Page 30 of Lucy
I liked that light in her eyes way too much for it to be healthy. She was like a drug and I hadn’t even taken a hit.
“Yes, Hush. Of course. Plus, I like knowing I’m the only one you’ll talk to.”
“Who said I’m talking to you after tonight?” I laughed and got out. When I opened her door she hopped down and ran her fingers through her thick brown hair.
“Oh, you will. I’m addictive like that.” She already knew she was trouble. I didn’t have to say a thing.
When we walked in, everything was silent. We must have been the last customers but they treated us like we were the first. We got extra fried fish and hush puppies and the guy waiting on our table told Lucy he’d bring her however many whiskeys she wanted.
“Since you won’t tell me your real name can you at least tell me why they call you Hush?” She popped a piece of fried fish in her mouth and I watched her lips. They were so full. They were even fuller up close. I usually looked at Lucy from afar.
I wasn’t a stalker or anything but she was the only girl that caught my eye. She moved to her own tune. I liked her tune even though I didn’t understand it most of the time.
“I’m quiet,” I shrugged and drank the water placed in front of me.
“Obviously. Is that it?” She asked.
“Not exactly,” I exhaled and paused a few beats. “I used to have a reputation for knocking motherfuckers out on the first hit.” She finished her second glass of whiskey and her eyes got wide.
“Like the creep at work the other night? You hit him once and he was out.”
“Yeah. Like that,” I nodded. “I don’t do stuff like that anymore.”
“Well yeah, I understand why. Thank you for that, Hush.”
“Like I was going to watch that happen and not do anything? You don’t have to thank me, okay?” She looked at me and smirked.
“Okay…” She grew quiet for a few seconds. “You know I don’t follow directions, right? I mean we’ve worked together for a year so I’m gonna assume you know something about me.” She was right. I knew something about her. I knew more than something. I knew she was like the wind and that was enough.
“Heard-headed.”
“Don’t go back to that one-word shit.”
“Hard-headed is a hyphenated compound word,” I pointed out. Lucy rolled her eyes and groaned.
“God, you’re smart too. It’s still one word though. Notice how you said word and not words? See? Proved my point.” She swirled the brown liquor around the ice cubes then knocked the rest of it back.
“Yeah, okay. You have a drinking problem,” I blurted. Lucy paused and stared at me.
“Bite me, Hush.”
“Call it like I see it. Stop that shit. You’re hiding from something.”
“I think I liked you better when you didn’t talk.”
That’s why I didn’t talk. I didn’t have much of a filter, so it was either fuck up friendships and have everyone think I was an asshole or say nothing and have people think I was mute. I liked the second option better.
“Okay, I can shut up,” I shrugged.
“Stop being so sensitive. I was playing. You’re just…”
“Honest?” I asked, lifting my brow.
“You’re something, Hush.”
“And you’re an alcoholic.”
“I’m fun too,” she smiled mischievously. She was drunk. I shook my head and stood up. “You’re ready to go?” She whined.
