Page 39 of My All American Girl

“Come on, we need to go out,” I said. “We’ll rest for a couple of hours and then we’ll go.”

“Where?” Rolley asked with resignation.

“To the Fly Trap,” I replied like it was obvious.

“You got kicked out of there, remember?” Kylee said.

I shrugged. “I didn’t get banned.”

“If we go, you cannot start a fight,” Clay warned. “Because I can’t back you up. You would be on your own and I don’t think you’re in any shape to be picking any fights.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need your backup. And I don’t pick fights. I don’t know why everyone says that. I’m just the one that doesn’t lay down and take bullshit.”

There were a few grunts in response. And then it went silent. We all passed out. If I had the energy, I would have felt bad for Rolley on the floor. I probably would have kicked Clay out of my bed that was way too small for two people. But I didn’t care. It wasn’t like Clay was going to make a move. I didn’t think he could if he wanted to.

I was the first to wake. It was dark out. I looked around the room and saw Rolley had left at some point. Clay was half hanging off my bed, his mouth open as he slept. Kaylee was still passed out as well. I should have taken mercy on them and let them sleep, but I wanted to go out. I didn’t want to let Dean beat me down.

“Hey, let’s get up and go,” I said.

Kylee groaned. I nudged Clay with my foot. “Get up. We’ll grab something to eat and then we’ll go.”

It took a lot of effort, but I finally managed to get them up and moving. Rolley drove, declaring he was staying sober. He was still feeling a little queasy after puking earlier.

I silently prayed Dean wasn’t going to be at the bar tonight. I could really use a break from his relentless scrutiny. He was waiting for me to fail, salivating for the moment I threw in the towel. Like today. That was what he wanted. He thought he was going to push me into giving up. That man was mistaken. He didn’t know me. He didn’t know just how stubborn I could be.

But of course, luck was never on my side, and there he was, standing behind the bar alongside the rough-looking bartender. Our eyes met across the room. I could practically feel the weight of his gaze boring into me. He shook his head in silent admonishment, a reminder of the grueling session we endured earlier. I pretended not to see him and made my way over to a table with my friends.

I tried to push thoughts of Dean and his punishing workouts out of my mind. Tonight was supposed to be about letting loose and having fun, a much-needed reprieve from the stresses of training and the looming specter of survival tests.

“You know he’s going to bust our ass tomorrow for sure now,” Clay groaned. “Why is he here?”

“He owns the place,” I replied.

They all looked at me. “What?”

“He’s the owner.”

“You could have mentioned that before,” Rolley muttered.

“Who cares?” I said with a wave of my hand. “We’re not doing anything illegal. This is what people do on the weekend. It’ll just prove him wrong when we do show up to train tomorrow. Not to mention, tomorrow is completely voluntary. We don’t have to go.”

“Yeah right,” Clay muttered. “It wasn’t exactly a request.”

The atmosphere in the Fly Trap was lively, the sound of laughter and chatter filling the air as people unwound after a long day. I ordered a pitcher from the bartender, eager to drown my aches and pains in alcohol-induced oblivion. I didn’t see the same group from before. I truly hoped they weren’t around. I didn’t have it in me to fight, but I would if I had to.

We sipped our beers, and despite my best efforts to focus on the conversation swirling around me, I couldn’t shake the feeling of Dean’s eyes on me. It was like he was watching my every move, silently judging me for seeking solace in a night of revelry instead of dedicating every waking moment to training. He needed to understand I wasn’t a robot. Not to mention, I kicked ass today. I refused to let him dictate how I lived my life. Tonight, I was going to enjoy myself, consequences be damned. If he didn’t like it, he could kiss my entire ass.

Someone turned on the jukebox and Elvis Presley’s iconic voice filled the air. I felt a smile tugging at the corners of my lips as the familiar melody washed over me. Suspicious Minds was one of my favorite songs. It instantly lifted my spirits. Without a second thought, I rose from my seat and began to dance, letting the music carry me away. I swayed back and forth, simply enjoying the music and letting it move through me. It was relaxing and it felt good to move. It kept my muscles from locking up.

The Fly Trap wasn’t exactly a dancing bar, but that didn’t stop me. Dean’s eyes were on me, and for once, I didn’t mind. In fact, I kind of liked it. Let him see me not as the trainee he’s supposed to babysit. I’ve been looking at him for the man he is, not the instructor. I want him to see me as a woman.

When the song ended, I sat back down and enjoyed another glass of beer. Each sip eased the aches and pains that had plagued me earlier. It went down a little too easily.

“You feel better, right?” I grinned when Kylee refilled her drink.

She smiled. “Yes, but I’m worried I’m going to pay for it tomorrow. He’s totally watching us.”

I glanced over my shoulder to look at him. He was talking with the other bartender, his expression unreadable.