Chapter 22
Ali Kat
Most people wouldn’t understand what Saturday Bons means to people like me, someone who’s from the country. City folks have countless forms of entertainment within walking distance of their homes, country kids have cows and grassy fields. The nearest movie theater is almost an hour away, there’s no trampoline parks or skating rinks. There was a bowling alley about thirty minutes away when I was growing up, but that closed when I was in high school.
Pulling into Bons should be like taking a shot of nostalgia. It holds so many precious memories from my childhood.
But being in the presence of Eva Crosby as she snakes her arms around Garrett Flint has my gut twisting with jealousy.
It’s nothing. What’s Garrett supposed to do, push her away? He’s not touching her, she’s touching him.
Seeing them together is the worst form of torture. I can hardly be mad at her because this is what she’s always done, and when she weeds away the assholes, I thank her for it, but this is different.
I try to focus on the blazes, which are helped along by a slight breeze. Bons often has four or five bonfires spread out over a large field. High schoolers claim one as their own, sneaking stolen beers and cigarettes, and adults generally have two or three they alternate between.
Jake helps me from the back of the truck, then cracks a beer and goes to mingle with a group of country boys, some of which I recognize.
Devon Sager joined the military straight out of high school, but I guess it didn’t take on account that he’s now at Bons. Greg Brown dropped out of school at sixteen. Last I heard he was working at a gas station.
“Uncle Ret!” I hear a squeal, and look over to see Lori running full-speed towards Garrett.
Bons was always full of kids running amuck, and seeing Irene’s daughter here brings this whole experience full-circle. Ma and Pa brought us out about once a month, and it’s where I first met Irene. Then, as we got older, I started going with Jake while she tagged along with Garrett.
“Hey, Hollywood,” Irene says with a smirk, her eyes on Eva, who is plastered to Garrett.
“It’s good to see you!” I extend my arms out for a hug.
After we hug, she says, “Who the hell is that hanging off of my brother?” She hikes a thumb at Eva.
“Oh…don’t mind her. It’s Eva Crosby…a friend.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen her in the tabloids. What the hell is she doing with her arms around Garrett?”
Trying to get under my skin,or at least that’s the only explanation I’ve come up with. It’s easy to tell that she was annoyed last night by my feelings towards Garrett, and she’s desperately trying to help me see ‘the error of my ways.’
“She’s visiting, but not staying long.”
“Well, I don’t like her!”
“Jake!” Lori screeches, rushing from Garrett to Jake.
“It breaks my heart,” Irene says under her breath.
I cock a brow. “Pardon?”
Irene blinks, not realizing she had spoken aloud. “Oh, it’s just…I wish she had a father figure.”
I nod at Jake, who’s picking up Lori and tossing her into the air. “Looks like she’s doing just fine in that department.”
Irene turns to me and says, “Wanna take a selfie. For old time’s sake?”
We press together, and she snaps a quick pic before grabbing a beer from the cooler. “You want one?”
“Naw.” I put up my hands as though to keep her away. “That’s just asking for trouble.”
“Ya got any Cristal?” Eva asks.
I roll my eyes because Eva damn well knows there is no Cristal at Bons, she’s just making a statement with her question. A statement that says,“I’m better than you.”
