Blurred Love

Part 2: Poker for Two and Hangover for One

I woke with an extreme headache, still in the clothes from the night before. I slowly raised up and checked my phone as it read 12:37 P.M. Leaving my room, I stiffly shuffled my feet towards the kitchen. When I entered, Damon and Alex were sitting there smoking and playing poker. I tried to swiftly grab a cup of coffee without them noticing me, until Damon suddenly spoke.

"Look who's awake." I could tell from the sound of his voice that he was smirking.

I took a deep breath and turned around. "Hello, boys. Hope you enjoyed the show last night." I said, sarcastically.

"Lua, we're making every Saturday night party night!" Alex laughed, as he counted his plastic tokens.

I walked over and sat with them at the table, indulging my coffee silently until I remembered. "How'd I get to bed last night?" Alex must've not heard me because he was still mumbling to himself as he counted the tokens.

"I helped you." Damon chimed in. "You sort of fell asleep on the floor." He smiled and glanced to me and I suddenly felt extremely conscious of how I looked.

"Oh, thanks." I nodded, brushing my hair back from my face. "So, poker?" I laughed. "Is this a regular Sunday morning thing?"

"Yeah, we started like, in January or something." Alex skimmed through his cards. "It's not that fun with just two people though."

I looked to Damon who left his bottom lip puckered out, "Not fun at all."

"Okay, I'll join..." I stopped for a moment as a sharp pain went through my brain. "next week." I continued sipping my coffee until I could feel a pair of eyes on me. I glanced over to see Damon watching me with a still face and I quickly looked away. "Do you guys have any Advil or something?"

"Awe shit, sis. Hangover? You haven't had one since our Junior year in high school!" Alex chuckled, puffing away at his cigarette.

I grabbed one from his pack and lit it up. "I know. What'd you fuckers do to the beer?" I smiled and blew out my smoke.

"I think we've got some Tylenol in the cupboard. Let me go see." Damon stood up, his tall and lanky body still dressed in boxers and a faded red T-shirt. I watched as he grabbed the bottle but then quickly looked away as Alex tugged my arm.

"Is this a good set? I'm shit at poker, he always beats me." He desperately pleaded as I scanned over his cards.

"I don't know...I think so. It depends on what he has." I shrugged.

"Okay, DEMON! I'm not folding this time!" Alex exclaimed in determination.

"Alright." Damon chuckled as he laid his hand on my shoulder, handing me the bottle and a glass of water.

"Thanks." I smiled, pulling two blue pills out. "What're you guys gambling over anyways?"

"I don't know, actually." Damon smirked, skimming his hand of cards.

"How about this time, the winner choses the alcohol for next Saturday and the loser buys it." Alex proudly stated.

"Fair enough." Damon wiggled his eyebrows and set his cards down right as my brother laid his out.

Alex's hand was a Straight Flush as Damon's was a Full House. "Holy shit!" Alex exclaimed, raising his arms in the air. "I fuckin' beat you this time!"

Damon chuckled and clapped. "Bravo my friend." He looked over to me and quietly asked, "You feeling any better?"

I nodded my head, "Yeah, kind of."

Damon smiled and turned back to Alex. "So what poison are we buying next Saturday?"

"What poison are you buying, I think you mean?" Alex grinned. "Let's see, how about stuff for margaritas. Sound good, Lua?"

"Don't talk to me about alcohol for the rest of the day." I groaned as the boys laughed.

•

Damon left around 2 for his shift at an art supplies store. Alex took the day off to help me go job hunting. We drove into downtown and began looking around.

"I kind of wanna work at a coffee shop or something. Somewhere that's more relaxed. Oh, and has good music!" I said as we made our way towards the square.

Alex chuckled. "Okay, we have a few of those. Let's check out Benny's Beans."

We walked into the shop, the aroma of coffee filling my senses as I asked the bearded man behind the counter for an application. Alex and I sat down as he helped me fill it out until his phone began buzzing.

"Hello? Oh, hey."

I scratched the pen against the paper as the ink began to run low. I motioned to Alex to see if he had an extra pen with him, which he conveniently pulled out from his laptop bag.

"Yeah, I think she's feeling better."

I felt my heart rush as I realized he was talking to Damon. I tried to not be obvious and continued jotting away at my application.

"Okay, alright, see ya later man." Alex hung up the phone and smiled at me in a mischievous way. "I think Damon likes you."

I scoffed. "What? No."

"I don't know..." Alex sang. "All I'm saying, is that he's my best friend and you're my twin. As much as I'd love to see you two be happy...it better not be with each other."

I laughed, knowing he wasn't being serious. "Yeah, whatever. Says the twin who dated my best friend sophomore year."

"Hey, Casey was cute." Alex shrugged.

"Well, Damon's cute and nice." I said for argument's sake.

My brother dropped his jaw in a smile. "So you do like Damon?"

"I didn't say that." I frowned, narrowing my eyebrows.

"Whatever, Lua." Alex smirked. "Let's finish this application!"