Darkness Within Light

After the concert, we crashed early. I was pissed because the guys didn't get the 6th-street experience, which is TOTALLY worth it in Austin.

We piled into a rental the next day and drove to Shiner. We toured the Shiner brewing facilities and got to taste-test everything.

Too bad I'm still somewhat of a lightweight. I would have enjoyed the last half of the samples more.

After Shiner we went to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels for a day. (Very different than Hurricane Harbor in the metroplex!) It was a blast, but seeing those three men with their shirts off in their swimsuits was extremely distracting... Wow. I'll let your mind wander for that moment.

/le sigh...!

* * * * * *

We finally pulled up to the hotel that the guys and Veronique were staying at, this pretty basic but very trendy hotel off of the Dallas North Tollway.

Only a few minutes from my apartment, coincidentally.

We dropped them off and headed back to my apartment for a much needed nap.
Holly looked over at me, smiling.

“That wasn’t so bad was it?”

It really wasn’t. He had treated me like absolute royalty at all times, keeping his hands to himself and everything. At the time... part of me wished that he hadn’t, but I appreciated him maintaining the distance.

I have a bad habit of wearing my heart on my sleeve, so in the end the distance was helpful.

“Other than the 18 year olds that recognized him, he wasn’t a bad date.”

Holly sighed. “Aaron was all up in my business in New Braunfels.” She leaned back on the couch.

“I noticed that. What gives?”

She shrugged, causing me to laugh, “You heartbreaker!”

“Nah, I just told him I didn’t think a relationship would be the best idea.”

I grabbed her hand, “Wait, he was asking for a relationship? Like, the real deal?”

She nodded. “Not just a fuck-buddy. It’s a damn shame.” She laughed at herself and rolled over onto her side.

“I love you, slut-face.” I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then got up to head to my bedroom. I crashed on my bed and curled up with Sadie.

“I love you too, square,” drifted in from the living room as my eyes closed by themselves.

* * * * * *

I heard a knock on my door. Before I was even able to raise my head Sadie catapulted off of my stomach and shot to the living room. I wheezed.

I heard Holly open the door. “Hey everyone! Come on in!”

What the hell?

I rubbed my face and wandered into my living room. Zak, Aaron, Nick and Veronique were standing in the living room, looking refreshed and dressed for a night on the town. “Hey, ya’ll” I mumbled.

I walked over to the fridge and stared absently at it’s nearly empty contents. Two Miller High-Life’s, peanut butter, a milk jug with less than half a cup left inside, a package of chicken breasts, a wilted package of spinach and an empty egg carton.

Veronique joined me. “The guys are hungry.”

Zak piped up from the living room. “Yeah, what’s good to eat around here?”

“Couldn’t ya’ll have just ordered pizza?” I yawned for effect.

They laughed, and Aaron pouted, “That was my idea.”

“So what are ya’ll in the mood for?”

“Meat!”

Nick laughed. He wrapped an arm around Veronique’s waist. “We were thinking something unique to the area. Got anything in mind?”

I grinned. “Well if you don’t mind paying for gas... Let’s go to Fort Worth.”

I put up the dog and we piled out the door.

Zak fidgeted in the parking lot. “One or two cars?”

I did a mental eye-roll. “One would be easier”

Nick grinned. “Yeah but we don’t all fit in your Rex.”

I threw my hands up. “Fine! Aaron, want a ride?”

“Hey!!” yelled Zak.

“Patience.” I said to him. HA!

He sulked to their rental truck.