Broken Soldier

The pounding music violated my already pounding headache as I leaned against a wall with a martini in my hand watching all the couples dance and act like drunken fools. I had no idea what this song even was if you would even consider it music to begin with. Jeremy and Evelyn were somewhere talking with Evelyn’s friends. This was her cousin’s best friend’s sister’s wedding reception after party or something like that and Jeremy forced me to come with him so he wouldn’t be alone and yet here I was the one who was left out in a crowd of overly drunk snobby people who kept giving me dirty looks. I didn’t know why either. I mean I was actually dressed up nicely in a sexy deep red cocktail dress that held every curve nicely and had I nice suggestive plunging neckline but it wasn’t a name brand dress like the rest of the people wore. Sorry when you live on a meager fund going all out is a no no. I was a painter and made money selling my work but I was no Picasso so they didn’t exactly sell for millions. It was more like five hundred here and maybe a thousand there but it was enough for me to live off of. I walked dogs on the side to make a few extra bucks to buy stuff like this dress so that I wasn’t broke ALL the time.

I finished my martini with a gulp and decided on another. If I was going to fit in here with this crowd I needed maybe 5 more of these babies. I was at the bar ordering another when I finally caught sight of Jer with his girlfriend. His back was to me but Evelyn saw me and gave me a dirty look. I just rolled my eyes and took a sip of my drink turning away. This was the most boring party I had ever been to and growing up in a small town in Arkansas this was saying something. I started to walk away from the bar with my drink when a guy bumped into me almost knocking me down. Thankfully as a teenager I learned the ability to not waste liquor. It was honestly a gift in my eyes.

“Oh my bad darlin’! I didn’t see you there!” I raised my eyebrow at his Australian accent. Was there really an Australian in Arkansas…of all places in the United States? “I didn’t get any on ya, did I?”

“No mate, you’re fine.” I said smiling and starting to walk away again. The guy was cute but he was obviously drunk as well. I needed to get on these people’s level to even consider socializing with them.

“Aw don’t be like that! Here let me make it up to you.” He went to grab my arm but I backed up. I didn’t care how good looking or foreign sounding this man was, I didn’t know him and didn’t want him touching me.

“Sorry Crocodile Hunter. Not interested.” I said trying to give him a polite smile and move away again but this time he did grab my arm to stop me. I looked at his hand on my forearm and glared at him with the message clear in my eyes. “I suggest if you wish to keep your hand you let me go, now.”

“Come on Darlin-.”

“The lady said to let her go. I suggest you listen to her.” I looked over Steve Irwin’s massively large shoulders to see Jeremy standing there looking at the man like he was ready to beat him to a pulp. I just might let him. How did he know I was being harassed though if his back was to me? I then noticed the mirror he was facing when he had his back to the crowd. Still being polite to the group of people around him but also still having a full view of the party room. Smart.

“And what are you gonna do about it? Kick me with you metal legs?” The man roared with laughed and I felt the heat rise up throughout my body in anger. I was waiting for Jeremy to do something but he simply smiled. I knew that comment hit home though and I knew Jer didn’t want to cause a scene but I had no qualms about that.

“Hey Crocodile Dundee?” He turned to me with a stupid smile on his face which I quickly knocked off when I cocked my fist back and slammed it into his nose. He finally released me grabbing at his nose as he cursed loudly for everyone to hear. Now the music had stopped and everyone was looking over at us. I bent down and whispered in his ear for only him to hear. “One, that’s my best friend you were so rude to. He lost his legs in combat fighting to keep us safe. Show some respect you buffoon. And two if you ever, and I mean EVER, touch me without my permission again I will make sure you regret it.”

I stood up with a fake smile on my face and turned around to leave the party. I was done anyways. I felt the throbbing in my hand from the punch but I wouldn’t give these snobs the satisfaction of seeing me in pain. I put my now empty martini glass on a table and pushed opened the doors that led outside. The cool mid-summer breeze pushed my wavy brown hair off my shoulders and I suddenly wished I had remembered to bring a jacket with me. I wrapped my arms around myself and held up my hand for a taxi that was parked along the side of the curb waiting for drunk party-goers to start trickling out. He pulled up besides me and suddenly a hand shot out and opened the door for me. I looked up at Jeremy who still looked impeccable in his suit and smiled graciously. I was still slightly mad at him though for leaving me by myself for the past three hours.

“Mind if I catch a ride with you?” He asked with an apologetic smile of his own. He knew I was pretty annoyed with him and must have wanted to make it up.

“I don’t think crazy in there will appreciate it if you leave her.” I stated looking back at the doors that led inside.

