| �So, how do you know Howie?� Brian asked, smiling as the waiter handed him a menu. �Howie and I have been friends for a long time.� �He never mentioned you.� I turned to AJ and smiled. �Does he have to give you every detail about his life?� �No, but as a friend, it�s usually mentioned.� �I�ve been out of town for a while, a long while.� �Yeah, in a prison.� I placed my glass down on the table and turned to Kevin. �What was that Richardson?� He glanced up and looked at everyone else before turning to look at me. �They don�t know you and they didn�t hear me. But I saw the trail.� My face paled yet I held my chin up. �And tell me, do you have some snide ass remark to make?� �That it was murder.� I threw my napkin on the table and stood up. �Excuse me, gentlemen, Kevin, it�s a been most joyous experience, but I must ask your pardon, I�m not feeling the greatest.� �Oh, I�ll take you home Resa.� �No, I need the air, I can walk. Bye.� I flipped my hair over my shoulder and marched out of the restaurant. I laid down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I heard the door close and heard him march up stairs. He knocked softly on my door before opening it. �Can I come in?� �Sure.� I moved on the bed and he sat down on the edge. �What did Kevin tell you?� �That he knew me. He saw the trail on TV and thought it was murder.� Howie closed his eyes and ran his hands over his face. �I�m sorry.� �I�m not. It was a public affair Howie. I�m sure there�s more than Kevin who saw what happened. And he�s welcome to think his own thoughts. What upsets me the most is that he�s not willing to give me a chance, not willing to hear me out.� �That�s Kevin, actually.� �I know. And I�m not gonna get in any fights with him. I�m not that violent, despite my record with the law.� �Exactly what happened that night?� I licked my lips and stared into his eyes, trying to remember all that had happened. Two weeks later, I was sitting down on the couch, trying to find at least one decent job. I sighed, it was pointless. I was a convict, not many employers look at you after that. I slammed the paper down on the table and laid down on the couch. I heard the door slam and a few voices filled the air. �Resa, you home?� I sat up and smiled at Howie. �Just relaxing. What�s up?� �We�re having a cook out tonight. All the guys and girls are coming over, kay?� I pulled my face in a smile and nodded my head. �Of course.� In the last two weeks, I had kept my distance from his other friends. After Kevin�s remark, I honestly wanted nothing to do with them. �I�m gonna run upstairs and change.� He nodded his head and helped carried stuff outside. I sat there, staring at myself in the mirror. Right now, I could run. Forget Howie, forget the guys, forget my feelings. You see, I knew Howie had recently started dating someone, and from what I could tell, it may not have been the smartest move for him. Of course, who was I to tell him that, exactly? My love life was far from perfect. I sighed and ran my brush through my hair for the hundredth time. You know, it�s funny, in two weeks, I guess I saw a lot change. Howie wasn�t nearly as home as much. And I didn�t blame him, he had his own life. I suppose I just missed him. Did I love him? Maybe. I knew I cared for him as more than a friend. But love was such a strong word. I mean, the last time I thought I loved someone, I ended up in prison and lost five years of my life. I turned as the door opened and saw Howie standing there. �You�re taking forever missy.� �Sorry, just thinking.� �About?� �It�s time I left Howie.� His face changed, into what, I wasn�t sure for he quickly masked it up again. �Leave? Where would you go?� �I have friends outside of Miami. You�re not the only one who would watch me for a few days. Sides, I�ve been a burden far to long on you.� �You have not.� �Yes, I have. I can�t get a job, it seems. Or, at least a decent one. And you have a girlfriend. I don�t want her to come here one night and demand I leave. It would put you in an odd position, one I don�t want you to be in.� �Than at least stay a few more days? We can find you a job together.� I smiled and nodded my head, already knowing I was lying. �Now come on, everyone is already here.� I stood against the wall, feeling like an outsider. They knew something, for no one was talking to me. Why did I honestly think I could be part of this? Howie was different than I was. He was sweet, pure, the good boy and I was�well, an ex-convict. I closed my eyes and headed inside, dumping my contents of my drink down the drain. �Hey, Resa, can I talk to you?� I turned around and there stood Nick. Ah, yes, he would know how I felt. I rolled my eyes at my own thinking. �Sure, what�s up Nick?� �Kevin told us something and I�m not sure if I want to believe it or not.� �Well, what did he say? Yes, girls and guys do have sex and yes, a baby can happen.� He laughed, but his smile quickly faded. �Kevin mentioned something about you going to jail.� My smile froze on my face. Well, after five years, no use in being ashamed. In fact, he was scared, so why not have some fun. �Yeah, I did.� �What for?� �Murder, in the 1st degree.� His eyes opened wide. �I have a wicked temper, and I just lost my head. My boyfriend thought it was funny to cheat on me and I found him in bed with another woman. I started to twitch, like so,� I moved my arm up and nodded my head against my shoulder. �And before my eyes, I saw red, crimson red. I got the nearest thing I could, which was a lamp, and broke it on his head, except it didn�t do much good. So, I took a broken piece and stabbed him, 10 times in the back.� He swallowed and just stared at me. �Oh, there�s more.� �More?� He crocked out. |
| I Will Be Here By: Resa Dorough |
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