Everything I Need (4 page)

“What’s wrong this time, Jared?” I ask as I take a seat beside him.

“Oh, nothing, really. My DVD is so old that it’s not reading right in the DVD player.”

He keeps fumbling with the remote, pressing stop and then skip, and then back to stop again. I place my purse beside me and look forward at the TV.

“What movie is giving you such a hard time?” I ask, laughing at him.

“‘Slap Shot’. Since this is hockey season and the Wings aren’t playing tonight, I wanted to kind of keep a theme.” He turns to me and gives me a little smirk.

“Oh, I see.”

I rub my palms up and down on top of my thighs and look around. Roger is in the kitchen, making another drink, of course. Matt and Jeff are at the foosball table they have set up in the dining area. I figure it’s a good time to ask the guys what they want to order.

I turn my body halfway around on the couch.

“Hey!” I shout, looking at each of them. “What kind of pizzas should I order? And I’m not ordering a shitload, either. Four is plenty.”

Once again I’m the mother hen, and I don’t want them throwing a bunch of different preferences on how they like their pizza at me.

“I like the pineapple one. You know, with ham on it, too,” says Jared while he’s still messing around with the remote.

“Of course Jared likes the ‘pineapple’ one,” Roger chimes in from the kitchen. Rolling my eyes, I look over at him.

“Well, what do you want, Roger?” I ask.

“Meat lover’s, baby.” He winks at me as he starts making his way into the living area. I look behind my shoulder and ask what Matt and Jeff want, but they’re not even paying attention. They couldn’t care less.

“Okay, I will get one with pineapple and ham.” I touch Jared’s leg and smile. “I like that one too.” Glancing back over at Roger, I continue, “I will order one meat lover’s, a supreme, and maybe just a plain pepperoni and cheese one. Sounds good?” I turn around and look back at Matt and Jeff.

“Sure, sounds good,” they mumble.

After I’m done with the order, Jared gently cleans off his movie by rubbing it on his shirt.

“These damn players nowadays. One little scratch and they don’t play for shit.”

Once he pops it back in, though, it starts right up.

“Cool,” he says and hops back on the couch.

When the pizzas arrive, we all sit around the living room with our beers in hand and begin to watch the movie. Halfway through, Roger grunts and stands up.

“Fuck, see these Hanson brothers? That’s what Detroit needs. Ever since they lost Tootoo, last season sucked!”

“Hey, man. They’re kicking ass this year. It just took them getting used to the Eastern Conference last year, is all,” Matt laughs.

Oh my God, don’t get Roger started on the Red Wings. It will be the topic of discussion all fucking night. Roger looks over and points at Matt.

“Yeah, that shit, too. But Christ, at least when they had Tootoo, nobody pushed them around as much. And what the fuck did they do? Halfway through season they sent him packing back to the minors. Now look, he’s a fucking Jersey Devil. Shit!”

“So . . .” I change the subject. I like watching hockey, yes. But talking about it all night? No! “Who wants to challenge me in a game?” I gesture with my thumb over to the foosball table.

“I will,” Jeff says as he stands. Roger gets up and puts on some music.

“Yeah, it’s about that time,” he says, and after the music starts playing, he walks over to the island. “Sophia, you want another beer?” he asks me.

“Yes, please,” I say back to him just as Jeff pushes the ball through the hole. Since this will be the last night I will see my boys for a couple weeks, I might as well get a little buzzed.

After a few games, which I totally got my ass kicked in, Roger comes over to me.

“Hey, girl. Do you mind if I invite a couple of chicks over?”

Why would he even ask me that? He never has before. I don’t care who they hang around with. And I really do like Tiffany.

“Is Tiffany one of them?” I smile up at him, still trying to keep my focus on the game.

Roger smiles back at me.

“Of course.”

I nod my head, grinning, and continue on. The next song that comes on is Stone Sour’s “Through the Glass.”

“Hey! Who put this sappy song on?” Roger yells.

I smack him with my free hand while trying to make a comeback against Jeff.

“Shut up!” I say. “This is a good one.”

I’m not even paying attention to what is happening when all of a sudden, there’s a knock at the front door. Hmm. Must be the chicks already. Roger goes and answers the door. Just as Jeff is getting ready to sink another shot in, I glance up real quick.
Shit!
It’s the guys from Undead Society, even Tristan!

I try to focus on my game, but now I find it impossible. Tristan comes in at the back of the group and the first thing he does is scan the room, stopping right on me. I hate that I’m annoyed he’s here and that I also feel my stomach fluttering.

