I left Denise alone at the house while I went to work. Finally, I was able to leave home early and get me a damn bagel. I pulled into the parking lot of the shop and walked in to find Jake standing at the counter watching the morning news. They were talking about how sad it was to know that a girl was killed and blah, blah, blah. Little did they know that the girl was a whore and an idiot. “Denise isn’t coming in today. I told her to stay at my place because that ass isn’t going to continue to beat her especially when she’s carrying his baby. So, can you let her off the hook this one time? You can take my pay.” Jake looked up, “She’s pregnant? She’s so young... but yeah. I’ll be easier on her from now on too. I won’t take your pay though.” I told him thanks and we got busy fast. We were due for a new shipment of t shirts and bikinis any second now which meant I’d be stuck stocking up everything. I saw the truck pull up and around the back and I went to go unload everything. The man asked me to sign the papers and I did. I got all six boxes into the storage room and opened them up and began to take them out to the floor. That’s when Jake called for me to the piercing section. I walked over and he spoke, “Hey, some girl wants her bellybutton pierced and Denise is the one that is legally supposed to do that. Is there anyway you can have her come up here?” I looked around thinking about it for a second and said, “Yeah, I’ll have to go pick her up though. I didn’t want that bastard to come looking for her and see her car.” He agreed to letting me go get her and I was off.
I pulled up to the house and walked in. Denise was laying on the couch asleep with chips spread out on her stomach. I gently shook her awake and I could tell she was somewhat embarrassed. I chuckled, “Hey, there is a girl down at the shop wanting a piercing and you’re the only one to be able to do it. Mind if you come down for a little bit and then we can go get lunch?” She nodded in agreement and told me to give her a few minutes to change. She came out and we walked down to the car and drove to the shop.
I went back to unpacking and stocking the shelves when I heard someone at the register asking for assistance. I jogged to the front to find some couple with two kids waiting to pay. For some reason seeing that sight made me think of Annabelle.
All I could do was stare at her and be filled with joy. How could someone be so perfect? She looked up and grinned. We were sitting out on the beach listening to the waves crash. All of a sudden she asks, “How many kids would you want?” I was caught off guard by such a random and deep question. I looked out towards the water watching a couple of jet skis go by before I replied with, “Huh, I guess two or three would make me content. Why? What about you?” She looked me deep in the eyes and said, “Four is the perfect number for us.”
I zoned back into work and checked a handful of customers out before Denise came up and asked if we could go to lunch since it was almost three by this time. We walked down to our usual place and was greeted by Thelma once again. Thelma spoke, “It’s such a shame that young girl was killed, don’t you think?” We nodded in agreement while we ate our usual that Thelma had prepared even before we got there. She patted our backs and walked back to the front to greet two customers. Denise and I sat in silence with the occasional small talk. That’s what I loved about our friendship. We didn’t have to speak all the time. “James hasn’t stopped calling me to come home. I told him he would have to change and he swears he will, but I guess we'll see, huh?” Denise said as she broke the silence. I looked up with a tense face and said, “He better or I will support you and my niece or nephew until a real man can care for you two.” We finished lunch and I left thirty dollars on the table for Thelma or someone to pick up.
When we got back to the store Denise walked off to pierce some guys nipples while I walked around the store since the time was not the usual afternoon rush. I saw a small girl giggling and playing with a beach ball when her mother came over and picked her up walking out of the store. She glanced over at me before she walked off and she looked like my sweet Annabelle. I felt a tug at my heart, wishing she was here with me.
By the time it was closing Denise was half asleep on a pile of inflatables. This pregnancy thing was really getting to her. I picked her up carrying her to the car and put her in the front seat. She woke up slightly as I got into the jeep. I turned the engine on and said, “Hey, I’m going out tonight. Do you wanna come or just go to the house?” In a groggy voice she spoke, “Mmm. You can just drop me off, I’m gonna go to bed early or watch a movie.” We pulled into the driveway, “Okay, just don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything, alright?”
She got out and said she would while walking up the steps. I waited to see that she was alright inside alone before I pulled off. I drove up to Surfside making sure no one I knew would be up there at the bars incase I found someone to have a fun time with.
I pulled into the parking lot of Fish Tails a popular bar, but at the same time what bar isn’t popular when you’re twenty fucking one and at the beach? I strolled through the crowd that was slowly building and went to the bar. I ordered a beer and watched the crowd of people to see if she was here. That’s when I felt a cold splash come onto the side of my back along with a bump causing my beer hit the ground. I turned to face a shocked young girl whose drink was empty. “Oh my God! I am so, so, so sorry, sir. My friend pushed me. I’m so sorry! Here, let me buy you another beer!” Before I could protest she was already buying me another one and that’s when I saw her face. She looked like her. A fiery ball of anger began to build up inside of my gut remembering what had happened all those years ago. That’s when her friend came up and ruined the chances of me getting revenge. She saved you, bitch. She handed me the beer and began to wipe at the back of my shirt with a napkin. “I am sorry for that, but this bitch thought it would be cute to push me into you. So, what’s your name?” She smiled at me and I looked away. “Blaise. What about you?” She extended her hand and said, “Julie.” We shook hands and began talking about how she was on a trip for the summer and was from North Carolina. This bitch could talk. I stood there occasionally nodding and replying when needed.
It was nearly midnight and this girl was following me. Why did her friend have to ruin my chance? God damn. I looked at my watch and interrupted her sentence, “Hey, I’ve gotta go, but it was nice meeting you. I have to get back to the prison yard before they notice I got out again, but hey, you should come see me on visiting hours. I had fun.” I smiled and leaned in for a kiss when she dropped her drink and stood there in shock. I walked off laughing to myself. Oh, Blaise, what a lunatic you are.
I got back to my jeep and stopped off at some ice cream parlor on the way home. I was in the desperate need of a cookies and cream ice cream cone with some curly fries. Especially after seeing her tonight. Annabelle always loved to eat ice cream with something salty.
“You have something on your face...here let me help!” I grabbed her face and licked her nose, right where the ice cream was, causing her to erupt in laughter. The sound of her laugh made me melt like ice cream on a hot day. Get it? Of course you do.
“Blaise! Now I have your dna all over me! You know, that's not really smart of you since you’re gonna kill me later.” The look in her eyes was pure amusement. I loved her sick sense of humor.
I sat down at one of the picnic tables and ate my ice cream with the occasional fry. That’s until someone sat across from me. I looked up to see my usual dealer who also happened to be a good friend of mine.
“Hey, Maxton.” I shoved my fries over to him for him to enjoy.
“Hey, man. Uh, the prices are about to go up so, I can’t be spotting you anymore money. I need you to pay the full price.” I looked up at him, hoping he could see how annoyed I was.
“Look, I know we’re friends, but the boss is done with that. I can’t be killed just because you can’t spare another twenty.”
“Ughhh. You’re serious?” I rubbed my face and spoke again, “Alright. I’ll pay full price.”
“I’ll see you, dude. Be careful.” And with that he got up and walked off into the night. I finished eating my ice cream and what was left of my fries. I didn’t even remember showering and getting into bed. I turned to the side and looked at the picture of the only girl who has my heart and fell asleep filled with dreams of finding the ones who are her.
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