18
Ian
I’m notsure why I let Blue convince me to come out to this loud ass sports bar with him. It’s supposed to be a distraction, but it isn’t working worth shit. All my attention has been plastered to my phone since I can barely hear shit. It’s not intolerably loud to the point where I can’t hear what Blue’s saying, but it’s loud enough to be annoying. It doesn’t matter since I can’t focus on conversation anyway; I’m waiting on Cal to call with updates.
He and Dexter Jr. were supposed to be meeting with Kameron's parents to see if they knew anything that could help them find out where Kameron and Megan went. Katie had no idea where they went; according to Blue, they tell each other everything. So if she doesn’t know, then their parents definitely won’t. Cal didn’t tell me exactly when they’re meeting, but I know it’s supposed to be happening soon. I wish he’d have given me a more specific timeline than “within the next few days.” It’s been two days since Cal said that, and still, I’ve heard nothing.
But I’m not expecting anything. Blue already gave me all the information I needed to know to prepare myself for the dead end Kam’s parents are going to be.
So now I'm just simmering in this bar, sipping on whiskey that’s only fueling my anger, not paying attention to anything but my phone.
I should have just stayed home. It might not have been so bad had it just been Blue; if it was only the two of us, we would have been sitting in silence at our table. But Blue “forgot to mention,” Hilary is with him. I never would have come if I’d known she was here. I don’t have a problem with her… Hilary’s cool. I’m just not in the mood for excess talking.
They’ve tried to pull me into the conversation, but after at least thirty minutes of trying to talk about anything other than Megan, they’ve given up on me, which is fine by me.
I was shocked to see them together, though. I still am. The last I heard, they weren’t on the best of terms with how much Blue’s been up Veronica’s ass. But they seem like they’re doing fine. Hilary’s no nonsense attitude goes well with Blue’s straightforwardness. Not to mention how well they joke together. They riff off each other like they’ve been friends for a lifetime.
Sitting across the table from them, watching as they laugh at something I missed, I’m glad they got past their rough patch with Veronica. Blue’s always been good at getting himself into deep shit. He tries to avoid hurting feelings and pissing people off by omitting truths he feels are better left unsaid. He doesn’t ever mean for things to go to shit, but they always do. Out of the two of us, he’s always been the smarter one, but sometimes he’s unintentionally an idiot. And he has to be an idiot or blind to not see that he and Hilary are good for each other. Not just good. I’d say they’re perfect.
As I listen to him and Hilary crack up at a joke she made, I can’t help but be envious. What I wouldn’t give to have those moments back with Alana. I’d love to be sitting somewhere laughing it up with her right now. Instead, I’m sipping on whiskey, trying to drown the worry that’s been making my stomach spin. Unsurprisingly, the whiskey isn’t helping jack shit.
“You want another one?” Blue leans across the table and hits my arm, and I look up from my almost empty glass at him.
“I’m good after this one,” I tell him shortly.
“Come on,” Hilary pushes. “You can’t come to a bar and have just one drink.”
“And it’s not like you’re spending any of your own money,” Blue says.
“Free drinks. You have to at least get a beer?” Hillary adds.
Still, I shake my head; this isn’t a problem I can just drink away.
“I barely even wanted this one,” I tell them. “I’m probably about to head out anyway.”
I can see the worry plastered all over Blue’s face.
“You don’t need to sit up in your apartment alone getting yourself more pissed off about the situation.”
“I just want to be alone right now,” I tell him, exasperated. “It’s not like I’ll spend the night knocking holes into the drywall. Besides, this isn’t helping either.”
“That’s just because you haven’t drank enough,” Hilary coaxes and holds her glass up.
“No, this is actually making me feel worse.”
My phone starts to ring on the table, cutting my sentence off, and my heart skips a beat when I see it’s Cal. I immediately dismiss myself; their pleas for me to stay are forgotten.
“Yeah?” I say as soon as I step out of the door onto the sideway.
I back up against the building, so I’m not in the way of people walking on the streets and shove my free hand into the pocket of my hoodie, ignoring everything going on around me.
“Kameron’s parents couldn't provide any useful information.”
I think it’s Collin I’m talking to. His calm yet annoyed tone lets me know so.
“Fuck,” I sigh, rubbing my fingers over my eyes, even though I figured they wouldn’t know anything useful. “So then what now?”
“We’ll remain watchful of anything that alerts us to his whereabouts. It’s difficult to stay off the grid for someone with a pregnant woman who isn’t used to being isolated,” he says easily. “We have the best investigators working on this. Something’s bound to come up; it hasn’t even been a week.”