Jeff wins another game, by only one point this time. I was distracted, I tell myself. Shaking my head, I smile and congratulate him. I reach for my beer in an attempt to ignore Tristan. Instead of just taking a sip, I slam it.

“Wanna do another?” Jeff asks me.

I don’t know if he’s talking about the game or the beer. Using the back of my hand to wipe my mouth off, I nod,

“Cool. Do you want me to get you another beer?”

“Nah, I think I will go and get it. Wait here.” I point at him and walk over to the kitchen.

The front door opens again and I hear squeals as six women come busting in. Some of them I know, but a few, I don’t. I’m glad to see Tiffany, but I roll my eyes at the rest as they come prancing in with barely anything on. The prettiest one after Tiffany goes straight for Tristan.

I make a face like Heather Mooney did in Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, you know, the scene where she takes a drink and opens her mouth, and the beer runs down her face as they’re announcing who accomplished what. Right then, I decide that beer just isn’t going to cut it.

I look over on the back counter and of course Roger has almost every liquor under the sun in here. I smile when I see the Sapphire and reach over to grab it. I haven’t had gin in a while, and tonight seems like a good night for it. I just have to remember to take it easy. I so don’t want to make a fool of myself around anyone here tonight, especially any of the guys from Undead. Not only I haven’t seen any of them in two years, but I will be with them for a couple weeks in Hawaii.

As I’m making my drink, good ol’ Caleb walks up to me smiling that cheesy smile of his that makes his lip ring stick out. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me into his side. He still looks the same. I stop what I’m doing and wrap my arms around his middle.

“How’s things going?” he looks down at me and asks.

“Oh, you know. Good.” I shrug my shoulders.

“Cool. Hey, it’s pretty sweet, right? That we’re working together?”

I nod at him and I finish making my drink.

“Yeah, it is.”

Right then, I hear the most obnoxious laugh ever. I look up to see that pretty chick from earlier laughing at whatever Tristan’s just said to her.
Fuck me.
I think I’m going to need a double.

Chapter Four

Sophia

I ended up having a Bombay Sapphire on ice, not even messing around with the tonic this time. Being around Tristan again sends my nerves into overdrive. Seeing him with someone else all over him shouldn’t even be bothering me because it’s been years and I have a boyfriend, but somewhere deep down, it does.

Fuck me!
I scream in my head for being emotional and I reach for my drink, bringing it up to my lips and slamming as much as I can take. The refreshing pine tasting liquor begins to warm my insides. I forget that Caleb is still standing beside me, watching me with a smirk on his face.

“Holy shit!” he exclaims. “I forgot how you roll, girl. Sweet!” He nods his head at me and takes a drink of his beer. “This should be a fun week,” he says more to himself than me, and walks away.

Topping off my glass with a little more Sapphire, I hear the music change to “Infected” by Eyes Set to Kill. Tiffany is making her way over to me. Grinning at her, I tip my drink back again. She’s the only woman here I actually know. Some of these girls are just here because these guys are ‘rock stars.’ Tiffany is their buddy, but I can tell she has a nice soul. Kind of deep, I know. She usually only hangs around Roger and me when she is over here, not going through rest of the guys like some of her friends do. I think she may have a thing for Roger.

I watch her move toward me, her fire engine red hair bouncing. She’s wearing what I would call the ‘Kelly Bundy’ dress. I giggle to myself a little because she’s a mix of Kelly and Jessica Rabbit, and Roger is too clueless to notice that she actually wants him. I might have to play matchmaker soon if he doesn’t open up his eyes and lay off the groupies.

“Hey, woman!” I say to her as I step from behind the island and pull her into a side hug. I hold my drink in my left hand, trying not to let it spill on her. Tiffany smiles widely back at me.

“How are you doing, Sophia?”

“All right,” I say, while taking another drink.

She brushes her hair off of her shoulder and looks back at everyone. Undead, my boys, and the other women are all mingling in the open space.

I hear Tiffany sigh and I look over at her.

“Girl, you want a drink?” I ask.

She shakes her head ‘no’. Should’ve known. I’ve never really seen the girl drink. But tonight I have a devil on my shoulder and she needs to let go.

“Hey!” I poke at her side. She turns to me, still smiling. “Let’s have just one drink.” I wink at her. She hesitates at first, but I give her my baby blues, pleading.

“Fine,” she sighs. “But just one, though.”

