I know a lot of people are skeptical about crystals and the properties they hold, but I don’t know. I often think I feel it sometimes, especially with the darker stones. When I left home to join Ben here in Daragan, I was bummed I wouldn’t be able to visit my favorite shop anymore, so when he surprised me and brought me here on one of my quick day trips to visit him last year, I was juiced.
At first, they weren’t keen on hiring me, but once I officially moved here this summer, I wore them down. Coming in twice a day every single day will do that.
“Lonny!”
“Yes?” I chuckle, bouncing to the front counter. I flip open the store Zippo and light the tip of an incense.
“Help!”
“Oh my god, Justice!” I leave the Zippo on the glass counter and make my way to the back of the room, pushing open the door and brushing away the dust particles from the previous century.
“Sorry…” Justice shrugs but flashes me a wide-tooth smile. His dark brown hair flops to the side of his head as he hands me the box from up above. Stepping down the ladder, his Vans land on the concrete floor. “To be fair, I did need help.”
“Sure.” I carry the box out to the front, placing it on the counter. “What is it?”
Justice pulls out a stool, clearly excited as he whips out a blade from his back pocket. He stabs the middle of the tape before placing it back down. “Check it out.” He tosses a little bag at my chest and I catch it mid-air, bringing it up to my face to see what it is. Little moss-looking stones roll around the bag, and my stomach twists.
“Wait. Are these?”
His smile stretches wide. One that showcases his best asset. Veneer quality teeth. “Moldavite?”
“Damn, boy!” I pull the little stones out from the bag, rolling them around my palm. Moldavite has never caught my attention. I don’t crave the chaos that this particular crystal can bring. I’m more of a black tourmaline, onyx, obsidian type of girl. “Well, I gotta say…I’d never pay.”
“Pssshh!” He snickers, snatching the stones out of my palm when he sees my lack of interest. “One, we could never afford it.”
“True.” I lean down beneath the counter, brushing past all of the dust to find my wallet. “I can afford lunch, though.” I stand. “Joey’s?”
He rests his arm over my shoulder, directing me out of the store, but not before flicking the sign over to Closed. “You know, one of these days, I’m going to convince you to go on a proper date with me. One that doesn’t include greasy burgers and mid-day drunks.”
I stifle my laugh, turning to lock the door with my set of keys before grabbing his hand that’s resting on my shoulder and tucking farther into his grasp. “I tend to like mid-day drunks and greasy burgers.”
“Mmhmm…” He brushes me off before talking about what his mom, Melinda, and her girlfriend, Jessica, have started. Melinda has a hoarding problem, only hers involves collecting small businesses. It’s not always a bad thing, but considering she’s on her fifth this year, I don’t know.
We’re rounding the corner that leads onto the main stretch of downtown. Daragan isn’t small, but it isn’t large either. It somehow sits right in the middle. The township is quiet, yet modern, especially with all of the buildings they always seem to renovate along the roads. Joey’s sticks out at the end of the street. It’s a large building that curves around the corner, right at a busy set of traffic lights. The streets are extra crowded this morning, and the air a little colder than usual.
I zip up my jacket and follow Justice as he enters the diner. Heat crashes into me as soon as the door opens. Dammit. It’s always hot in here. The place is forever full, and the cooks are always busy. I would go as far as to say that Joey’s is in the heart of Daragan.
Justice leads the way to our usual spot and I slide into a booth, sitting comfortably at the edge of the red leather seat, shuffling out of my coat. “So, what do you think?”
Unzipping my pocket, I pull out my phone and ChapStick. “Hmmm?”
“You weren’t even listening, were you?” he sulks, his bottom lip drooping.
Girls are a sucker for that bottom lip. I don’t suck on anything unless it’s over six foot and has a red flag hovering over their head.
I wasn’t listening, though. “No…”
He rolls his eyes. “I was asking you if you guys have any plans this weekend?”
I love that he says “you guys,” already aware Ben and I are a duo that’s not to be fucked with. Letty comes sometimes, but for the most part, she’s the smart one. Sticks her head down and does her work. Where Ben goes, I go, and where I go, he better fucking come too. Call it codependent…because it is.
“Why?” I ask, picking up the menu and scanning through, even though I already know what I’m going to order.
“There’s a party happening—”
“Jus, no offense, but after the last party you took me to, I don’t know if I’m up for it.” I squash the memories of the massive rager Justice dragged us all to a month ago. I tried to blame it on his school friends, since he doesn’t go to the same college as us, but I can’t. Straight up, Justice is just trouble, and you put him and Ben together and it’s a catastrophe.
“Aw, come on! If that threesome would have happened, it would have been fun. At least for you, since I know Ben doesn’t swing his big dick this way.”
“Justice…’’ I tsk, shaking my head just as a waiter comes to our table with her little iPad. “I can’t take you anywhere.” I’m about to yap off what I want when I feel a wave of heat whip past my face. Like being kissed by a furnace, I swear I can feel warmth penetrate my skin much closer than I’ve ever felt.
In the background, I hear the doorbell sound as heavy footsteps pile in, but I tuck my long platinum hair behind my ear and flash the waiter a smile. “Could I get the cheeseburger, please?”
“Girl…” Justice snatches the menu off me. “You always get that.”
The waiter leaves just as Justice sighs, running his hands through his hair. “Look, it’s—I’m throwing the party. But one, you can’t tell my moms, and two, you seriously can’t tell my moms.”
I stop drinking my water. “You’re in so much trouble.”
“Just tell me you’ll be there.”
“Fine!” I widen my eyes at him, smiling. “I’ll be there.” Movement catches my attention from behind him and I look to see what it is.
My stomach falls to my feet when I’m met with those sharp blue eyes I’ve been thinking about. He’s with a group of other guys. Whatever Justice is yapping about now turns into white noise because holy shit.
Why the fuck do I keep seeing him everywhere now? He looks different today. His hair looks scruffier, but somehow it only makes him more sexy . Rough around the edges. Like a jagged blade one would yield as a weapon. I look around the guys he’s with, and my cheeks flush when I realize how attractive they all are. Jesus. What the fuck? They all have darker hair except one, and I would probably go as far as to say that they could all be brothers.