The Craziest Thing

Even sitting in the courtroom, I don't think it had hit me yet. I could hear the rest of the guys -- Julien, Skylar, and Jake -- snickering in the corner. I could see Damon up at the stand. His face statuesque, chin tilted ever so slightly upward as the judge dropped the bomb. Four years. Four years of prison. He was innocent! How could this happen? Tears welled in my eyes. I couldn’t believe it. I refused to believe it. No way was he going away for four whole years. I wouldn't let them take him away. No.

"Hey Susie Q."

"Sup, Baby-Cakes?"

"Eskimo, baby." The stream of nicknames came through the door along the guys--but Jake's came with a kiss. Yeah, I know, it sounds kind of whorish to date Jake, seeing as how he's part of the reason Damon's in jail, but I can explain. It started as just sex. Just something to pass the time. But then we got closer, began to actually acknowledge each other as possibly being something else so we tried it. We ended up actually being serious about it.

Now, about the nicknames, I don't think I have heard any of the guys call me by my real name since sophomore year. They all started in 10th grade because Damon knew I hated my name, so just to be sweet (or so he thought he was) he came up with other things to call me. He didn't know that they would still in use 9 years later. And even after he left for jail the guys just couldn’t give up the ghost. I'm not sure if they even know my real name…

It's been 3 years since that day in court. I haven’t heard anything from him since then, which kind of pisses me off. But whatever, I guess I've been doing worse. And with his ex-best friend.

Before long Skylar was already complaining about being hungry in his own childish way. I hurried off to the kitchen to shut him up. I had my arms up, reaching into the very top cabinet where I kept the junk food for the guys—I personally find anything fried, frozen, non-organic or any item containing unidentifiable substances grotesque. As my hand finally found a smooth bag filled with nacho cheese Doritos two other hands grabbed my waist—poking just the right spot, like they always do. I squealed and dropped the chips. As I turned in his arms he didn't let go, which made it kind of hard because he was just a couple inches from me. Holding me close, as he snickered to himself, of course.

I playfully punched his chest. "I hate it when you tickle me." I growled angrily, but he knew I was joking.

"But, babe, you're just so cute when you yelp like an ankle-biting Chihuahua." The simper in his voice was ill concealed.

I made a light yapping noise just to humor him—pressing my body against his; I started with my chest and then rolled down to my hips. He silenced my rat-dog impression with a sweet kiss. Finally surfacing for air he let me go. I bent over to pick up the half crumbled Doritos. I popped up faster than Jake expected because when I turned around he was still checking out my ass. I placed my hand under his chin and used it to lift his eyes back to mine. Mind you it was a minute adjustment because I'm so much shorter than him, but now he was making eye contact with me. He grinned with a strange mixture of chagrin and sarcasm.

"So, uh, how about I kidnap you for a couple hours tonight?"

"Hmm, I don't know… I might have a hot date tonight." I countered coyly.

"Oh, and with whom would that be?"

"Oh, just my boyfriend. You might have met him." I stepped closer to him slowly. Once I was in reach his arms found their way back around my waist. "He's tall," I pressed my body into his, finding just the right niche that I always seemed to fit just right in. "And really hot. He 's got black and bleached blonde hair and gorgeous eyes. But, he hasn't actually asked me if I wanted to go on a date tonight, even if it's our anniversary."

He smirked at me. "Alright what if he were to ask you right now?"

"Then I would most certainly say yes." I smiled up at him. "So where are we going?"

"If I told you then it wouldn’t be a kidnapping. It's a secret."

Just then, ruining the moment, Skylar walked into the kitchen. "If you two aren’t too busy making out, I'd like my chips." He snatched the bag from my hand.

I laughed just because Skylar is such a little kid, even at twenty-seven. He slumped back out of the kitchen shoving Doritos down his throat. I reached behind my back, unhooked the arms that held me captive and followed him.

Once back out into the living room I plopped between Julien and where Skylar had sat down. "So guys, what brings you to this neck of the woods?"

Skylar grumbled something around a mouth of half masticated chips. Julien interpreted. "He was hungry," he jerked a pointed thumb toward Skylar, "And Jake was hungry for a little something else."

I laughed at his last remark and slid a sideways glance towards Jake who just took another swig of the beer he had apparently recovered from my fridge. I, just for the record, don't drink but the guys do.

"Well, I'm going to be leaving for work soon so don't burn down my house. Okay?"

"What about a party?" Skylar suggested hopefully.

Oh God. The last party they threw at my house I came home and someone had called the cops. One of them was grinding on Julien; the other was in my bedroom screwing my best friend. But at least something good came from that party, Julien and the chick cop, Molly, have been together ever since; if you consider screwing each other every once a while "together". As for my slutty friend, I still hang out with her.

Needless to say I prohibited the party.

"Aw, come on. Just a couple friends?"

It's amazing how by knowing someone for twelve years you can almost read their mind. Without even having to say anything Skylar knew that I would strangle him if he had "a couple" friends over. But then again the look I gave him could have helped his telepathy along.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Shit, I'm supposed to be at work in 10 minutes."

Julien scoffed. "Good luck with that. With inner city, New York traffic?"

I chewed my lip in thought. "I'll take my bike."

"Better pedal fast."

"Shut up Julien!" God, he is such a pessimist.

So off to the First Third Bank I went. Not a bad job, boring as hell but it pays better than my previous job as a bartender.