Taking Back Tomorrow

I picked up the photo album, smoothing out the creases on the cover. I flipped through the pages until I came across a photo of three young attractive teenagers. Two girls and a boy smiling beyond the lenses of the camera, under the image in italics was encrypted;

Janet, Justin and Melanie

Kicking back at Damien's- 1998


A tear rolled down my cheek as I brought myself to remember the day it happened. So many questions unanswered. It wasn't fair. I clenched my fists in frustration, dropping the album. I buried my face in my hands and began to sob uncontrollably.

*****

I couldn't help but steal occasional glances at Justin. His hair was a styled mess but his beanie covered it up gracefully. He moved with ease as if drifting, his sapphire green eyes always gleaming. His drawing scent was an accessory to his contagious smile.

He pulled a chair out for me, waiting until I sat to push me in. Damien noticed his strong gesture toward me and rolled his eyes behind his head. Justin laughed it off, sitting opposite his mate and dug into his football bag revealing a set of cards. Kyle revved up the stereo in the kitchen until Mandy, Damien's sister, two years his senior, turned it down.

"Love you guys, and hate to be a grouch, but remember I have an exam in the morning. Talk all you want, have music, just keep it down a notch,"

"Sorry Mands," her brother teased "When I have an exam I expect you to look out for me too."

Mandy ruffled up Damien's hair in a good-humoured manner before leaving for her room.

"Pain in the ass!" He called after her. Kyle was laughing frantically, messing up Damien's hair even more. Irritated by this, Damien shoved him away.

"Hey, peace dudes. I'm going to play some cards here. How about Liar? You want in Janet?" Justin asked.

I nodded, reaching out to handle the cards. The guys sat around the table and watched, impressed that I could deal them out.

"Wow, she can deal!" Damien said as I shuffled and cut the deck.

Melanie, an attractive brunette with luscious curls and a petite figure, started to swing her hips and wave her arms in dance, joining us at the table. She noticed the guys making a deal of me shuffling the deck and she rolled her eyes and pulled up a chair. I drew out another set for her to play. She lit a cigarette and smiled at me as if knowingly. Melanie is Damien's girlfriend and I used to go to high school with her. We knew each other but we hung around different crowds.

Melanie put out her cigarette and observed her cards. Her smoky blue eyes lit up as she covered her face in her palm to hide her smirk.

"Liar!" Damien shook his head before she laid her cards down.

"I think he's proud that he's finally learned his name," Mandy called out from her room. Everyone laughed.

Kyle ended up with the most cards at first as he called out 'liar.' Damien, hardly challenged anyone. As for Justin, he studied everyone as they selected and placed down their cards, listening attentively and looking into their eyes challengingly. I only had four fours and a queen left. I decided to be sneaky and put down only three of the fours and the queen and call that as four fours. Melanie, Damien and Kyle let it pass. Justin watched me suspiciously.

"You're lying!" He smiled, "Show us your cards,"

"But I promise I really do have four fours!" I defended.

"Maybe but you did not just put down four fours," he persisted.

"Sneaky Janet lets see your cards!" Kyle lifted them and to no surprise there were only three fours and a queen. I gathered the whole deck, unhappily. I should've won that game. I must've somehow given it away. It was no shock that Justin won that game. I rarely ever lost to a game of cards, I finished last.

"Encore," Melanie hooted and roamed the fridge while Justin dealt. He smiled a little embarrassed as I watched him drop a card. Melanie returned with a bottle of Malibu and retrieved a bowl for us to share salt and vinegar chips. Kyle kicked his feet up on the table greedily chomping at the contents of the bowl without sharing, until Damien threw his legs off the table. Chips sprinkled down his shirt and he hopped up.

"Great now I got crumbs on my favourite shirt."

"Yeah go have a cry about it while I have to clean up the mess you left on the floor," Damien grunted.

"It's not like it's a big deal babe one flip of your vacuum and the suckers are gone," Melanie said as she pranced up to her boyfriend landing a kiss on him, he blushed in response. She boosted herself up and hid around the back door, returning with a broom in moments the floor was cleaner than before.

Damien's phone started vibrating in his pocket but he didn't reach to answer. I found that a bit odd and decided to point out in case he hadn't noticed. He shrugged.

"Yeah it's this annoying dude from work. He wants to hang out sometime or something. Loser doesn't get the hint."

"Babe, that's cute that he wants to catch up!" Melanie put her hands on his knee advancing until she found his phone and grabbed it.

"Hey! Give it back Mel!" he said extending an arm, in no mood to play around.

"Oh come on. It's not like he'll ring again,"

"What if he does? You better not answer," he dragged her closer trying to get his mobile back as she held the phone out of his reach. The rest of us laughed at the two struggling.

The cell phone rang again, except this time Damien wasn't patient. He snatched the raging object we have been watching for the last ten minutes. All was quite until we realised he had actually answered the phone in attempt to salvage it. A female voice escaped on loud speaker. We all gaped in astonishment as Damien left the room to take the call. Silence followed.

"So much for a guy from work, he really had me," Kyle stuttered in repulsion, breaking the silence.

"Kyle mate. It's probably only his cousin I'm sure of it," Justin said, "You right Mel?"

She nodded her head obviously thinking about what just happened. Damien returned with a restrained expression fixed on his face. Nobody dared ask who he was talking to.

We continued to play our card game, and by that point there definitely was more tension. Melanie drained that bottle of Malibu way too fast and was giggling unnervingly at almost anything, even though nothing was funny. Damien was distracted from the game and kept following the gaze of his wondering girlfriend, a little concerned. In fact none of us were into the game anymore. Melanie was a disruption picking up players cards and then calling out random bluffs. Damien wasn't impressed by that, he kept shaking his head nervously. I just kept thinking about that call and whether Damien might be hiding something from Melanie. Surely he wouldn't be cheating on her would he? I didn't like the sound of that idea. Melanie was in no shape to deal with another game, she could hardly hold her own weight up. Damien noticed her poor state and called it a night. I hoisted giggling Melanie around my shoulder, while Justin helped and carried her to my commodore and buckle her in, insisting that she get a good nights rest. He turned to me and searching into my eyes he smiled, a sparkle was in his eyes, almost as if having a secret smile of their own. Without a word, he extended his arm to me, and pulled me close. I felt smug and didn't want him to let go, but I had wailing Melanie in the passengers' seat and I had to attend to her.

"Drive safe. Make sure she gets home alright. And make sure you do too." he said searching into my eyes, tracing my avoiding gaze. I nodded, getting into the car and realised Melanie was just about asleep.

I put the car into gear and headed down the driveway. Thoughts kept running through my mind. Does Justin like me? Will Melanie be alright? What was Damien hiding? Who was he talking to?

Locking the doors I drove in the darkness for a good kilometre when I stumbled across a bump in the road. What was that? The car suddenly lost control. I noticed in astonishment that I was heading for an unearthly figure in the middle of the road. Melanie now awake screamed. I slammed on the breaks, a shrill cry escaping my throat.

***

Author:
Calliope Alexandris

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