He laughed at me insulting her. He knew we didn’t get along but in his guy mind it was no big deal. He thought we would eventually become best friends somehow. Apparently I was jealous because he wouldn’t able to solely focus on me and she was jealous because we had a stronger relationship together as best friends over her boyfriend girlfriend relationship she had with him. Or something like that according to him. Jeremy ‘just knew’ we would someday get along. Yeah, right. Like that would happen. “She told me it was best if I left after that scene in there.”

“Oh.” So he wasn’t leaving because I was. How nice.

“So, mind if I ride with you? You never answered.” I just sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose nodding. I was too tired to fight anyways. I slid in and he sat down next to me closing the door.

“2011 Yale Street please.” I said to the driver and nodded and started driving to my house. I looked up expectantly to Jer waiting for him to tell the driver his address but he didn’t speak. “Are you gonna tell him where you live or what…?”

“No. I’m just gonna hangout with you for the rest of night. I owe you that one for punching that guy in the face for me. Speaking of.” He grabbed my hand and I hissed in discomfort. The bruising was already starting to form and he made an ‘ouch’ face at it. “I have to admit that was a nice ass hit. Thank you for defending my honor.” He batted his eyelashes at me and I had to hide my face in my other hand in embarrassment.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. What he said just seriously pissed me off and you weren’t going to do anything so I figured I would. Why didn’t you say or do anything Jer? That ass hat was way out of line.”

He looked at me sadly as he still held my hand gently. I noticed my small hand fit perfectly in his huge one but I quickly looked away before he caught me staring. This was really about as intimate as it got between us. “I can’t fight everyone who has something bad to say about me. Now you on the other hand I would start a mosh pit for.” He started laughing and I rolled my eyes once more. “But no seriously, thank you. It’s good to know you have my back when I need it.”

“Jeremy I’ve always had your back.” I smiled at him and he squeezed my hand in affection but I think he forgot that I just hurt it punching someone for him. “Ouch!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” he dropped my hand and that little intimate moment was over. I could have kicked myself for being such a wimp.

So after a good 20 minute drive we arrived at my little house. Well not so much little little but for one person the spacious living was enough. I had two bedrooms, one bathroom, a full living room, dining room, and kitchen. I grabbed my keys and unlocked my door letting him in first. I flipped on the lights as I closed the door and smiled. I honestly loved that I could afford to live in a house by myself without any help. The room smelled faintly of paint from a project I was working on but that never bother Jeremy. He actually liked watching me paint because he said he has never seen someone so passionate doing what they loved. Painting was my escape from the world.

Jeremy flopped down on my sofa spreading his arms on the back of it and relaxing. Yeah sure make yourself at home I laughed to myself as I walked to the kitchen. “Want anything to eat or drink?”

“Sure! Popcorn sounds good.” Popcorn? “Hey where is-Oh never mind found it!” I peeked out from around the corner to see what he was doing. Jeremy was standing in front of my TV with my Titanic DVD putting it in and clicking play. “I figured we could pretend it was like old times where you used to force me to watch this.”

“I didn’t force you this time Jer. This one is on you.” I laughed as the ding from the microwaved indicated the popcorn was done. I opened the bag smelling the delicious scent of popcorn before dumping it into a bowl for us to share. Yes I did force him to watch it with me as teenagers but since he joined the Marines we never really had any time to watch it again. Then the accident happened and I didn’t want to make him do anything he didn’t want to.

I turned off the lights in the house and sat down at the other end of the sofa with the bowl between us and my legs tucked underneath me. I clicked play with my remote and soon the movie was starting. The lights flickering around the dark room was starting to make me sleepy but I fought it off because I didn’t want to miss this moment with Jer. It was like old times and I missed it. A lot.

Jeremy looked over at me and grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and threw it over our legs. The blanket wasn’t big enough to cover us well enough for how far apart we were so I ended up scooting closer to him with my legs over his legs as I leaned against him. I could feel my heart rate rising which I hope he never noticed. He was my best friend and if he found out he gave me butterflies in my stomach and made my heart speed up I didn’t know what would happen to our friendship.

He wrapped his arm around me holding me there and we just continued to watch the movie like it was no big deal for us to be like this. Which honestly it wasn’t to him. Evelyn sat on his lap more than half the time and I was sure it got more intimate in the bedroom. I mentally flinched at the thought of them having sex. I didn’t, no couldn’t, even think about that without having my chest start to hurt. So I pushed it aside and watched as Rose and Jack started dancing below deck. I smiled as they laughed from having so much fun. From just meeting each other only the day before you could see the connection they felt for each other. People used to comment that Jeremy and I had that connection but as he approached 30 and me at 28 those comments stopped because people began to realize nothing was going to happen between us.

Eventually I dozed off with my head on his shoulder and my other arm wrapped around him still practically on his lap with the blanket over us. When I opened my eyes for a brief second in early hours of the morning I noticed his arms wrapped around me as well holding on to me with his head on mine. He was softly snoring and I could only smile as I closed my eyes once more wishing for this moment to never end.