Inconsolable by Amanda Lanclos Page A

ever seen.” I let out as I exhale.
    “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.”
    She is totally flirting with me. I can’t believe this girl wants me. It seems too good to be true. I inhale one more drag or my cigarette, then decide holding her hand is way more fun than smoking that cigarette. I let the butt of my cigarette fall out the window and blow the smoke out into the wind. I turn back and grab her hand interlacing our fingers yet again.
    We pull up at the bowling alley and I run around to grab the door for her. I smile as I pay for the balls and shoes. We start to make our way down to the lane on the end and I am grateful that there is a door there for me to get out of easily. I hear a bowl crashing into the pins and I can feel myself being transported into another time. I grab Anna’s hand and smile so she won’t be worried. “I forgot my phone in the car. I’ll be right back okay.”
    “Sure.” She smiles,slides on her bowling shoes and starts to set up the lane as I run out the side door to the vehicle.  I grab the bottle of Vodka under the seat and chug a good portion wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.  I reach for the whiskey and pour it into a cup that I keep in the car and turn to walk back into the bowling alley.  I let out a gasp when I look up and see Kyle in that same outfit he was wearing in my kitchen, propped against my car, right leg back against my tire. 
    “Quit this shit, Blake. This isn’t you. You’re better than this, brother.” He stands there staring at me. His eyes are begging me, but I can’t make myself stop, as a matter of fact I take a big gulp of the Jack Daniels I just poured into the cup I was taking inside.
    “Why are you bothering me?  You died months ago, Kyle.  Go into the fucking light, dude.”
    “I would if I could. Your ass is keeping me here.”
    “Fuck off.” I drink more of the cup and reach into the backseat for my bottle of Jack. I light up a cigarette after pouring more alcohol into my cup, then make my way back to the red-head bombshell waiting for me.
    “That’s right, Johnson, keep drinking.  Go ahead and drive her home like that.  You better wake the fuck up before you don’t have her anymore.  Only this time, it won’t be at someone else’s hands.  It will be your own.” 
    I turn around with venom in my eyes.  How dare he say that shit to me?  Only I’m standing there alone.  Well alone except for the homeless man standing a few rows over staring at me like I’ve lost my marbles.  I won’t even deny him that.  I’m seeing a fucking ghost.  Those marbles got lost a long damn time ago. 
    I drop the cigarette I inhaled in record time to the ground and put it out beneath my shoes before walking into the bowling alley.  I go to the counter and get two bottles of Coca-Cola for Anna and myself.  I pour my coke in my glass and make my way back to the beautiful woman waiting for me. 
    “That was quick.” She smiles and I just shake my head. Quick my ass, I was gone about ten minutes.
    “Sorry, my um, my mom called.”  Oh, you’re a fucking asshole. 
    “Everything okay?” 
    Dammit woman, quit looking at me like I kicked your puppy! I wasn’t on the phone with another woman like you’re thinking. I’m just obviously losing my fucking marbles. “Yeah, she was just checking up on me. When I told her I was out with the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, she wanted all the deets.”
    “Don’t say that word again,” she says between fits of giggles.
    “Why not?”
    “So not cool.  Now I know why you were Valedictorian.  You’re a nerd!”  She laughs louder and I just roll my eyes. 
    “Well, bring it on, Sunshine.  Let’s see who is nerdier when I beat your ass in bowling.” 
    “You got it, dude.”
    Holy shit.  Did this girl really just quote Full House?  I think I just fell hard.  Anyone that quotes Michelle Tanner is getting an A plus in my book.  After four games of bowling and Anna beating