Python

CHAPTER TWO

Chapter Two

{𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦}

Starred words (*) are defined at the end of the story.

𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐃𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐘 laughed. The venom in her original hateful tone vanished at that moment. The three friends sat in Big Mac's job's basement, playing cards under dimmed lighting. The wooden round table and taped chairs made the intoxicated female imagine a suspenseful scene in a movie. The vending machine and mini kitchen area made it worse. Aidan stared at his friend, concerned, as he leaned forward with his fingers intertwined on the table. Ina leaned back in her seat, her knees against her chest and a bottle of temptation in her hand. He had never seen her this way, as he'd only bumped into her when she called asking him to mask her records or demanding favors as such.

        At that thought, Aidan began to realize he was nothing but a side character to the criminal. He looked at the deck of cards shared between his friend and the criminal he's been keeping undercover for the past six years. It hurt realizing that he understandably meant nothing to the girl that he's known since they were eighteen (18). He faded into thought and began staring at the cards, imagining they were playing with his life.

        "Aidan. Aidan!" Big Mac, or Orson, snapped in the absent-minded male's face. He blinked twice and looked up at him, who shared the look of concern he had with Ina. "What?" Aidan panted in a whisper. "You okay, dude? I asked if you wanted a beer, but it seems like you're already out of it," Big Mac repeated and inhaled his cigarette before choosing a card and throwing it in the center of the table.

        Aidan looked back at the deck and sat straighter. He rubbed his eyes with the ball of his palm and dropped them in his lap. "You got jokes if you think Addie would even sniff alcohol!" Ina began laughing as tears of tipsiness escaped her dilated eyes. "You know, Orson? I like your name. It reminds me of arson," Ina joked, and the two laughed, though Orson wasn't drunk. Aidan furrowed his brows and slouched.

        "I-I can drink," Aidan mumbled, embarrassed, as he looked at the cards in Ina's hand before looking up at her. Orson scoffed and tapped his cigarette into the ashtray. "Can it," he said as he stared at his cards, and Aidan jerked his head towards him in resentment.

        He stared for a second before furiously pushing his chair away from the table, causing both to stop playing and watch him walk to the mini-fridge. He rashly took out a beer and sat back at the table. Grabbing the bottle opener next to Orson's arm, he popped off the cap and chugged. Orson furrowed his brows and leaned on the table. Ina gaped at Orson, wondering if he's ever seen the male do anything like this before.

        Aidan slammed the bottle on the table and heavily exhaled. The distressed male's chest quickly moved with his heartbeat. "Aidan?" Ina asked and put one leg down to lean forward. He slumped and laid his arms out in front of him. He turned to Ina as she mentioned his name, holding no emotion.