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“Get in,” he ordered. He looked mad. He’d probably had another bad game night at Rudy’s.
Karen dropped my arm and made her way around the front to climb in the side door. Luke got out of the passenger side and joined her in the back. I stood at Bobby’s window grinning.
“Jenny, get in,” he ordered.
“Did you lose another game to Angelo?” I asked.
His eyes flashed, and part of me knew I shouldn’t have said it. But another part of me resented being ordered around, just because he’d had a bad night. I wanted to be happy to see him, and I was, but his tone was changing my mood, and fast.
“I said get in, Jenny.”
“Lighten up, man.”
He got out and brought me a few steps away from the van.
I thought I could hear Karen crying.
“She’ll be all right,” he said, holding me back. “So you smoked with her?”
I nodded.
“Did you guys drink?”
I nodded again.
“Christ,” he put his hand through his hair.
“Aw, come off it Bobby,” I said. “Like you never got drunk and twisted on Halloween?”
“Look, it’s not that,” he said, letting out a breath.
He was frustrated, and I was bent, and he was really going to start on me for it. I couldn’t believe it. He put one hand on his waist and cut the air with the other one “It’s just stupid that’s all. I’m not mad at you. I just think you guys were stupid tonight.”
“Are you kidding me?” I asked in disbelief. “I’ve smoked before you know,” I informed him.
“Yeah?”
I nodded.
“Good for you.”
“So?”
“So.”
“So what’s the big deal? Why are you getting on my back and calling us stupid and ordering me to get in your van, just because I drank and smoked a little, when it’s flipping Halloween!”
He got closer to me and held both my hands in his.
“Do you think, maybe, just maybe, you could keep your voice down?” His was condescending. “It’s Halloween, you’re right. But this is a real quiet neighborhood. And someone’s probably gonna call the cops if they hear a bunch of teenagers yelling about drinking beers and smoking pot. So you think you could possibly do Me a solid and get inside the van?”
“I don’t know, Bobby,” I pulled my hands from him. “Do you think you could possibly do Me a solid and not try to intimidate me? Do you think you could talk to me like I’m a girl you like and not some woman you’re about to throw over your shoulder?”
