Page 3 of Switchin' Lanes
1
Tink
Four months later
Today isone of my days off from working at Big Shots and the clubhouse. Sundays and Mondays are my weekends. Normally, I’d be hanging out with Diesel or Lolita and Marley, but right now, I’m getting my hair done. Aria, Clutch’s Ol’ Lady, works at a salon. She’s dying my ashy blonde hair a pale pink.
“Girl, this is going to look hot!” Aria tells me.
“I can’t wait to see it.”
“I bet Diesel will love it.” She smirks at me in the mirror. “Are you two an item yet?”
“No, we’re just friends.” The words come from my mouth, but even I don’t believe them. I’ve had feelings for Diesel for a while. Though, I also have feelings for Hollywood, even though things are strained between us. It’s why I’ve never acted on my feelings. I haven’t been able to choose between them. They both mean too much to me for me to lose one.
Though, after mine and Hollywood’s conversation a few months ago, I’m pretty sure I’ve already lost him.
The new year is only a few short days away and I have yet to talk to Hollywood. I’ve given him space like Diesel suggested we do, but I can’t sit by any longer. Ineedanswers. Before I left my house, I called Minx to make sure Hollywood was at the clubhouse. She let me know he’s been in his room, so this is the perfect time to go talk to him.
It’s Monday so most everyone is working. I walk straight to his room and knock on the door. His face falls when he opens the door.
“What are you doin’ here, Tink?”
“Is that a serious question?”
He turns around, moving back into his room and I follow, closing the door behind me.
“What’s going on, Hollywood? Why are you acting like this?”
“I told you on Thanksgiving. I’m over it, I’m done.”
“Quit bullshitting me. We’ve been friends since freshman year of high school. Why are you pushing Diesel and me away?”
“I care about y’all too much. It’s better this way.” He doesn’t make eye contact with me, looking anywhere but at me. “Look at it this way, now you don’t have to choose. You can be with D.”
I’m dumbfounded by his words, as my heart sinks.
“I don’t expect y’all to understand but if y’all care like you say you do, you’ll respect my choice.”
Tears well in my eyes. I turn and walk out of the room without another word.
“You know, by the way Diesel watches you, I’d say he definitely wants to be more than friends.” Aria’s words bring me back to the present. I choose to smile and not respond.
I’m well aware of how Diesel feels. I’ve only spent the past four months nursing him back to health when I wasn’t working. We’ve grown a lot closer in that time. At the same time, I’ve known Hollywood as long as I’ve known Minx and Rivet. I’ve had years of getting to know him. He only recently started flirting with me. I’ve always had some kind of feelings for him, but never acted on it because he wasn’t availablewhen we were younger. That’s not my story to tell, though.
Hollywood is either choosing to ignore his feelings or he really doesn’t care anymore. Either way, his behavior toward me and Diesel lately has hurt. I’ve been holding out hope that something will change, but I’m beginning to think it won’t. And that breaks my heart.
“Alright, ready to see your new hair?” Aria grins at me.
“Hell yeah!”
She spins my chair around so I’m facing the mirror.
“Oh. My. God! Aria, I love it!” Running my fingers through my hair, I don’t even try to fight back the full tooth smile that crosses my face.
“Good,” she says. “You rock the pink.”
I pay her and go on my way. I decide to head home before going to the clubhouse to see Diesel. When I get home, Lolita’s car is in the driveway.
