Destroy by Jason Myers Read Free Book Online

smart, successful people doing at a party like this?”
    â€œA friend told us about it,” says Tim. “Why are you here?”
    â€œI was bound by the obligations of a goddamn birthday, but I’m about to split.”
    â€œIt’s that bad?” Jessica presses.
    â€œDuh. I mean, listen to the music being played right now. They’re playing the new Rancid album for the second time since I got here.”
    Tim lights a cigarette. “That is a pretty good point.”
    Twisting the cap off the Beam, I say, “Thank you,” and then this dude with a thick head of curly hair and a Lagwagon hoodie gets up right next to me and goes, “You gotta problem with the music, man?”
    â€œActually, I do.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œNobody listens to this shit except day-shift strippers and part-time Hot Topic employees.”
    Tim busts up laughing, and the dude in the hoodie says, “And why should anyone care what you have to say?”
    â€œBecause I’m wearing a blazer, man.”
    â€œWhatever, Captain Hipster,” the guy rips.
    â€œOh, nice one,” I shoot back. “Real original. But guess which one of us is actually going to be banging a chick tonight?”
    Charging out of nowhere, the guy in the NOFX shirt pops right back into my face and says, “You don’t listen too well, do you?”
    â€œDude, get the fuck out of my face,” I snap, shoving him again.
    A small crowd of kids start surrounding us, and the dude I just shoved pushes me back and goes, “You’re out. Now. Get out of my apartment.”
    Then Nina gets back in between us and goes, “James, just leave before this gets out of hand.”
    â€œGladly, babe. I only came here to give you your amazing gift.”
    â€œSo go,” the Fat Mike fanboy rips back. “Before you get hurt.”
    â€œRight,” I snort. “But just one more thing, man.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œI was wrong about something earlier. I do know you.”
    â€œYou think so, huh?”
    â€œI do. You’re the kid who moved here for art school because you couldn’t hack it at a real college. You did your shit. You graduated from some drawing classes. You got your degree. And now you work some shitty customer service job because you’re finding out that you’re really not that good and that no one wants you to do anything for them except ask if they’re finding everything all right in the store. But you gotta do it because you got some loans to pay off. I mean, shit, man. It’s cool. All’s I’m saying is that instead of prolonging it all, you should just save yourself the heartache and grow your ponytail out now and score that job at the camera store. And who knows, maybe by the time you’ve hit thirty, you’ll be named assistant manager.”
    â€œFuck you!” the guy barks.
    And I’m like, “That’s cool, man.” Then I grab Nina and slam my mouth against hers, sliding my tongue inside it and around it, and when I let go, I look at Brian and say, “What’s up, asshole?” Then I tell Jessica and Tim later and bolt back down the hallway.
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    Back outside, I straighten my blazer back out and decide to walk a few blocks and blow off some steam.
    By the time I’ve reached Sixteenth and Folsom, my anger has, for the most part, subsided.
    For a moment, I think about dropping down to the Arrow Bar on Sixth Street to get some free drinks from this bartender Morgan I bang every great once in a while, but then I remember that it closed its doors for good. So then I’m thinking about El Rio, where I can get free drinks from this babe Nicole, who won’t fuck me but who is really rad, until I remember that there’s some sorta fund-raiser for Cesar Estrada there tonight. So I’m back to thinking about what else I can fucking do when this thought gets