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“Let me worry about him. I’ll have this pasta and gravy done in twenty minutes.”
“Okay. I’m going to go sit with him while we wait.”
“All right.”
* * *
Jace
I flop down on the couch and cover my face with my hands. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me. I’m not a child. So what? I’m not getting my way.
I need to pull my shit together before I lose both my friends. That I’ll never be able to survive. Somehow, I’ll get over not having what I’ve wanted all my life.
“Hey.”
I drag my hands down my face and look at Ny. She’s staring back at me with concern written all over her face. I purse my lips. I’m so drunk, I can’t feel my face.
“Hey.”
She sits beside me and runs her hand through the front of my hair. She gives me a wobbly smile. I look away and run my hands over my thighs.
“Talk to me, Jace. You’re not happy.”
I shrug. “I just need to sober up.”
“Remember that one time we all got sick from drinking that beer?”
“Yeah, Gio was so mad at himself because you were sick. I spent that night holding your hair. He had passed out on us.”
“Where did we go wrong?”
I’m silent. I don’t know how to tell her how I really feel. It’s never been easy for me.
A record I found in this room a few months back comes to mind. It said everything I feel. I get up to see if I can find it.
I remember the jacket. Flipping through Nonno’s collection, I find the one I’m looking for. Ben E. King. “I (Who Have Nothing).”
I place the record on the record player and turn to hold my hand out to Ny. We all learned to dance when we were little, it’s how we were trained to fight.
She takes my hand and I spin her into me and look down into her eyes. She looks back at me, searching. The song tells her just how I feel as I sway us. I have nothing and I’m no one, but I love her so much.
Gio gets to give her everything I wish I could. I dance her around the room as I watch the words sink in. I’m bleeding my heart out in this moment.
Placing my forehead against hers, I let her feel what I feel. I know the moment Gio has entered the room. I back away and nod, turning to leave.
“Jace,” Ny calls after me, but I’m gone. I need some air.
I’m outside, headed for the guesthouse. My goal is to put space between myself and my two best friends. However, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
“Jace,Jace,” Gio bellows as he catches up to me and grabs my shoulder.
I fling him off and turn to face him. We’re both about the same height, six-five, so we’re eye to eye. I glare at him before I turn to walk off again.
“Bro, what the fuck is wrong with you? What was that?”
I turn back to face him. “That was how I feel.”
“Like you’re no one and have nothing?” he asks, his face covered in confusion.
