Mirage Page 14

  I can literally feel my stomach clenching and twisting. I knew something was wrong. I could feel it all the way down to my bones. Not even thinking about it, I head towards the clubhouse. Those guys always know exactly what’s going on before anyone else, especially the media.

  Since I can’t get on the highway, I take the back roads, thankful that Danny and I used to ride around downtown all the time, and I actually paid attention to the landmarks he was showing me. That’s pretty much it. I have no idea the names of the streets, but I know landmarks. Once I get to where the road I am on dead ends into Hart Plaza, I turn right and get into the left lane, which puts me onto the Lodge.

  About fifteen minutes later, I’m pulling off my exit for the clubhouse. It would figure that I get stuck at every single red light known to man. Deciding that since I’m in Detroit, by myself, at night, I go ahead and start blowing the red lights once traffic was clear. I find the street I need to turn down to get to the clubhouse.

  I pull in front of the gates, but they didn’t open. I know that if there was a probie here, he would open the gate, but it seems eerily quiet here. I’m not a girl to sit and wait for something to happen, I make it happen. I take a deep breath and lay on my horn.

  What felt like a few minutes of my car horn blaring through the mostly abandoned area, the gate crack open and a woman walks out. I had seen her before, but I can’t remember her name for the life of me.

  “What the fuck is your problem?” the woman calls out, half behind the gate and half out.

  “I need to know if the wreck on 75 was Skylar, uh, I mean Axe,” I yell back.

  “Mira?” she asked.

  “Yes, it’s me, Mira. I’m a friend of Skylar’s. He called me to tell me he was going riding and he sounded pretty trashed. I was looking for him downtown and heard on the radio there was a wreck on 75. He isn’t answering me and I can’t find him. Please tell me if you know if it was him or not?”

  The gate fully opens and the woman waves for me to pull inside of the gate. “Oh my gosh, is it so bad, she needs to make sure I am okay to drive after,” I say out loud to myself, starting to hyperventilate. I pull my car close to the front door and get out, grab my phone but leave my shoes. I unlock my phone to see if there are any missed notifications, but nothing. No texts, no missed calls, no Facebook messages. I’m going to lose my shit any second if someone doesn’t give me some answers.

  “Mira, come on inside. Let me get you a drink or something,” the woman says.

  “Just tell me, was the wreck Skylar? I don’t even know your name,” I say to her, trying not to be rude, knowing that this is Skylar’s family.

  “Oh honey, the name is Kim, but everyone calls me Kink. I’m Prowlers wife. Skylar wasn’t in the wreck. He’s here, Mira. He’s been here all night. He tried to leave about an hour or hour and a half ago, but Prowler stopped him and took his keys. He’s been up in one of the apartments talking with Prowler ever since. Come have a drink and then we can go check on the guys.”

  I follow Kink inside of the bar. It was so different with nobody here. No music was playing and it was fairly clean. She steps behind the bar and heads towards the fridge, “What would you like to drink, honey?” she asks.

  “I’ll just have a water please,” I respond.

  Kink pulls out two bottles of water and slides one of them my way. I take a quick drink before making eye contact with Kink. She must think I’m some kind of crazy girlfriend who starts looking for her boyfriend the minute he doesn’t answer a call or a text. I might be a little crazy, but I’ll never be that girl.

  “Kink, do you think that you could go get Skylar for me please,” I ask. I just want to verify that he is here, he is safe, and he is alive.

  “Honey, you can go on upstairs, the boys are probably in one of the apartments or just sitting in the diner area. Knowing Axe, he’s probably gonna be pretty happy to see you,” Kink says sincerely.

  I turn towards the stairs and start to make my climb to the upper level of the building. The last time I was up here, it didn’t go so well. About half way up the stairwell, I hear voices. Male voices. It might be kind of rude or whatever, but I really want to hear what they are talking about. Skylar calling me out of the blue, was crazy enough, I want to know what provoked it.

