Page 20 of Brighter Shades of Light
“Sorry. Just in my head for some reason. I promise not to be a buzzkill tonight.”
“Ah, I don’t give a fuck about that.” He shook his head and faced forward. “I just want you to be okay.”
“I am.”
People of all ages passed us; frat boys I recognized from campus holding red plastic cups, older men wearing matching biker vests, girls in short skirts and shoes with heels so thin I wondered how they didn’t snap off.
“Damn. They beat us,” I said.
Marcus, Keith, and Rachel stood outside the entrance to the bar, laughing at something Marcus said. He was the goof of the bunch, although he’d disagree and say it was me. I had my funny moments, but he was downright hysterical. Quick witted and clever as fuck.
“About time you losers got here,” Marcus said, flashing a smile. He was the tallest of us, standing at six-foot-three.
Keith was only five-ten, and Marcus thought it was funny to use him as an armrest. The rest of us thought it was funny, too. Keith? Not so much.
“It was my fault.” I gave Rachel a hug before bumping fists with Keith and giving Marcus a handshake. “Blue wouldn’t start.”
“Blue needs to be put out of his misery,” Keith said. “It’s a miracle that truck even has days where itdoesstart.”
We went inside and grabbed our usual table in the middle of the room. It had the best view of the TV above the bar, and Marcus was a huge sports fan. Football, basketball, baseball; it didn’t matter. If it was on, the guy was glued to the screen.
I wasn’t much of a drinker. A drink or two was enough and then I was done. The exception was my twenty-first birthday last November. Tristen had drug me to a club and bought me shot after shot, getting me so wasted I vowed to never get drunk again.
Rachel slipped her arm through mine and brought me with her to the bar. She ordered a long island iced tea for me and a vodka cranberry for her. The bartender looked at her before zeroing in on our joined arms and shaking his head.
The first few times we had gone to Tonic, when that bartender had been working, he’d hit on Rachel and made her extremely uncomfortable. Ever since then, me and the guys had made a promise that she’d never go anywhere alone when we were all out together. Sometimes she hung all over Marcus. Other times it was me. Tristen and I would stand outside the bathroom door when she went to the restroom. We made damn sure that every guy in the room knew she had four muscled machines ready to take them down if they tried anything.
“Thank you,” she whispered, as we carried our drinks back to the table.
“No problem.” I patted her hand and took a seat.
Our protection of her wasn’t because we thought she couldn’t take care of herself. In drills, she definitely held her weight and kicked ass. It was more because we wanted her to know she wasn’t alone. Just because shecouldtake care of herself didn’t mean she should be forced to endure uncomfortable advances from creeps and guys who never learned the meaning of the wordno.
The other guys ordered drinks and we talked about the week. Highs, lows, all of it.
The only thing I didn’t talk about was Dr. Vale.
Before I’d even met him or knew what he looked like, I respected him and his work. He’d published peer-reviewed articles that I had read and devoured. There were a few interviews online from science magazines when he’d been asked about his research into nanotechnology. Getting a look into his mind had been incredible. His views on solar power could very well change the world and make it a better place.
Even now, some of those changes were going into effect, like houses that had solar power roofs, cutting the electricity in half and using the sun’s energy. Saving the planet little by little. Dr. Vale hadn’t first proposed the concept of using the sun for power; it had been talked about for decades. But he helped in the execution, speaking at large conferences all over the world and driving the idea home.
“Man, he must be thinking of that dick he had last week,” Marcus said, bumping my chair.
“Huh?” I focused on them.
All four of them stared at me, smiling and looking way too mischievous. Tristen sipped his beer and placed it back on the table before wiping his mouth, still with a smile lifting the corner.
“See?” Keith shook his head. “Not even paying attention.”
“When Cody zones, hereallyzones,” Rachel said, giggling. She moved her hands through her black hair and lounged in the chair, arm behind me and legs spread like a total dude.
“Fuck off.” I took a drink of my long island iced tea.
Those assholes might’ve given me a hard time, but I loved them like crazy. Because of them, I had a real family again. Not one by blood, but by choice. A close bond and deep level of trust. I was lucky to have found them.
***
The following Monday, Dr. Vale wasn’t acting like himself. I had noticed it during Friday’s class, too. He definitely wasn’t a Chatty Cathy, so his lack of conversation with students before and after class wasn’t anything new.
