Pieces of a Whole

My visit hadn’t been long enough and clearly I had put off coming home for far too long. Nikki had been so happy to see me; so happy he had left the bar to the semi capable hands of his main server.

Actually even mom had been so excited to see me that she hadn’t mentioned the mess between my siblings and I, something I was entirely grateful for. Yes, it was childish the way we were going on about it but at the same time all I wanted to do was say screw you bitches. Which come to think of it,
I had said three days after the incident.

Rolling my eyes at myself in the rearview mirror, I turned up the music and passed back into Boston. I had stayed a few hours later so now as I moved through the streets to my apartment, I had only enough time for a quick shower and change before I had to be at the restaurant for dinner with Juliet.

Things had gone done hill since the big move to Boston. One wild night led to a mistake which led to Reid being kicked out of the Pope household, by Caleb who was not a Pope and had no right to kick anyone out of the house but Haley had backed him up and the who situation could have been avoided if it hadn’t been for her mistake.

Gripping the steering wheel, I glared out at the red light. Thinking about that night pissed me off to no end and that was the start of our friendship decline.

Kate, Juliet, Tyler and I were still fine. We got together regularly but Pogue had always been one to take Caleb’s side and Sarah was complicated; she tried not to take any sides at all. Haley did what Haley wanted and the only sibling I kept up with, had coffee with once or twice a week was Chris.

Taking a deep breath, I cracked my window despite the rain and reached for my cigarettes, a habit one day I would quit. Reaching my building as I finished, I squashed the butt in the holder and grabbed my things to head up. Just over an hour and I would have to play happy again.

What I wouldn’t give to simply stay home and stay my miserable self!

**

Sipping my white wine, I stared at my most recent blind date realizing just how much I truly hated Kate. Nodding along to whatever he had said, I mentally rolled my eyes looking for the waiter.

This had become a recent habit – setting up lunch or dinner plans with me only to ambush me in passing and leaving me with some guy. Gripping the stem, I sighed blinked at the dark haired male trying to tone into what he was saying after all, it was rude to stare.

“So I says to mate, you can’t expect her to get implants at least not for her ass,” laughing at his own remark, I dropped the smile. “So do you want to eat or should we just go fuck in my car?”
Despite the British accent, I was not interested in him or anyone for that matter. It had only been two months since my last attempt at a relationship had fallen through I didn’t need this jerk to discourage all males for me.

Slamming back the last of my wine, I pushed my chair back watching happily as he frowned. Picking up the water glass beside it I smirked.

“We won’t be fucking ever, in fact you can pay for my wine and you can eat my dinner because that is the only thing of mine you’ll be getting you nasty ass mouth on.” Throwing the water in his face, I grabbed my coat and purse and started to the door, apologizing to the hostess as I passed despite her chuckle.

Glancing at my attire as I reached my car, I was thankful I had opted for jeans and headed to the nearest bar. Maybe I would go home alone and maybe I wouldn’t but regardless, Kate was getting a piece of my mind in the morning.

Sipping my beer, I watched the drunken male take his shot his girlfriend pouting by the pole racks.

Groaning as he missed slapping his hand against his thigh in anger, I put my now empty bottle down and moved around the table to get a better look.

Glancing from the table to the male and his girlfriend who was clearly begging to leave, I cleared my throat.

“8 ball, left corner pocket – I miss, you get all my winnings from tonight and I pay your tab “trailing off, I watched his eyes flicker with interest.

“and if you win?” trailing his brown eyes down my frame a smirk growing on his face as he took a swing from his own beer, I grinned.

“You pay mine and I take your girl home,” raising my brow as I caught her attention, her own gaze following the same path as her boyfriends had, I waited watching her expression carefully as she bit her lip.

Snorting he slammed the last of his beer and licked his lips. “Alright, but you won’t make the shot”

“Oh please Derrick, you’ve been watching me all night I don’t miss” leaning over, I lined up the shot took a deep breath and wacked the white ball watching as it knocked three stripped balls into pockets before slamming into the 8 ball and sinking it in the left corner pocket. Laughing, I did a little shimmy tongue out as I dropped my head back.

Grabbing the money from the side, I moved to put my pole back once down I couldn’t stop myself from laughing as Derrick cursed pulling out his wallet and moved to the bar to pay my tab.

“What’s your name sweetness?” standing beside her I kept my gaze on him as he glared across the bar.

“Jill and what will I be calling out tonight?” not even hesitating like most girls would having been won in a pool game, she gripped my neck before trailing her hand down my spine to rest on my ass.

“Liz,”