Landslide by Jenn Cooksey Read Free Book Online

attempt to keep hitting villainous me without being pulled into any kind of embrace, though, she slips on the broken beer bottle and then trips on the cardboard box, which has her hitting the ground hard, the thud of her landing being more of a thwap thanks to the puddle of Coors Light her skirted ass lands in.  
    With my cheek still on fire I stand here, shaking my head and staring down at the fucking disaster of a girl who has never been anything other than the Norman Rockwell image of feminine perfection. My eyes then find the cigarette she’d knocked out of my mouth sizzling itself out in beer next to her. My first cigarette came from a pack that belonged to her grandfather. It was way back when he still smoked and didn’t even know cancer would eventually kill him that Erica caught me stealing it. She never ratted me out; however from the second I lit that sucker up in front of her, she’s been at me to quit. Even though she for once didn’t bring it up, I seriously considered it the night he died and I got her mascara on my shirt. All it took was her squeezing the breath out of my lungs when she hugged me and cried while thanking me for leaving work and coming over so late so that she and her grandma wouldn’t be alone while they waited for the coroner to show up. I still regret not being there for them at his funeral. I woke up with some unidentifiable rash that I thought could’ve been contagious so I decided to not risk it. It turned out to be less than nothing.
    Jesus, I suck. I can’t believe I missed a great man’s funeral and the last opportunity I would have to see Holden just because I didn’t know the difference between what measles look like and a random reaction to a stupid bar of cheap soap.
    I blink the memory away and then, I start to get really pissed off. Pissed off at my dad, myself, Holden…the world. I’m pissed at everyone and everything except Erica. Erica I’m heartbroken for. She shouldn’t have to be here; she’s already had so much loss in her life and she doesn’t deserve having to deal with something like true love lost to death, and she definitely doesn’t deserve to be sprawled and sobbing in a disgraceful heap on my beer-soaked entryway while people stand around and either gawk or quietly snicker at her.
    Feeling my knuckles tighten in the fists my hands have become, my eyes start looking for something or someone to punch, because this anger welling up inside of me is like a living thing and I can’t seem to shake what it’s wanting from me. Just then, Erica’s friend from that fateful day brushes against me as she moves to gingerly kneel down in front of her and in a loud voice—the volume of which isn’t warranted with maybe only a dozen or so people left in the house, all of whom became dead quiet once Erica’s hand connected with my face—she starts quizzing Erica about her coherency. She’s acting like Erica isn’t allowed to ever fall apart, not even under extraordinary circumstances, which means Erica must have literally lost her fucking mind or something to show up here and do and say the things she has.
    “Erica, honey? Can you hear me? It’s me, Destiny. Do you recognize me? Sweetie, do you know where you are?”
    That’s it! I’ve had it! I have literally fucking had it!!
    “Alright, listen up! Party’s fuckin’ over, got it?! Everyone get the fuck outta my house!” I holler and crouch down in front of Erica, trying to gain some control of myself and unclench my fists. I look at Erica and her tears still falling. When I feel a hand begin rubbing my back a little too familiarly for the moment and my liking, and a head fall to rest against my shoulder, I remember Destiny still kneeling next me and I snap, “You too. I got this.”
    “Oh, no, I should stay here tonight and help you with h—” Destiny tries interjecting.
    “No, seriously. I got this and I want some alone time with my girl tonight,” I reiterate, but really, I just don’t want