Works every time,
I think to myself, grinning. Oh, now it’s time to get the party started. I’ve never seen Tiffany buzzed before and I can tell she just needs to let go. If anything, she can always crash at my house. Fuck these other girls, always using her for a DD. Well, that’s not going to be the case tonight. Besides, I need a wingman . . . well, a wing woman. Since Frankie’s not here, with the current Tristan situation, I need a buddy. 

Skipping back around the island, I motion with my head for Tiffany to follow me.

“What will it be, girl?” I ask her. She starts looking over everything that’s on the counter and she starts biting her lip and shrugs. “Do you just want a beer?”

She gives me this disgusted face. Laughing at her, I shake my head.

“Okay, a mixed drink, then.”

Thinking quickly about what to make someone that doesn’t usually drink, I decide on a Roman Coke. I point to the two liters of pop that are on the counter.

“You like diet or regular?” I ask.

Tiffany points at the regular Coke, so I make her a ‘not strong’ Roman Coke and hand it off to her.

“It will be just like drinking Coca-Cola, with a little spice to it.”

She looks down at the drink and smells it. I can’t help it; the sight of her smelling the drink reminds me of some teens having their first drink ever. She gives me this shy smile and puts the glass to her lips. After taking a sip, she shrugs.

“Not bad,” is all she says while checking out the glass like it’s something she’s never seen before. I pinch her side.

“Wanna play some foosball?” I nod over to the table.

“Yeah, okay,” she agrees nervously.

And with that, I grab her by her free hand. With my gin in the other, I lead her over to the foosball table. Everyone else is pretty much in the living room area hanging out, but suddenly, I feel that familiar heat burning the back of my neck. I know for a fact that Tristan’s eyes are on me.
Shit.
I don’t want to look up and see him staring.
Ignore him, Sophia.

Placing my drink on the ledge, I grab the little white ball and place it at the tip of the hole, waiting for Tiffany to be ready. When I see that she has her hands set on the knobs of the table, I give her a half smile.

“Ready?” I ask, and she nods ‘yes.’ I press down hard with my thumb and the ball shoots out of the hole, spinning rapidly before veering off to the left. Her eyes light up and I see that she starts spinning the knobs to try and get the ball into the goal.

Laughing again out loud, I move down a little, holding on and twisting my wrist upward to get control of the ball. Doing a classic ‘Pickford’ move as I call it, I sideswipe the ball and let it go into the goal. I really should take it easy on her.

Stopping for a second, I mark my point and reach for my drink.

“How did you do that?” she asks, looking at me in awe.

I shrug, bringing my drink back down.

“Did you ever see
Dazed and Confused?
”
She
looks confused. Grinning, I continue. “It’s what Pickford did when they were at the Emporium. I remember seeing that move when I was younger and started practicing it.” 

“Wow!” she says, looking back down. I can tell she is now determined to beat my ass.

We play three more games, and by the way, I was seriously trying to lose the last one for her. But I think her newfound buzz is getting the best of her hand-eye coordination skills. She’s now had two Roman Cokes and is feeling pretty good.

Jared yells at me over the music and gestures with his hands. He’s at the large dining table that’s behind Tiffany. He has a deck in his hand and I’m assuming he wants to play Euchre.

“Let me make one more!” I yell back, lifting my glass into the air to show him that it’s empty.

I make my next straight up gin on rocks as “Words as Weapon” by Seether starts pounding through the speakers.
Awesome.
I love this song. It’s funny that when you’re drunk, you love every song that plays. And when you really like a song to begin with and hear it play while you’re drunk . . . holy shit!

Picking up my drink, I notice Tristan striding in with his blonde shadow following close behind him. Jared takes a seat at the head of the table and I move right in without even looking at Tristan, pulling up a chair to Jared’s left with my back to the wall. Tristan’s eyes scan the table, and then he sits down across from me on Jared’s right.

“Hey, do you wanna play, man?”

Jared holds the deck up but Tristan just shakes his head slightly with his mouth closed. He whispers something in the girl’s ear and she giggles for a moment and gets up. Oh, fucking please. If he’s not even going to play, then why the fuck is he sitting here? Probably just trying to get me jealous or some shit. When she comes back, I see that she has a drink for him in her hand as she sets it down.

I catch myself staring at him as he’s taking a drink. I hurry up and look away, my thoughts focusing in on how fucking good he looks, wearing a long sleeved, tight, black shirt pushed up to his elbows. The fabric is straining against his muscles. His hair is still the same way I remembered it-  thick, unruly, and waving at the sides, falling down around his face. He constantly has to keep running his fingers through it to keep it out of his eyes. Now I’m staring at his facial hair. He must’ve just shaved it down. I remember how rough it used to feel on my skin.
Fuck!
I think I need to ease up on the drinks.

