by katyt » Thu Feb 06, 2025 3:10 am
It was a dark and stormy night—the kind romance authors love to write about.
I was at the beach house my parents had gifted me when I turned twenty-one. At first, I thought it was going to be amazing. Yee-haw! Freedom, independence, a place all to myself. But to my surprise, it sucked. I had left behind everything I loved, everything familiar, and suddenly, I found myself completely alone. I had to figure out who I really was. There wasn’t much left for me here anymore—except maybe for my true love. Or so I thought. But that’s a story for another time.
Tonight was supposed to be legendary. I had planned a kick-ass party, inviting all my old high school friends. The bar was stocked, a keg was ready to go, and I even hired a DJ. This party was going to rock.
But by nine o’clock, no one had shown up. Not even the DJ.
Anxiety crept in. I started drinking. Why isn’t anyone here? I wondered, downing my fourth Long Island Iced Tea. I should be feeling it soon, I thought, but instead of excitement, I just felt... uneasy.
I reached for the hidden compartment under the coffee table. Inside, there was a razor blade, a small mirror, and a little green baggie filled with CR. If I take this, it’ll balance out the alcohol. I’ll be wired as hell. Maybe that’s a good thing.
Just as I was debating it—knock, knock.
Someone was at the door.
I glanced at my watch. 11:30 PM. Better late than never, I guess.
"Zac, are you in there? Come on, I know you're home!" A voice called out—familiar, but impossible.
I hesitated, then opened the door.
My jaw dropped. Shock. Disbelief.
Standing there, right in front of me, was Jacob Tomas—my best friend from high school. The guy who moved away sophomore year. The guy I hadn’t seen in years.
And yet, here he was.
"Jacob." I said with a sigh. "Come in, what the hell. You know you don't have to knock." I said as I gave him a hug.
"Well Zac, it has been how many years?"
"Six years." I said. "Six long years." I smiled.
"It is really good to see you again. What happened to you writing me and shit like that."
"It is good to see you too. I don't know, I have been really confused. I don't know who or what I am anymore. So I thought I would come home to figure things out, that was about three years ago. I had come back to talk to you to get some advice, but you had moved to Seattle. So I just turned around and went back to Texas. I tried to get a hold of you, but I had nothing. I tried calling your parents, but the number was disconnected. I really needed to talk to you." He said. "Well come on, let's go into the living room and talk.
Do you want something to drink? I have a full bar." I said motioning him to the couch as I walked over to the bar.
"You always know how to throw parties Zac, always with style."
"I try. So what will it be? Rum and Coke, tea...?"
"How about a tea."
"Sure thing. Coming right up." I said as I started
mixing.
"Hey, uh Zac, what are you doing with this shit?" He said looking at my paraphernalia.
"What shi...Oh shit, it is not what you think I promise." I said trying to convince him.
"Well aren't you going to offer me a line? I do the shit to you know.
I am not the same Jacob I was in school."
"Don't I know what you mean." I said agreeing. I walked over to the couch after I was done making his drink, and sat down. "Yeah, go ahead, sniff away.
Plus, I don't think that anyone else is coming tonight."
"Eh, that is ok Zac, we have a lot to catch up on anyway."
"Yeah we do. How did you find out I lived here?" I said.
"Well I was in town visiting my Aunt, and I ran into your mom and she told me where you were." "Right on. So what is it that you need to talk about?" I said looking at him. He still looks the same. Same hair color and everything, 6'1", blonde semi-curly hair, toned body broad shoulders, and looking totally bomb. I watched him lean over to the table to take his line, and his drink spilled on his clothes. I couldn't help but laugh. "Way to go skills. Can't you sniff a line, and hold your drink at the same time?" "Fuck off, you gonna sit there and laugh at me or get me a towel?" He said grinning. "I think that I am going to sit here and laugh at you for a few minutes. Watch you squirm because of how cold it is, and then when you can't stand it anymore, I will get you a towel." I said standing. "One towel coming up. I will be right back down." "Thanks ass." He said. I just turned and smiled. I headed upstairs, and into the linen closet, and grabbed him a towel.
