“Who’s ‘they’?” I shouted before opening the car door.
William moved in front of me and motioned for me to wait in the car.
“June, I’m gonna go find out what’s going on.”
A purplish neon light glowed from an open door. Music was blasting in the distance as the silhouettes of small groups of people mingled in the dark. William approached the figure on the ground then looked around for a few moments before motioning for me to join him.
I flung the already ajar car door open and got out of my seat.
The air smelled like tobacco and a little woody. Something tickled my throat. Sand seemed to hang in the air. I squinted to get a sense of my surroundings, and realized that we were in the middle of the desert.
“James, you knew.”
William said this like he was reprimanding him. The figure on the ground was covered in blood and dirt.
“So? I shouldn’t’ve come here?” snapped James, dragging his arm on the ground in an attempt to get up.
“Did they at least give it back to you?” asked William as he helped his friend hold himself up.
“Does it look like they did?” he spat, motioning at his swollen face.
His groans got louder as soon as he saw me.
“Damn it, did you have to bring her too?” he snapped
“Be thankful he came to get you,” I shot back.
“Shut up,” he replied before collapsing again.
“Says the zombie.”
“Make her shut up, Will.”
“Dude, you’re got your ass kicked bad. You’re bleeding.”
“I know, but look, Will . . .” He suddenly trailed off, realizing that I was still there.
“So they’re not gonna pay you back after all?” Will lowered his voice, hoping I wouldn’t hear him as James shook his head and slipped on the dusty ground again.
“Damn it, can you at least walk?” William didn’t seem capable of propping him up, or maybe James was too proud to accept his help.
“Stay here. I’m gonna get the first aid kit. Do you have it in your car from the last time?”
James nodded languidly. “It’s in the trunk.” Then he directed his glare at me. “And quit staring at me like that.”
“Your face is so fucked up that I’m trying to figure out which one is your eye and which one is your lip.”
I let my curiosity get the best of me as Will headed toward the car.
“Who did this to you?”
“Damn it, Will, don’t leave me alone with her! She keeps staring at me. It’s creepy,” moaned James.
“I’m staring at you because you look like one of those paintings my mom makes when she’s blindfolded,” I retorted, crouching down to examine his wounds.
“Your mom paints blindfolded? She must be a genius. That must be where you get it from,” he muttered as he inserted the vape pen between his lips and took a deep drag.
“No, dumbass, it’s one of the classes she teaches for her students. But what do you care?”
