Chapter 20
Dallas
The three of us, Maddie, Red and myself, were lying in mine and Luke’s bed, sniffling and snorting at one of the sappiest chick flicks I had ever seen. Nicholas Sparks definitely knew how to make a girl cry. The guys had left around five, and no sooner had they left, than we had jumped into bed to begin our movie marathon. Luke had yet to speak to Marty, but he didn’t kill him either, and that was progress. Regg expressed his relief that the fight was out of Luke by grabbing a bottle of Jack and turning it up, not even bothering with a glass. I got out of bed, choosing another movie for us as, my stomach grumbled in complaint.
“Y’all hungry?” I asked the two saps lying in bed covered with tissues.
“Starving,” Red said, which wasn’t unusual. She was always hungry.
“Yeah, me too,” Maddie added, her permanent smile still as fresh as it had been when she’d uttered the words, “I love him.”
“I’ll order pizza.” I walked into the main room, flipping on lights as I did, and found the number for a local pizza joint behind the bar. I ordered a large pepperoni and cheese pizza for delivery, and they let me know they would be here in thirty minutes. I skipped back to the bedroom, where the pajama party looked more like an ICU waiting room, with snot rags, covers, and red, crying eyes. Everyone wore their significant other’s t-shirt instead of pajama tops with their pajama shorts, leaving our tanned legs exposed and a topic of conversation. I looked at Maddie’s legs, which were considerably darker than mine and Red’s. “Maddie, do you tan every day?” I asked, causing all six eyes in the room to fall on Maddie’s legs.
“Not every day, but most. I have a tanning bed at home. Luke bought it for me for Christmas last year,” Maddie said, propped up on her elbows, while she turned her leg examining it.
“He bought you a tanning bed?” Was she serious?
“Yeah, I had been wanting one so he got it for me,” she answered, with a shrug. I would have thrown a jealousy fit had she and Marty not confirmed their love for one another earlier.
“I want a tanning bed,” Red said with a pout, holding her leg up to Maddie’s in comparison.
“Why? It ain’t like you’re ever home to use it,” Maddie said, with a laugh. “Albino,” she added, and I laughed too, making sure to shield my legs from Maddie’s eyes. If Red were an albino, then so was I.
“Don’t be trying to hide, Dallas. Your tan is shit too. For November, we all have pretty good tans.” Red said, and I had to agree. Maddie was an exception, but when we were forty, she would look like leather, and Red and I would still look youthful… and very white. A bang on the door sounded, and I took off to get the pizza. As I ran through the main room, a thought hit me. It had not been anywhere near thirty minutes. I did a one-eighty, and high-tailed it back to my room, to find Maddie and Red still talking tanned legs, when I entered.
“That’s not the pizza. Can’t be,” I said, my breathing coming fast from my sprint and my sudden nervousness.
“Well, let’s go see who it is,” Red said, clambering off the bed. I turned leaving her searching for something, as Maddie and I made our way back to the door. “I’m coming, wait!” Red said in a whisper, as we slowed for her to catch up. I made it to the door first, making sure the light outside was on as I unlocked the deadbolt and cracked it open, but Red grabbed it, pulling it open wide and glaring at the man who stood there. He looked nervous and fidgety, and I knew he was up to no good.
“Can I help you?” I asked, stunning him with my million-dollar smile. He took the three of us in, nothing but t-shirts and legs.
“Yeah, I was looking for directions,” he said, looking around nervously.
“No you fucking ain’t. Tell whoever that is down the street that if he wants to send a lookout, he needs to send someone who isn’t an idiot,” Maddie snapped, causing the guy’s face to whiten. I stood between Maddie and Red, wondering how in the hell they were staying so cool about the situation. What if he had someone with him? It wouldn’t take much for them to push their way inside.
“I-I don’t know what you are talking about,” the guy said, with a nervous laugh. He reached up to run his hands through his greasy hair and I noticed the track marks on his arms. He was doing this for dope.
“Look, tell your informant that there are three women alone in the Devil’s Renegades clubhouse, so if they want to ambush it, now is the time.” I wanted to look at Red and mouth to her, “are you fucking crazy”, but I kept my eyes forward and my face impassive, although I was anything but.