These Are the Fast Times

Andy (Butcher)

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Summer

“New York is only 800 miles away from Chicago,” I inform her optimistically, setting her box of books in the back of Jack’s car.

“Only…?” she replies teasingly, but she’s grinning. I push a blonde strand of hair out of her eyes.

“Only,” I confirm, leaning over to kiss her briefly on the lips.

She smiles, turning to head back into the apartment complex.

I grab her arm to pull her back to me.

She looks at me, questioning eyebrow raised.

“I’m going to miss you,” I say, shrugging. She smiles.

“Me too,” she replies. She pulls me along back upstairs, where the last few boxes are stacked. Jack and Victoria pick them up to pack them into the car. Everyone else has just left after saying their goodbyes to our three friends; I’m the only one left. “Am I forgetting anything?”

I do a quick glance around, and my eyes fall on the photo album we’d been looking at earlier.

I hand it over to her before picking up her last bags of clothes. She looks at it, thinking.

“You can keep it,” she decides.

“No. It’s yours, anyway,” I point out. She concedes and we go back down to the car. I stuff her bag into the trunk of Jack’s car. Him and Victoria are already in the front seats, waiting for her to get in.

I lean in to hug her one last time, kissing the top of her head, the photo album still in her hands.

Jack beeps the horn obnoxiously and Victoria hits his arm.

She gets in the back seat then leans out the back window to kiss me.

“I’ll be out to see you in at the end of summer.” She kisses me again. “I love you, Lila.”

“I love you too.”

I wave at the three of them as Jack pulls out of the parking space and they head off down the street.

Only 800 miles to go.

Just 800 miles away from me.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“How’re you holding up?” William asks me, sitting on the stool next to me.

“Eh…” I shrug, taking another swig of my beer.

It’s hasn’t even been a week.

I don’t really feel like talking to him about that, about her, so I turn to act like I’m actually watching the band that’s on.

I glance around to see Mike and Sisky off at the other end of the bar, chatting up some girls.
Michael hanging around Melly, who’s working the soundboard.

The band playing only reminds me about recording our first album in the fall, and that reminds me of how I need to find a job in the meantime, since my savings are running out.

“I need a job, Bill,” I remark absently, turning back to him.

“Wish I could help you out, man,” he replies, and I know he means it.

He’s freelance writing to anywhere that’ll take his words, so he’s probably just about as broke as I am.

“Well, fuck.” I polish off my beer and yawn. “I’m gonna get going soon.”

“Do you need me to call a cab?” he asks cautiously, as I struggle to stand up.

“I can walk,” I reply, stumbling over my barstool.

“I’ll come with. Let me just tell Mike and Sisky we’re leaving.”

By the time we make it to my apartment building, I’m feeling thoroughly sloshed, despite the fact that I’m insisting to Bill that I can make it back to mine and Sisky’s apartment on my own.

I collapse on the couch, not wanting to make the extra steps to the bedroom.

William leaves after making sure I’m alright.

I’m almost asleep when my phone goes off in my back pocket.

I almost roll off the couch in an attempt to retrieve it.

1 New Text Message

Received: I miss you - Lila

I’m too drunk to type out a response but I fall asleep with a smile on my face.