LOVERBOY

09| SUPERMAN'S INFLUENCE

The inevitable ping of her phone had Romani frozen as she stared at the face up phone on her desk. Her body was clad in her inconspicuous clothing, awaiting the illegal action that she felt as though she asked for.

With careful steps, she approached her phone, taking it in her hand and blinking at the address that was sent to her number. Closing her eyes, her grip tightened around the phone, breathing deeply as her heart beat like a drum in her ears.

When her eyes opened, she had stored away her nerves, moving faster as she stuffed her phone in her jacket pocket, the leather jacket being added once she realized the weather was far too low to not have some kind of extra warmth. With the zip of her sweater and pull of a beanie, Romani was leaving the house, only stopping when her skateboard was left on the pillar, a red bull standing beside it. It almost made her laugh.

Skating away from the empty house, she drank from the energy drink, roughly knowing the address she was going to, a small frown pulling at her lips as she passed the grocery store, thinking when her mom was gonna come home, or if she even wanted to.

Little did Romani know, Daisy was across town.

Daisy had worked through the day, she wasn't ready to get back home to face the cold shoulder and silent treatment her daughter was giving. Instead, she was at a bar, drowning her sorrows for a few hours while staring mindlessly at the football game streaming on the TV, chewing on peanuts while wholly relaxing in the space where no one knew who she was, or better yet, who her husband was.

It wasn't common to see Ms.Decker at a bar, the bartender had never seen the woman, but her problems or conflicts that she was seemingly drowning made him have sympathy towards her.

"Another whiskey ma'am?" The bartender offered, wiping the bar, before throwing the rag over his shoulder, leaning on the wood as he awaited her answer.

Daisy sighed, pushing her lips out as she hummed. With her hand rising, she pushed the cup towards him, smiling weakly as she leaned forward, rhythmically tightening and loosening her hold on her thigh.

"Make it a double would ya?" He raised his eyebrows at her request, turning around and grabbing the bottle, turning it upside down in his hold and doubling the liquor in the glass cup.

"You doing all right tonight?" Daisy let out a weak laugh, her back slouched as she scratched her head for a moment.

"If being all right is avoiding going home, then yes." Daisy saw the look of a question in his eyes, sighing as she prepared her answer, "I said some hurtful things to my daughter, and now she isn't talking to me. It's kinda difficult and not incredibly subtle to be avoided in a house where there is only me and her."

"First, you look way too young to be a mother." He marvels, making her laugh, "Second, you're owning up to it ma'am, it's more than most parents will ever do. I'm sure," He sighs, leaning forward on the bar, to get closer to Daisy, who just stared at him with wide curious eyes, "Your daughter will forgive you soon. And, I bet having a bit of alone time will help with your thoughts and blow off some steam... From the argument of course."

Daisy's mouth was gaped, something settling in her tipsy and hazed mind. Her chest rose, then with a long exhale, she made up her mind.

✞

A neon sign flickered, illuminating the figure with their hood up, a light drizzle as they walked to the large rusty red door. Lifting their fist, they knocked three times, then once after a prolonged moment.

Looking around, a face of alertness was the expression on Romani's face, head bowed to avoid any kind of cameras in the area. Turning back to the door, it creaked open, a relatively scrawny man with a hat, smelling of beer, and a sour expression on his face.