A Collection of Short Stories

1

I've known Debbie for the longest time though I'm not a... delinquent so to speak. I mean I've had my fair share of five-finger discounts, but nothing like Debbie. I've always been a bit, well, neurotic in a sense. I get fidgety when it comes down to it so I've stayed in my lane and she in hers.

However, I really enjoy our time together and try to hang out with her whenever possible. I've met her friends a few times and most of them seem pretty cool. I only say most because there's one in particular that far exceeds 'cool' as a descriptor. Lou is... I mean she's special.

Like a breath of fresh air, in a way. I can't lie, she makes me incredibly nervous but in all the right sense of the word. I just get this rush of energy from her. It's like everything and everyone just falls in place around her. Kind of like how the planets orbit the sun, but let me not get ahead of myself.

Debbie's invited me out tonight and I'm a little on edge. It's been a while since I've seen them, or been out in general really. Yet I couldn't refuse as Debbie sounded so eager to see me when she called. So here I am getting dressed up to go to this club. She said the whole group is supposed to be going so that's nice.

I know they all have such busy lives that they don't often get a night like this. If anything, I'm excited to just see them interact. I slip on my heels and head out the door where I see a car waiting for me. "Get in loser, we're going clubbing" Daphne yells out the window. I shake my head amused and quickly make my way over.

I swiftly get in the backseat and Debbie turns around to smile at me. I turn to my left to see Tammy sitting beside me and I give her a quick hug and greeting. "So what's new?" Debbie asks turning back around. We all catch up a bit as we head to the club.

I look up to see we're in a dark parking lot. Sparsely lit by dim street-lamps casting a hazy yellow glow in circles with far spans in between. "Uhhh guys?" I say funnily, they all giggle lightly and I hear their seatbelts unlatch. Debbie turns around again, her front fully facing me. "Nine-ball is meeting us here so we all agreed to come and leave as a group" she explains.

"Oh that's sweet, ok" I reply, Debbie says she's getting out to smoke and we all decide to get out too. Debbie and Tam lean against the side of the car and talk while Daph and I sit on the trunk and chat. Soon enough, I see a figure coming out the shadows from god knows where.

I squint as it's hard to see, almost like a fog is covering the lot. I recognize the silhouette as she gets closer and I relax more. "Hey y'all" Nine-ball says, Debbie nods while Tam waves with a smile. "Hey" Daph greets her, "Leslie" I say trying not to giggle. "You know, you're the only person who can call me that without getting throat punched" she jokes.

I hop down to hug her and of course I almost trip. She grabs my forearms quickly to steady me while she chuckles. I can just hear Daph softly giggle behind me making me roll my eyes. "Well hello again" Nine-ball says funnily, I hug her and as I step back I feel off balance.

I look down to see that, just my luck of course, my heel broke. "Damn it" I sigh, leaning down to take them off. The cold concrete chilling my soles as it must've rained not to long ago. "Beginning of the night and you already shoeless" Nine quips. I narrow my eyes at her and grumble to myself.

"Someone will have shoes, it'll be ok" Debbie assures me. "Yeah if all else fails, Rose always has a million shoes in her trunk" Tammy giggles. "What if she doesn't drive?" I ask, worrying as usual. "If Rose isn't driving you know she's not going anywhere. Despite how erratic, or as she calls 'eccentric', her driving is. She's confident in it" Daph rolls her eyes funnily.

"Remember that one time we were all joking about it and she was so upset" Tammy says. "Oh yeah.. she said, and I quote, 'at least if I die it's my own fault' completely mental" Daph recalls. "I mean she has a point" I chime in, "of course you think that" Nine chuckles.

"Thin ice, Leslie. Thin. Ice" I warn her as I jokingly poke her chest. We talk for a bit longer and eventually another car pulls up. They park a few spaces down which automatically turns on my internal alert systems. No one else seems phased, though so I just go with it.