Page 21 of Ride or Die
“Right now,” Hollywood asks Rascal.
“Yeah, right now. Unless you’re too scared you’ll lose,” Rascal says.
"Me? Scared? Never." Hollywood sets his cue stick down and goes to rack the balls. I put my cue stick back on the rack and sit at one of the pub tables. Sketch sits across from me. This should be interesting. Hollywood likes to believe he's the shit at everything. Rascal is about to knock him down a peg or two. I don't know much about Rascal, but one thing I do know is how good at pool he is. He doesn't brag about his skills like Hollywood does. Lolita walks up as Hollywood is taking the first shot. He sees her and fucks his shot up.
"All that talk and this is how you start out?" Rascal laughs.
"Fuck off." Hollywood is trying to avoid watching Lolita now.
"Can I get y'all something to drink," Lolita asks Sketch and me.
"I'll take a Bud Light," Sketch tells her.
"Make it two," I say.
"You got it." She gives us a smile and walks back to the bar. Rascal sinks three balls before missing. Hollywood proves to be better than expected. Lucky for him, it's Rascal's turn when Lolita brings mine and Sketch's drinks back. She drops them off and quickly walks away again.
"The fuck was that about," Sketch asks. Hollywood shrugs.
"Who knows," he says. Hollywood goes to take his next shot, sinking the remaining balls until he only has the eight ball left.
"Eight ball, left corner pocket," he calls his shot but barely misses it, giving Rascal another chance. "Fuck."
Rascal sinks his last ball, calls his shot and sinks the 8 ball.
"You've gotten better," Rascal tells Hollywood. Hollywood slaps a ten into Rascal's hand and sulks. Sketch jumps up and grabs a cue stick and Rascal takes his place at the table. I guess we'll be playing for a while now.
14
Cali
“Well that was weird,”Lolita says after Ryan walked away. I shrug and she goes into talking about something that happened at Rosie’s. I stop listening after a while and my thoughts drift to Ryan. She said he’s been more broody than normal and I can’t help but wonder if his attitude changed after our conversation the other night. Once Lolita finishes her story, I decide to go back to Minx’s house.
“I’m going to head back to Minx’s. I’ll see you later tonight,” I tell Lolita.
“Oh! Are you coming to the club party?”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure.” I give her a small smile.
“It’s gonna be so much fun! Go, rest, get ready. Do whatever you need to do,” she says while shooing me away. I laugh as I walk away. I open the door to go outside and walk right into Mouse.
“Woah, slow down there,” he laughs out.
“I’m sorry, Mouse.”
“No need to apologize. You’re lucky one of us was watching where they were going.” He winks at me. “You headed back to the house?”
“Yeah,” I reply.
“I’ll walk you there. You can never be too safe,” he says.
“Thanks, I appreciate that.”
“Anytime. Plus, Buster would have my ass if I let anything happen to you.” He smirks.
“He’s not that worried about me, is he?” I glance at Mouse and he rolls his eyes.
“From what I’ve seen and heard, yeah, he is.”