  As I get closer to the top, I saw that the door to the diner area of the clubhouse was shut, but not completely and I can actually make out the words that are being said. Sitting on the top step, I quietly listen to Skylar and Prowler talk. Well more Skylar talking and Prowler chiming in every once in a while with a “I know how you feel man” or “uh huh.”

  “I don’t even know what to do anymore man. I fell for this girl hard. I fell for her when I shouldn’t have. She was my best friend’s girl, for Christ’s sake. What kind of man does that? I’ll tell you what kind of man that is, a man that isn’t worthy of the trust of his best friend or the love of a good woman. For years I watched her and lusted after her. I wanted them to break up so I could try to get a chance with her. You have no idea how hard it was trying to control my emotions around her, especially when she was so flirty all the fucking time. God, she would wear next to nothing around our house, all the fucking time. Finding little ways to touch me. I thought for a few moments that it was me she wanted, but it never was. She always loved him and I never stood a chance. I don’t know why I ever thought I could. A man like me stands in the shadows behind the better man. A man like me doesn’t get the girl. I know I sound dumb as fuck, but God she’s just so fucking beautiful man, I swear,” Skylar says, slurring his words.

  At that point I realize it’s not Danny he misses, it’s me. Has it always been me? Was I the reason that Danny and Skylar stayed so close, even when it looked like their lives were taking different paths? All along I thought it was Kylee keeping us all together. Did she see something that I didn’t? Was I always flirting around him?

  “I remember this one time Prow, Danny, Mira and I were sitting in the living room watching some chick movie. I really didn’t want to watch a movie, but Mira insisted that I join them. I thought she was just being nice but the way she cuddled on the couch between Danny and I, making sure to touch me. Fuck. I had a glimpse at what it could be like. I think I loved her since the day I first saw her, but this moment is when I think I knew I had to be with her. I love her man, but I’ll never be anything more to her than Danny’s best friend. I should have been the one to get hurt, not --,” Skylar says, attempting to finish his statement but the overwhelming emotion behind what I knew he wanted to say took over.

  I could hear him sobbing while I try to recall that memory he had spoke about.

  I had just come from campus after a meeting with my advisor, planning my schedule for the next semester. I was exhausted and just wanted to hang with my two favorite guys. I picked out a few movies from the Red Box at Kroger’s as well as some snacks. I really needed a chill night.

  Getting to Danny and Skylar’s house, I just walked right in the front door. Trevor was gone for the weekend to see his parents and I knew it would be okay to just make myself at home.

  Walking in the front door, I placed my bag on the end table next to the couch, put the groceries on the kitchen counter and went into Danny’s room. Danny was in the shower so I quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, my typical sleepwear. Pulling my hair into a pon tail, I left the room and went to the kitchen to prepare a snack with the stuff I just bought.

  After popping some popcorn and cutting up some celery, I made myself comfortable on the couch and waited for Danny. As Danny was walking out of the bedroom, with his hair still damp, Skylar walked in the front door.

  “Hey guys, what’s up?” he said to Danny and me.

  “Nothing, we’re going to watch a movie, come watch with us,” I said patting the spot on the couch next to me.

  “Yeah man, I’m sure Mira has something extra vagina for us to watch tonight,” Danny said sitting on the other side of me as I poked him in the ri
bs.

  “I think I’m okay, you guys have a good night though,” Skylar said, looking sad.

  He was my favorite guy other than Danny and seeing him sad broke my heart.

  “Pleeeeeeease Sky, come watch a movie. I’ll even let you rub my feet,” I said in my whiney four- year old voice.

  “Oh really, I get to rub your feet. I must have died and went to heaven,” Skylar said sarcastically as he sat down on the couch, “What are we watching?”

  I lay down on the couch, with my head in Danny’s lap and my legs on Skylar, giving him ample room to rub my feet. I may have been joking at first, but now the thought of a foot rub really did sound good.

  “Friends With Benefits,” I said with a smirk on my face.

