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“How’s everyone else doing? Everyone having a good night?” They all answer in the affirmative except for Heather, who says nothing. “Anyone have anything they feel like they wanna say to me?” I direct at her. “Might as well get it out there now.”
“I started that shit the other day, but you were out of line, too,” she says. “I just want to have a good time tonight.”
I slam my hand down on the table. She jumps back in her seat, and I smile, satisfied with her visceral reaction. “What a coincidence. That’s what I want, too. This broke bitch is going to buy everyone some shots—how does that sound?”
She lets out a slow breath and nods, her posture relaxing.
“What do we want?”
“Tequila!” Lisa replies.
“Tequila it is.”
I cross the room to the bar and hop up on an empty stool. I give Scott a little wave when his eyes meet mine. He shakes his head but comes to me next.
“Mel Walker. How can I be of service?” he asks.
“Six shots of tequila,” I tell him. He sets a tray on the counter, pours the shots, and then adds a plate of limes.
“Thanks,” I say. I take the tray in my hands and start to leave the bar, but then turn back. “Hey, Scott, wait! Are you guys hiring?”
He shakes his head. “I can’t hire you, Mel. You’re too young to work here.”
I frown but don’t argue. I take my tray and go—because I’m also too young to drink here. But in our small town where everyone knows everyone and their mom and their grandparents, different rules apply. I wonder how long that will last.
I set the tray on the table and we all take our shots. Derek buys a couple pitchers of beer and we all drink and laugh, and I forget about how, in a matter of days, everything will change. Most of them are going to move on, and what’s that going to look like?
“Hey!” Lisa says, nudging me. “Let’s go pick some songs on the jukebox.”
I smile and follow her over to the old machine. She puts some quarters in and starts flipping through the options. I lean against it as she searches, realizing that the room is starting to lean, too, and look at my best friend.
She’s been a part of my life every day for eleven years. The most time we ever spent apart was when I got mono in sixth grade. After the fifth day, she skipped school and spent the day on my front porch, talking to me through the front window. She filled me in on everything I missed and told me how awful everything was without me.
Everything was awful after just five days. What are we going to do now?
“Okay, I’ve got “Summer Girls” and “Slide.” I get Scott’s trying to keep a certain vibe going or whatever, but I don’t know what he has against boy bands. What else do you want, Mel? What are we feeling?”
“Lisa…”
Hearing the concern in my voice, she looks up. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Are we still going to be friends? When you leave for college for four years, and I’m still here…are we going to stay best friends?”
“Yes,” she insists. She stands and places her hands on my shoulders. “Of course, we’re going to stay best friends. And I’m not leaving for four years. I’ll be home every holiday and every summer, and it’ll be just like this. We’re still going to be friends, Mel. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, to be honest. I’m going to miss the shit out of you. I just haven’t told you because I know you’re having a hard time, and I don’t want to make it worse. I cried myself to sleep two nights ago thinking about it.”
“Thank you,” I tell her, throwing my arms around her.
“Does my pain make you feel better?” she asks.
“Yes,” I tell her, “it really does.”
“Hey! Mel!” Scott yells at me from behind the bar. I release my hold on Lisa and turn toward him “You need to get him out of here. He’s going to get me in trouble.”
I follow where he’s pointing and see Ty sleeping in the booth where we left him. He’s alone—Russell and Derek are nowhere to be found, and Heather is on the dance floor with her older sister and some other girls from town.
“Shit. Okay, come on. You have to help me.”
Lisa follows me to the table, and I climb into the booth. I place my hands on either side of his face. “Ty? Wake up, baby. You have to go.”
