I’m gonna get a new gunp kit, I’m gonna get one of those huge pretzels. Maybe even two and…”

  It trails off into background noise as my pulse threatens to burst my eardrums. The goblin currently residing in my p has gone uncharacteristically quiet. I refuse to compin about that. Between her hair sticking to my dark lipstick and the smell of creamy vanil invading my skull, I’m not sure I could handle any more static in my bones.

  A traffic light turns yellow and Brian decides to gun it, he takes the turn a little too fast and I tighten my grip on Casey and wedge my elbow against the door to keep her from turning into a ragdoll against the window. One of her hands nds on mine in what I can only assume is an attempt to steady herself.

  Eventually Brian pulls into a parking space and Casey pops the passenger door open. Her pink boots hit the pavement with an excited thud, her eyes don’t leave the ground, but I can see a hint of a smile behind her hair. Before I get the chance to enjoy the sight any longer, Casey power-walks toward the mall like a soldier on a mission.

  I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and I step out of Brian’s truck. My legs rattle like spooky scary skeletons and I feel like I’m on a swaying boat in the middle of an ocean. I don’t follow Casey to the mall. My heart needs a break and I need to collect myself. I pull out a cigarette and give myself a breather. Click. One long drag and the fog lifts a little, enough to see Brian staring at me with a smirk at least.

  “What’s got you all smiling? You want a smoke or something?” I ask the chauffeur that is Brian

  “Yeah sure, probably best to give Casey a little space for a minute or two.”

  “Yeah? Why’s that?” I ask bluntly while passing him my pack of smokes and lighter.

  “Are you being intentionally slow?” He asks me pointedly after lighting his own cancer stick.

  “And if I am?”

  “If you are, I’d call you a dumbass.”

  “Ouchies. You this friendly to all her friends?”

  “Only the ones that give me a reason to worry.” His tone is firm but not offensive.

  I take a drag on my cigarette and give one more gnce toward the mall and then back to Brian.

  “Do you…” I shake my head and toss my cigarette to the ground and head toward the mall. More thoughts weighing on my mind than I care to admit.

  “Brooke, I’m being serious. Don’t be a dick.” He says before I even get past the front bumper.

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

  “Brian, I don’t know you, you don’t know me. I barely know anything about Casey, she barely knows anything about me. I ain’t good at this friend shit, but… the st thing I want to do is upset that little pink thing you call a sister.”

  There’s a moment of mutual eye contact, he’s sizing me up.

  “She doesn’t like the sweet pretzels. Contrary to her coffee order, she likes the salted ones. With mustard, not cheese.”

  I purse my lips in thought. This is the closest I’ll get to Brian’s approval for now, I’ll take it.