[Completed✔] Born and raised in Tulsa, Jade Phelan reminisces her youth with a group of dealers who attempt to make a better life for themselves and the yearning she felt for one of them.
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March 22nd, 1989. 9:14 P.M.
In a matter of moments I was back in the crew and didn't have a boyfriend. Around here I couldn't take the time to wallow over the break up. I was expected to get over it quickly and get on with life. Although I felt blue over it, I knew that Dallas and Brian wouldn't let me be. Greasers had more troubles to worry about then heart break.
It wasn't but a few hours later I found myself being forced to go to a party. Brian begged me to go to his band's gig that night. I knew that Darry would say no. I climbed out of the bedroom window at around nine anyways.
As soon as I arrived at Buck's place I knocked on the door. Nobody answered so I let myself in. This was my first real party so I didn't know the protocol for these things. It took my eyes a few seconds to focus in the dark. The place was overcrowded and humid. I made it my mission to find one of the boys but ended up having no luck.
Feeling a bit anxious and alone, I did the only sensible thing I could think about doing. I lingered over to the only person I barely knew, that being Buck. He had always been kind to me. I think Darry had a lot to do with that. I jumped up on the stool, then leaned over the bar counter to get his attention.
Buck stared through me. I smiled at him. I prayed he'd give me something, anything to calm these nerves. "Daryl knows you're here?" he asked. His voice was hoarse, so much so that it got hard to hear sometimes.
I wet my lips. "Well..." I trailed off.
"Does he or doesn't he?" he asked. Buck didn't play games. He wanted to know everything straight or not at all. When he spoke I tended to listen.
I came clean. "Nope. Let's keep it that way. Alright?" I said. Buck gives me the look. The same one Darry gave me when he knew I was lying, in some ways they were the same. I slid him bribe money to keep him quiet then went on my way.
There's dangerous people here. Clusters of people. Some making out, others dancing. People occasionally walk in and out of rooms. People stumbling around. I don't bother no one. According to them, I was just here to see the band.
In the back the smoke billowed out from the poker and pool tables. Mainly older guys in their thirties and forties were back there. I sought out an empty space on the couch, and slouched back on it. It was hard to breathe in here. The air was so thick in my lungs and I felt overheated from it all.
I closed my eyes and pretended I was somewhere else. I began to wonder if Darry had checked on me tonight or found that I was missing. I felt a shift in the room's attitude and glanced at the stage. Brian and his band stalled up there. "Aye ole. I'm Brian and we're Electric Nave." he slurred.
He was drunk, even had a can of beer in his hand. His bass guitar was strapped against his back. Another man stood up. He was a singer and played guitar. He is one of the Brumby brothers. All three of them were triplets.
I listened to the set. The bass thumped in time to my heart beat. Afterwards I went around the side of the stage where Brian was. "Brian!" I roared, advancing towards him.
"Jade! Finally someone who doesn't irritate the hell out of me..." he remarked, "...Dallas is somewhere."
"Are you fighting with him?" I asked. Sometimes they disagreed, overacted but then made up within a day or two. Brian got distracted by a few girls who giggled when he waved at them. I puffed, "So?"
"Oh Jade baby. You know you're the only girl I think about when I play." Brian schmoozed. He was a completely different person from drunk and sober. When he drank he was more unhinged, and when sober he was uptight.
"That wasn't what I asked." I grumbled.
Someone swung by Brian and handed him a few shots. He passed one to me. I just stared at it. "Just swing it back." he titled the bottom of it towards my mouth. The liquid burnt all the way down my throat, and settled in my chest. It was a sort of rushed intense coolness that filled me.
I wasn't much for this party scene. I never drank before this. I didn't care much for it like the gang did. Two-bit was always hammered one way or another, Soda and Steve got wild. Darry had a couple beers on the weekends.
He'd skin me alive if he ever found out about this. Girls didn't drink around their boyfriends, it just wasn't considered the dune thing to do. I was lucky in a sense. I didn't have a boyfriend anymore... it got me wondering if Curly was around. He hadn't been around for a few days.