  “Oh sweet Jesus, that’s the movie with the singer guy from nSync, righ?. I’m not watching this shit,” Skylar said as he tried to move my legs to stand up, but I applied all the weight I could to them to keep him in place.

  “Sky, I thought you were going to rub my feet,” I say, batting my long lashes with a coy smile on my face. “Plus, Mila Kunis is in it. She’s hot.”

  “It’s a chick flick, Mira.” Skylar said, still trying to push my feet from his lap.

  “Hot girls and friends getting it on, Sky. Please,” I whined.

  “Friends getting it on, huh?” he said, raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

  “Oh my God, Sky, really? Just sit here, look pretty and rub my feet. Please and thank you.”

  “Oh sweets, you’re lucky I like you. If you ever repeat this, I swear, I’ll come for you,” Skylar said as he grabbed one of my feet and started to rub.

  Danny got up to put the movie in and grab the remote, leaving Skylar and me on the couch alone for just a few moments. I smiled and winked at him and he blew me a kiss. This was just our normal banter and I have to say, I loved every minute of it. I have never in my life felt so comfortable around a member of the opposite sex like I do Sky.

  As the movie played, I was having a great time. Laying in the lap of my number one guy while he rubbed my head while having my feet being rubbed by my number two and watching a great movie, I knew nothing got better than this right here.

  Skylar finished rubbing one foot and moved to the next. When he got to my instep, he rubbed so hard and it felt so good that I let out a slight moan. Danny looked down at me and then to Skylar. He immediately took his hands off my foot and put them on the armrest of the couch.

  “Hey what are you doing?” I asked, upset that he stopped the massage.

  “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “That didn’t hurt, that felt amazing. Please keep going.”

  Skylar shifted in his spot and I thought I could feel a bulge in his pants, but I brushed it off. He wouldn’t get a stiffy just rubbing my feet, especially in front of Danny.

  Skylar picked up my foot and started massaging again, in the place he left off. God it felt so fucking amazing. After walking all day around campus, my feet really hurt.

  “Oh God, please don’t ever stop, that’s amazing. I’m sure we could pimp you out to all the track girls and make a hell of a lot of money,” I said smiling at him.

  “You’re feet will be the only ones being rubbed my dear, I don’t do feet. They are nasty and smell,” he said smiling at me.

  “Hey, my feet don’t stink, ass.”

  “No, sweets they don’t. They are the most beautiful feet of all time,” he said smiling at me then directing his gaze towards Danny.

  I looked up at Danny who was shaking his head, softly laughing, “You guys are something else. If I didn’t know any better, I would say you were an old married couple.”

  Skylar and me a couple? Yeah right, I thought.

  Remembering how I felt that night, with just his slight touch, made me damp in the lady bits region. I always liked his touch. I always wanted to be around him. It was always him. I don’t know why I didn’t see this before. I was so in love with Danny, but it was Skylar that I wanted to play with, joke with and spend time with. Thinking back, I don’t have many memories without Skylar in them.

  Lost in thought, I didn’t realize that the door opened and I had two large men looking down at me.

  “Mira? What the hell are you doing here?” Skylar asked.

  “I was worried about you. I didn’t want you to get hurt. I was driving around looking for you when I heard about a crash on the highway. I knew that if I came here, they would know if it was you or not. I just wanted to make sure that you were ok.”

  “What do you care, anyway? I’m here and fine, why didn’t you just go home, Mira.”

  “I wanted to see you.”

  “Why?”

  “Skylar, can we talk about this somewhere more private?” I ask glancing towards the other tall man who I assume was Prowler.

  “Go ahead and take the apartment in the back, I need to get Kink home. She’s probably going to lose her shit since I was up here so long. Take it easy, man,” Prowler says to Skylar.

  Redirecting his gaze towards me, he stuck out his hand for a handshake, “Sorry dear, I’m Prowler. You take care of him, ya hear. He’s a good kid and has had a rough night. Don’t let him drive until he’s sober,” he says sliding Skylar’s keys into my hand.