Once everyone is gathered at the table, conversation starts to pick up. I’m talking to Matt, who is now on the other side of me, about how great the new album is going. I rest my left elbow on the table and angle my body toward him to give him my full attention. I don’t want to have to endure another moment of Tristan with his date or whatever.

“So, how did you guys’ set go today?” I ask him, knowing that he and Jeff were there earlier going over a few things. Matt goes off about it, getting all excited.

“It fucking rocked! Gage showed us a few little techniques that I’m sure you’ll love, and it made the sound way better. I couldn’t fucking believe it! Just a couple of minors made such a difference.”

His eyes are alight, and I give him a satisfied smile.

“That’s so cool. I’m so excited for this next album. I really feel like we’re evolving, you know?” I’m getting all into the conversation. Whenever I get going on music, I can’t stop. 

We’re all having a good time sitting around the table, but poor Jared’s never gotten his card game. As I’m trying to listen to Matt, I feel Tristan’s eyes on me again. Ignoring him, I bring my drink back up to my mouth. I now hear Roger starting to give Jared a hard time, as usual.

Jared looks at me with this devilish grin on his face, and then looks back at Roger.
Oh, no!
What does he have planned? I know this look and the last time I saw it on Jared’s face, Roger woke up with a dick drawn all over his face in black sharpie.

Jared clears his throat and stands. Roger is just laughing at whatever he said, not even noticing Jared’s looking straight at him.

“Hey, Rog!” Jared yells through the music. Roger stops and looks up at him, nodding with his chin.

“What?”

Jared has this Cheshire cat grin on his face now.

“I came home early the other day from the gym.”

Roger laughs and looks around at everyone.

“Yeah, so? It looks like you need to work out those puny arms of yours. You shouldn’t have left early.”

Jared’s standing there, with his arms crossed over his chest, slowly starting to shake his head.

“So anyways . . .” he says even louder, getting Roger’s attention again. “So anyways, I came home early. I thought you might still be sleeping but I heard . . . music.”

Roger now stops laughing and stares right at Jared. Everyone else quiets down and starts paying attention to Jared, too. When Jared knows he has Roger’s full attention, he continues.

“Yeah . . . So I went up to your room, figuring you were awake since that’s where the music was coming from. Your door was cracked.”

Roger now looks like he’s seen a ghost.
What is Jared going to say?
You can feel the tension rising off of them. Gawd, I hope it’s nothing sick or perverted. Jared goes on, still smiling.

“Foreigner’s
“I Wanna Know What Love Is” was just blasting.”

He tries to cover up his laugh with his hand, looking back and forth between Tristan and me. Tristan, I can tell, is trying not to be amused, but his grin is giving him away.

“I couldn’t believe it! I thought maybe he just fell asleep with the radio on, but when I peeked through the crack, I see this motherfucker,” he points at Roger with the hand that’s holding his beer, middle finger extended out. “Sitting on the edge of his bed, start singing with all of his fucking might, to fuck-ing For-eig-ner.” He pronounces each syllable slowly.

Jared lets go and really starts bellowing. I look over at Roger who looks seriously pissed off. Tiffany is beside him smiling up at him, her eyes twinkling. Before I can stop it, I let out a whoop and my head falls back, picturing Roger of all people, listening to Foreigner! Wiping the tears from my eyes, I notice Tristan running his hand down his face to try and wipe his smile off. Everyone’s laughing at Roger now. Good one, Jared. Good one.

Roger stands up slowly and points at Jared across the table.

“Listen here, fucktwad! I was just researching the shit to see if we could remake it, you know?” He shrugs and looks over at me. I can’t stop laughing. He shakes his head again. “No, fuck that! I was.”

“Sure you were, man.” Jared says to him, mocking him.

He heads back over to the kitchen to grab something off the counter. Matt and Jeff are going to piss themselves soon if they don’t settle down from laughing so damn hard. Right when everyone finally does quiet down and conversation has changed, “I Wanna Know What Love Is” starts playing.

We all look to see where the music is coming from and there’s Jared with Roger’s iPod, standing next to the speakers with his devil grin back in place. That sets everyone off again and Roger gets up so fast that his chair almost hits the wall behind him.

“Motherfucker!” He points at Jared then looks around. “And fuck you guys, too.”

He walks around the table and snatches the iPod out of Jared’s hand, mumbling something to him. Jared sprints away and squeals all dramatically. Roger hurries and changes the music. Metal this time.