"IDs," I said, glaring at the approximately twelve-year-old girl. She glared right back, sticking out her tongue, and passing me her "ID".
I examined the piece of card. It was a back of cereal packet, with a little picture of her drawn out, and some writing, that upon closer inspection, said nothing but, "I'm eighteen, I'm eighteen, I'm eighteen" over and over again.
"Out," I said, pointing away.
She didn't move.
The queue behind her grumbled miserably.
"Hey, little girl," I said, with a smile. I leant down, to her height. "Do you want to know something?"
Her eyes were wide, as she shook her head, entranced.
"I can kill a man, in three ways, with just my thumb..."
She stared at me in real horror.
"I can kill a man, in ten ways, with just the palm of my hand..."
She took a step back.
"I can kill a man, in a hundred and fifteen ways, with just my foot... Now...do you want me to use one of those..." I did a quick mental calculation. "...hundred and thirty-eight ways, or do you want to leave?"
She ran along the street, sobbing hard.
I smiled, and leant back against the door.
"Now are any of you guys going to give me trouble?" I yelled, over the long queue that had suddenly gone deathly silent. "Or are you going to leave now?"
A couple people left.
God, this job was amazing. I resumed taking IDs from the crowd.
"Your math was wrong, by the way."
I jumped, and put my hand to my heart. The woman I'd just returned the ID to, gave me a terrified look, before scampering into the club.
It was only Nate, wearing the club's uniform. Apparently, he'd not gotten the topless waiter job. Pity. I would've liked to see him topless again - What the hell am I thinking about?! I've clearly spent too much time with Keri...I blame her.
"What, Nate?" I asked, annoyed. I nodded at a clearly middle-aged man, and he went in, terrified.
"A hundred and twenty-eight ways. Not a hundred and thirty-eight."
"If you don't shut up, I'll kill you with one of those hundred and twenty-eight ways."
I flashed him my thumb, and jabbed it at this head, menacingly. He didn't flinch, or blink.
"You know, Ade...I'm not scared of you anymore," he said, almost thoughtfully, leaning against the wall.
I almost dropped the ID I was holding. "What?"
"I mean it. Sure, before I thought you were scary and tough and everything...but that's just a front, isn't it? You're not really like that at all. You're insecure. You think people won't like you, for who you are. You think you're not good enough. That's wrong, Ade. I don't think that. You can trust me, okay?"
He ruffled my hair, and went back into the club. I stood, gaping.
Why couldn't I say anything?
A crack ran along the concrete block that protected my heart.
***
As soon as my shift was over, I left, wearing my lame uniform. It didn't matter, though. I really didn't want to have to face Nate.
A couple minutes later, however, and he'd caught up. His face was panicked, and scared. I felt a stab of guilt. Oh, right. He was scared of the dark.
"Why didn't you wait for me?" he panted. "I thought we were friends! Ade -"
I slammed him into a streetlight. It would've been better, if he hadn't caught up with me. He looked down at me, clearly terrified. He'd been lying, then. He was scared of me...just like everyone else.
"We're not friends, Nate. Leave me alone. This is your last warning."
I turned, and walked on.
Turn around, Ade, my conscience told me. You're making a mistake. You have to apologize...Nate is your friend... You can't lose your friends.
I blinked away the tears before they could form.
Turn around, right now. Turn.
I can't...I have to be alone...or I might be hurt again...
Flashes, from my childhood. The bullying...the teasing...the tears...the sadness... I was so alone, without friends. I needed my friends...Nate was my friend, right? I had to go back, and apologize...
I turned around, and banging into Nate's chest.
I glared up at him, clutching at my nose.
"Oh, sorry," he said, with an awkward smile. "It's just that...I don't like the dark. Can we walk together?"
I made sure Nate would never be able to reproduce, before I went on my way home.
***
Saturday
***
I was so excited. Everything was ready. I pressed Nate's doorbell, and he appeared a couple moments later.
"Ready?" I asked.
He stared at me, blearily. I immediately felt a stab of annoyance. Oh right, he'd been able to sleep well. I had to deal with the bloody light coming from his window, which he never seemed to switch off. Was it because he was scared of the dark, or something?
Nate didn't have a shirt on, and so I tried to avert my gaze.
"Ready for what?" he asked, his eyes unfocused. I noticed that he looked kind of cute, with his bed head, and squinty-eyes. Damn it, what was happening to me? Keri had definitely gotten to me.
I lifted my gun. "You know what."
He froze. "Is this some kind of bad dream?"
I glared at him. "You're the one who did this, okay? It wasn't my idea. I thought it was stupid too."
"But...no...don't..." He fell to his knees. Nate looked at my pleading. "Please don't kill me..."
I blinked. "What the hell are you talking about? This is the paintballing double-date you set up."
"Oh."
"Anyway, you ready?"
"Uh..." he looked down at himself. "Yes?"
"No. Go put a shirt on."
***
Author's Note: I do realize this was an uber-short part, but I am so busy trying to figure out my new book... ARGH!!! I just realized I haven't done my English.... I AM DEAD!!
Anyways, got to go, love you, fat cats and everything. Ciao
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