  As Prowler descends the stairs, I follow Skylar back to the apartment in the back. The apartment didn’t consist of much. The walls were painted black with two lamps on nightstands on either side of a full sized bed. The bed was also decked out in black, down to the sheets. It must not be for every night use, more of a quick place to catch some sleep if you were too drunk to drive or wanted a quick fuck.

  I move into the room and sit on the edge of the bed as Skylar shuts the door. Looking back at me, he shakes his head and starts to take off his vest and empty his pockets on to the night stand.

  “Since I’m not going to be able to leave for the night, I might as well get comfortable. Are you staying?”

  “I hadn’t thought about it, but I’m not opposed to the idea. Is it going to be okay if I stay here with you? I wouldn’t want to give your friends the wrong idea.”

  “Go ahead and get comfortable. Your shoes are already missing so you’re half way there.”

  Looking down at myself, I see that I’m still in my dress from my date with Jacoby. A rush of guilt floods over me. Just a few hours ago, I was lying in bed with Jacoby, receiving some pretty amazing head and now I’m about to hang out with Skylar, the man that I love. What the fuck is wrong with me?

  “I really don’t have anything to get into, so I guess I’m fine.”

  Skylar reaches into the nightstand and pulls out a thin black tee shirt with a huge red spade on the back that had ‘Property of Hooliganz’ printed under the spade. He tosses the shirt in my direction. Gauging the size, I knew it would fit well as a nightshirt. I thought about asking for the bathroom to change, but I didn’t want to make Skylar feel uncomfortable.

  Reaching for the hem of my dress, I pull it over my head, without shame, letting it fall to the floor. Standing before him in only a bra and panties, I pull the shirt over my head. Reaching up the back of the shirt, I unhook my bra, pull the straps down through the sleeves, discarding the bra on top of my dress. I climb on the bed and sit facing him, with the shirt pulled tight across my knees.

  “Are you okay Sky?” I ask as he sits down on the bed, still fully clothed with the exception of his vest.

  “I’m fine, Mi. I guess I don’t understand why you came all the way down here, in the middle of the night.”

  “I needed to be sure you were okay. When you called me, I knew something was wrong and then when I tried to find you and couldn’t, I got this bad feeling that you were in trouble. Then the news about the accident came on the radio and I felt like I was going to throw up. They said fatal accident, Sky, I just knew you had left me,” I say putting my head on my knees, shielding the tears forming in my eyes.

  Skylar lays back on the bed, putting his arms above his head and cr
osse his feet towards the bottom. Being a full bed, this didn’t leave much room for me to sit in the position I was currently sitting. I wanted to be closer to him. I needed it.

  I carefully take my knees out from under the shirt and stretch my body out, laying in the crook of Skylar’s arm and I cuddle into his side. He doesn’t move his arms around me, but his breathing picks up. I choose to take it a little further and drape my arm across his chest and place one of my legs over his. At almost the exact moment my leg connects with his Skylar’s arm comes across me, rubbing small circles on my back while we just lie there, not saying anything.

  After a few minutes, Skylar’s breathing slowed down. I feel more at home than I have in the last year. There is something about Sky that makes me feel like I’m in the right place at the right time. The way he caresses my back almost makes me feel his love. I always knew that Skylar might have had a little thing for me, but I never knew that he loved me. I guess in the back of my mind I always loved him too. I feel so terrible about what I almost did with Jacoby. I think that I was running from my feelings for Skylar, trying to get past feelings that I never fully explored.

  “Mira,” Skylar whispers.

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m sorry I worried you, I didn’t mean to.”

  “You don’t have to apologize. Just don’t do it again, okay?”

  “I won’t, I promise. I was just having one of those days and I wanted to hear your voice. I’m sorry if I interrupted you in the middle of your date.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Kylee,” we both said in unison.

  “It really wasn’t a big deal Skylar. I don’t think I was supposed to be with him tonight,” I whisper into his chest.