Moonlit Silhouettes

The Accident

"All I'm saying is, that chick was smokin' hot, so why the hell did you dump her?"

Nick rolled his eyes at Alejandro and sipped his coke. "Sure she was hot and we hooked up a few times, but man is she ever clingy. I'm telling you, I'd wake up in the morning with fifty texts all from her! Besides, I don't like sticking with one chick for too long, things get serious and I don't do serious."

Alejandro shrugged. "Well yeah, I get not doing serious, but I sure the hell wouldn't have stopped doing her." He laughed uproariously at his own joke.

Nick smacked his best friend upside the head and suppressed a chuckle. "What are you, twelve? And you're one to talk, Al, when's the last time you even had a girlfriend?"

Alejandro stopped laughing abruptly, shooting a glare at Nick as he grumbled. "Thanks for the reminder."

Nick laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, cheer up, I'll find you a girlfriend."

"Oh great, that's just what I need, my best friend playing matchmaker." He slid off the tail of the truck bed they were sitting in, and let out a sigh. "I should be getting home, my old man will be worried if I don't show up soon."

Nick hopped out of the truck as well. "Ah, the curse of having a guardian who actually cares about you."

Alejandro paused, and put his hand on Nick's shoulder. "Hey, I'm sure your aunt means well. Besides, your dad's getting back soon, right?"

Nick shrugged. "A couple months, that's when his tour ends. Although I'm not even sure he wants to see us."

"Hey, don't talk like that, I'm sure he can't wait to see his kids."

"Then why leave for three years? We needed him, Al. But he decided to make us orphans after the funeral instead of staying and being a father." Nick shook his head. "He thinks he's being honorable and brave serving his country, but he's a coward who ran away from the responsibility of raising two kids by himself."

Alejandro didn't know what to say, so he just sighed and motioned to the car. "Come on, I'll take you home."

Nick was silent as the truck rattled down the gravel road, staring out the window, lost in thought. He unbuckled and swung the door open as they pulled to a stop in front of the dismal grey house. "Thanks for the ride, you going to school tomorrow?"

Alejandro shrugged. "Probably, been boring there since you graduated."

Nick grinned. "Hey, just a few more months and you'll be done too. I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you."

Nick listened to the squeal of the ancient truck's wheels as Alejandro drove off. He walked up the rickety wooden stairs and swung the screen door open with a squeal, he paused and winced, waiting to see if his aunt had heard and woke up.

After waiting for a few moments and still hearing nothing, he eased the door open and slipped inside. Not wanting to turn the lights on and risk waking his aunt up, he stood in the living room and blinked rapidly, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dark. Once they did, he creeped across the room and headed toward his room at the back of the house.

He had just reached his door when a sudden noise made him jump. He swore quietly and scrambled to pull his phone out of his back pocket as it insistently blasted "talk dirty to me" He glanced at the caller ID as he answered it, his brow lining slightly in a frown. "Violet? What the hell are you doing calling me so late?" He hissed under his breath, moving back toward the living room so he wouldn't disturb his aunt.