It was a dark and stormy night—the kind romance authors love to write about.
I was at the beach house my parents had gifted me when I turned twenty-one. At first, I thought it was going to be amazing. Yee-haw! Freedom, independence, a place all to myself. But to my surprise, it sucked. I had left behind everything I loved, everything familiar, and suddenly, I found myself completely alone. I had to figure out who I really was. There wasn’t much left for me here anymore—except maybe for my true love. Or so I thought. But that’s a story for another time.
Tonight was supposed to be legendary. I had planned a kick-ass party, inviting all my old high school friends. The bar was stocked, a keg was ready to go, and I even hired a DJ. This party was going to rock.
But by nine o’clock, no one had shown up. Not even the DJ.
Anxiety crept in. I started drinking. Why isn’t anyone here? I wondered, downing my fourth Long Island Iced Tea. I should be feeling it soon, I thought, but instead of excitement, I just felt... uneasy.
I reached for the hidden compartment under the coffee table. Inside, there was a razor blade, a small mirror, and a little green baggie filled with CR. If I take this, it’ll balance out the alcohol. I’ll be wired as hell. Maybe that’s a good thing.
Just as I was debating it—knock, knock.
Someone was at the door.
I glanced at my watch. 11:30 PM. Better late than never, I guess.
"Zac, are you in there? Come on, I know you're home!" A voice called out—familiar, but impossible.
I hesitated, then opened the door.
My jaw dropped. Shock. Disbelief.
Standing there, right in front of me, was Jacob Tomas—my best friend from high school. The guy who moved away sophomore year. The guy I hadn’t seen in years.
And yet, here he was.
"Jacob." I said with a sigh. "Come in, what the hell. You know you don't have to knock." I said as I gave him a hug.
"Well Zac, it has been how many years?"
"Six years." I said. "Six long years." I smiled.
"It is really good to see you again. What happened to you writing me and shit like that."
"It is good to see you too. I don't know, I have been really confused. I don't know who or what I am anymore. So I thought I would come home to figure things out, that was about three years ago. I had come back to talk to you to get some advice, but you had moved to Seattle. So I just turned around and went back to Texas. I tried to get a hold of you, but I had nothing. I tried calling your parents, but the number was disconnected. I really needed to talk to you." He said. "Well come on, let's go into the living room and talk.
Do you want something to drink? I have a full bar." I said motioning him to the couch as I walked over to the bar.
"You always know how to throw parties Zac, always with style."
"I try. So what will it be? Rum and Coke, tea...?"
"How about a tea."
"Sure thing. Coming right up." I said as I started
mixing.
"Hey, uh Zac, what are you doing with this shit?" He said looking at my paraphernalia.
"What shi...Oh shit, it is not what you think I promise." I said trying to convince him.
"Well aren't you going to offer me a line? I do the shit to you know.
I am not the same Jacob I was in school."
"Don't I know what you mean." I said agreeing. I walked over to the couch after I was done making his drink, and sat down. "Yeah, go ahead, sniff away.
Plus, I don't think that anyone else is coming tonight."
"Eh, that is ok Zac, we have a lot to catch up on anyway."
"Yeah we do. How did you find out I lived here?" I said.
"Well I was in town visiting my Aunt, and I ran into your mom and she told me where you were." "Right on. So what is it that you need to talk about?" I said looking at him. He still looks the same. Same hair color and everything, 6'1", blonde semi-curly hair, toned body broad shoulders, and looking totally bomb. I watched him lean over to the table to take his line, and his drink spilled on his clothes. I couldn't help but laugh. "Way to go skills. Can't you sniff a line, and hold your drink at the same time?" "Fuck off, you gonna sit there and laugh at me or get me a towel?" He said grinning. "I think that I am going to sit here and laugh at you for a few minutes. Watch you squirm because of how cold it is, and then when you can't stand it anymore, I will get you a towel." I said standing. "One towel coming up. I will be right back down." "Thanks ass." He said. I just turned and smiled. I headed upstairs, and into the linen closet, and grabbed him a towel.