The American Nightmare

“So how did this happen?” Spencer asks, motioning between me and Henley. “When did this happen?”

“She was in Buffalo for I think a wedding. She sent me a message asking to hang out. We went to the bar, had a few drinks…” I trailed off, knowing where this was going. We did end up drunkenly hooking up, I just don’t want to admit this to her overprotective big brother. “We hung out every day she was in Buffalo and talked everyday after that. A month later, she visited again and we kinda just agreed to try and make this work.”

“Whose idea was it to keep this from me?”

I let out a humorless, nervous chuckle. “Both of our ideas. We both remember Justin’s reaction when you started dating Demi. No offense, I didn’t want to die. Like you’re more protective of Henley than Justin is of Demi.”

“That’s not true.” Spencer scoffs, causing Ricky to look at him.

“Dude, Henley told us you nearly killed one of her exes.” He states. “Yea he deserved it but fuck. She said that it took her, JD and Justin to keep you from him.”

“Are we talking about when she told me her boyfriend Derrick tried to rape her and then beat the fuck out of her?” We both nod our heads. “Okay that was one time.”

“She also told me you didn’t like ANY of her boyfriends.” I add.

“She deserved better, they were fucktards.” He laughs. “Okay, I get it. I’m not the easiest person to please when it comes to my sister. But she’s like my best friend and I want her to be happy. And besides, with you dating her; I’ll be able to keep tabs on you.”

“Oh God, what did I get myself into?” I let out a chuckle.

“WHERE THE HELL IS THE ICE NINE KILLS ON THIS PLAYLIST!?” Someone screams out.

“IT’S NOON ON A SUNDAY, WHO THE FUCK HURT YOU!?” Henley screams back from her spot at the register. I turn around and there is this 20 something year old in an Ice Nine Kills t-shirt standing by the jukebox.. “It’s God’s day, can we not listen to my brother's band? There is other music you can be listening to on that playlist.”

“This is a horror themed bar, shouldn’t you be playing darker music? Not some song talking about being a teenage dirtbag.” The guy’s snarky. I glance over at Henley and she has her lips twisting into a smirk; and not a good one at that. “I’m sure other patrons agree with me.” I glance around and everyone is looking and glaring at the guy.

“If you want darker music, come back Tuesday at 6pm. That’s when I go back to playing bands like Ice Nine Kills. Sunday is the day of our lord and saviors in pop punk and white boy reggae.” She says with a fake customer service smile. “You’ve clearly never been here before or even bothered to look at the bar’s socials. Because it’s clearly marked that Sunday is a day of rest. It’s our short day, we close at 3pm and are off until Tuesday evening. We play music WE grew up listening to; our comfort music. You only came here to see if you can catch a glimpse of my brother and his bandmates. If you actually paid attention, you can see them at the bar.” She points to us. We all awkwardly wave at him.

“I’m pretty sure they don’t want to hear the music they have to perform for a living. They also don’t want to hear me bitch about hearing them. So why don’t you pick a song, I highly suggest Hard Liquor by Bumpin Uglies, and go back to your friends and enjoy your Poinsettias and fireball shots, which you take like pussies.” The crowd goes wild after that. The guy puts on the song Henley suggested and goes back to his table.

“Did that do anything for any of you?” I ask, looking at my girlfriend in awe.

“She’s my sister.” Spencer states with a clearly grossed out look at his face.

“She’s like my sister.” Ricky adds with the same expression. “That does something to only you. I have no sympathy for that guy, though. You simply don’t tell Henley how to run her business. I think she scares me more than Spencer does.”

“You’ve already said that this weekend.” Spencer reminds him, laughing. “But honestly, same. Her temper is stuff of legends. God help you, Patrick. You’ll never win a fight with Henley. Her temper alone will beat you into submission. “

“She’s always been passionate about stuff.” I shrug. “It’s just who she is.”

“You say that now, just wait.” Spencer laughs. “I’ve seen her make people cry.”

“I’m pretty sure she made that kid cry.” Ricky looks over his shoulder at the kid. “Yep, he didn’t appreciate this. And now he’s ordering shots of Jack Daniels. Dude if you can’t handle Fireball, you’re not gonna be able to handle Jack. Henley will call you a pussy again.”

Spencer and I just laugh as Henley walks over to us. “Whatcha laughing at?”

“The boy you made cry.” Ricky replies. “He’s trying to butch up his drinks. Ordering shots of Jack now.”

“And he’ll take that like a bitch as well.” She chuckles. “So what have you boys been talking about?”

“About how you and Patrick happened.” Spencer replies. “You seriously hooked up with my bandmate while you were here for your college best friend’s wedding?”

“Patrick told you about that, huh?” She let’s out a nervous chuckle. “Yea, that happened. But to be fair it shocked both of us the next day. Neither one of us knew where the fuck that came from.”

“You were drunk,” Ricky laughs.

“Drunk actions are sober thoughts.” She shrugs. “Apparently deep down both of us wanted to fuck each other.”

“Can you not.” Spencer pleas with her. “Just please.”

“I think Henley just found a new way to torture you,” Ricky laughs.

Henley just rolls her eyes before leaning over the bar. “How about when I close the bar, you can ditch dumb and dumber and hang out; just the two of us?” The smirk I know and love appears on her lips.

I lean in to close the space between us even more. “Deal.” I smirk before planting a kiss on her lips, causing the two men next to me to groan in disgust.

Yea, being public is gonna be fun.