Fuuuuuuuuuuck!
I screamed as loudly as I could until my ribs throbbed. I collapsed on my knees in front of Lake Ontario, my body shuddering.
Nothing I did was right. Every time life was finally working in my favor, it changed directions. Two steps forward, one back. No, fuck that. It was one step forward,tenback. I wasn’t progressing.
I rubbed my face and gazed at the glittering water, the afternoon sun’s reflection dancing with the ripples of the lake. An elderly woman walked in front of me, eyeing me suspiciously, but she didn’t bother to ask if I was all right before she kept marching on with the poodle she had on a leash.
Story of my life. No one cared about me.
No. PD cared, and I pushed him away.
Why did I yell at him? It was as if I was having an out-of-body experience. I could see myself getting mad and screaming, but I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t in control. But that was no excuse. I needed to do better.
PDhadwarned me about the license more times than I could count, but I’d brushed him off every time. Now I was reaping the consequences.
I slapped the heel of my palm against my forehead so hard it hurt, but I welcomed this pain. “Fucking stupid. Fucking idiot. What the fuck?”
“Are you okay?” a timid voice asked from behind me.
I glanced toward the man who’d interrupted my tirade. He was beautiful, with long wavy brown hair and green eyes the color of fresh leaves. He had beauty spots scattered across a soft face and pouty lips, and there was something familiar about him. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what.
“Fine.” I looked back toward the lake, hoping he’d go away.
“Will, right?” The young man shifted in front of me.
I frowned up at him. “Yeah. Do I know you?”
He thrust out a hand. “Presley. We’ve met here and there when you came to get a cut at Barber’s. I work in the hair studio next door. Quain’s my boss.”
I hesitated, his name not ringing a bell. Regardless, I shook his hand. “Right. Sorry, I can’t remember you.”
“It’s fine. I’m a little insulted because I thought I was the type of person someone remembered.” He winked and sat down beside me, crossing his legs under his body in a meditative pose that made my knees hurt just looking at him. “Are we having an existential crisis?”
I sat back on my legs and scrunched my nose. “No, I.... Wait, why are you here?”
He shot me a grin. “It’s nice to get fresh air. The lake’s beautiful.”
“Yeah, but whyhere? You barely know me.” I gestured around us. “There’s plenty of places for you to sit.”
“Oh, I’m wasting time until someone gets here. I called Quain, who I’m sure called Barber, who then got into contactwith another one of your friends to come get you.” He shrugged. “I was concerned.”
“What?” I blinked at him. “I’m not trying to do anything wrong.”
“No, you’re not. You wouldn’t behereif you were, but you need a friend, and as you said, I barely know you outside of a few hellos.” He tilted his head. “But Quain likes you and I like the boss, so I want to make sure you’re okay before I leave.”
“I’m not a fucking baby,” I snapped.
Presley didn’t seem too upset with my sharp tone because he nodded. “No, you’re not, but you don’t have to be to need friends when you’re sad. And you’re sad, buddy. I’ve been there. Sad and needing friends. So, I’m giving back.” He pointed a finger at me. “And so we’re clear, I amvery rememberable.So don’t forget me this time.”
I groaned. “This whole city has it out for me.”
“No, you just have very good friends who love you.” His smile turned sad. “You’re lucky. Not everyone has that.”
I sighed and shifted to my ass, my knees aching from sitting on them for too long. I stretched out my legs and lay down on my back, staring up at the tree branches, briefly wondering if one would crack and fall down on top of me. That was the type of day I was having.
Presley lay next to me and turned his head toward me, smiling. “It must be cool to be in an MC.”
I snorted. “It was, until I crashed my bike and fucked up my body.”
