You'd Do the Same

I had lost the only person I knew at this party. It was stupid of me to even agree to go to it in the first place. Devin had just ended a yearlong relationship in a very messy break up and was content on drowning his sorrows. This was the third night in a row I’d dealt with his drunken ass and I was starting to get tired of it. After a solid forty five minutes searching I found him out on the deck with a couple guys. Some were passed out but Devin was currently puking over the railing of the deck. “I think it’s time to go home champ,” I said to him putting my hand on his shoulder. “You’re not my fucking father,” he mumbled before throwing up one more time and then standing up clumsily. I guided him through the less crowded house and to the car. Instead of going to the passenger seat, Devin decided he’s rather sprawl across both the seats in the back.
I shut the door behind him slightly chuckling before I noticed a guy cursing his phone out a few feet away from me. From what I gathered he’d been left at the party by whoever he came with. I approached him and he looked up at me when I reached him; I noticed his skin was thoroughly in tattoos, he had some scruff on his face along with a medusa and labret piercing, he was as tall as I was but skinnier than I, and his long brown hair was covered in a snapback. I could tell he was more than a little faded so I did what any good partygoer would, offered him a ride him. “Thanks,” he said as he buckled his seatbelt and I started the car. “No problem dude, you looked like you needed it,” I responded as I started toward the address I got from him. “You have no fucking idea, I came with some girl and long story short she ditched me here,” he explained. We continued riding in silence with the radio playing quietly in the background. The funny thing was that he only lived a few blocks from Devin and I so I wasn’t going out of my way. “I’m Mike by the way,” he said after we pulled up to his house and stuck a hand out to me. “Conner,” I replied shaking his hand in return and he exited the car and moved up towards the front door.
After making sure he made it to his front door I pulled away glancing back at Devin who was still fast asleep. So I did what any good friend would do and slammed on the brakes and honked my horn fairly loud. Devin’s reaction was pretty much what I expected he fell forward and woke up cursing. “Sorry dude, something ran across the road,” I said with a big smirk on my face. He didn’t respond and just slumped in the seat for the remainder of the drive. I helped him up the stairs and into bed and just when I was at the door I heard him mumble, “Thank you,” before passing out. As much as I got frustrated with him I would still do this every night if I had to.
When I finally got into my room my dog Stark was trying to tackle me so I grabbed him and set him on the bed. It was already three in the morning but I wasn’t going to be able to sleep so I decided to plan one of my videos I was going to film in a couple days. It was one of my dare videos so I sifted through dares submitted on my Facebook, Twitter, and on YouTube. After I had a solid idea of what I’d be doing and what I needed to get for them I felt tired enough to get some sleep.
After what felt like twenty minutes I heard my phone ringing from my nightstand, I grabbed it without opening my eyes and answered it, “Sorry for waking you up,” was the first thing I heard from who I recognized as Zack. I assured him it was fine and finally opened my eyes the rest of the way. “Can you come into the shop for the day, I’m shorthanded and need someone to handle the front desk?” he asked. “Yeah I’ll be there in ten” I answered hanging up. I grabbed some skinny jeans that had both the knees blown out and a random tank top. Zack’s tattoo shop was only about a five minute drive away and when I arrived I was greeted with a grateful Zack and a Monster. “Thanks again dude, we have so many appointments today. I wouldn’t have called you otherwise,” he said after I sat down at the large desk in the front of the shop. “It’s fine you tat me for free all the time so this is the least I could do,” I responded. The shop opened shortly after and people started showing up for their appointments. I was changing one of the stations when I noticed a guy waiting up by the front desk. I apologized to them as I reached the desk and flipping through the appointment book after I had gotten the name I was looking for, “Alright Casey, Zack should be with you in a couple he’s just finishing up one right now”. Right after he sat down a tall lanky man who looked vaguely familiar walked in followed by a shorter guy with long, curly brown hair. It clicked the first guy was Mike, the guy I gave a ride home last night.
He glanced in my direction and his eyes widened as he recognized me, “Conner right?” he asked after approaching the desk. I nodded as the other guy came up who introduced himself as Vic, Mike’s older brother. “So you work here?” Mike questioned while him and Vic were waiting for Casey to be done. “No, I’m just good friends with the owner so I help him out if he ever needs it,” I said as I popped open another Monster. They left after a while to get some food and I was breaking down everyone’s stations and getting the shop ready for closing. After Casey left and paid I flipped the sign on the door over and grabbed my keys. Zack thanked me one more time and we discussed a tattoo I wanted him to do.

I arrived home to an empty house and collapsed in bed fully clothed. That whole not sleeping thing was starting to catch up with me.