Racing The Sky (Chapter 1)

 

Juggling an armload of books and a six pack of sodas, Victor Murphy shoved open the door to the house he shared with his best friend, Nicholas Erickson, grateful for the surge of A/C that practically smacked him across the face. Stepping inside, he quickly shut the door against the sticky, oppressive heat, and blinked, disoriented at the darkness of the room.

 

Thankfully, it didn’t stay that way. The click of a pull chain preceded a dim lamp’s glow, slashing light, and shadows across Nicky’s face.

Shaking his head, Vic deposited his books on a high table just inside the door and pulled a soda from the pack, cracked the tab, and drank greedily while studying his friend. Nicky’s attempt at a smile looked more like a grimace as he lifted a bottle in salute, then took a long drink of his own.

Undoing a couple buttons on the brown, short-sleeved oxford shirt he was wearing, Vic sank down in an overstuffed chair and put his feet up, sighing loudly as he got comfortable. “You wanna tell me why the hell you’re sitting here in the dark?” 

 

“Not really.”

 

Vic snorted and took another drink. Go figure. That was so typical of Nicky. “Okay, so is this a private pity party or can anyone join in?”

 

“I’m not sulking, or feeling sorry for myself, I’m just sitting here.”

 

“In the dark, with a bottle of whiskey and sad country music on low?”  Vic questioned. “Come on, talk to me, Nicky.”

 

“I’ve got nothin’ to say.”

 

Vic sighed, rubbed the back of his neck, and stared down at his can. Empty already, damn, they weren’t going to last long at this rate. When Nicky proved true to his word and didn’t say a thing, Vic looked up at him and glared. “If you won’t talk than I will.”

 

Groaning, Nicky slid further down in the chair and took another long drink from his bottle. “I’d rather you didn’t.”

 

“Too bad, deal with it. Look, I know it’s hard to accept that Terry dumped you. Hell, I was as shocked as you were to find out that he’d been cheating, and with who. Holy shit, I can’t blame you for being pissed. But it’s been a week man, let it go. He’s all over town with Dirk. Do you think he cares that you’re sitting here moping?”

 

“I told you, I am not moping.”

 

Vic snorted and waved his hand around, gesturing at the room. “Then pray tell what is all this if NOT moping?”

 

“Enjoying the peace and solitude of the night, or I was, until you showed up and started with your lectures and questions.”

 

Vic tried not to laugh at the petulant look on Nicky’s face, but a chuckle slipped out anyway. “Being mad at me isn’t going to change things.”

 

“Maybe not but I was hoping it might get you to go away.”

 

Closing his eyes Nicky tried to ignore Vic, but he was startled into opening them when Vic snatched the bottle from his hand and took a gulp, grimaced, then swallowed hard.

 

“God that burns.”

 

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t meant for you,” Nicky snarled, snatching the bottle back, ignoring the worried brown eyes that surveyed him.

 

“Look, what Terry did was shitty, but you can’t keep beating yourself up over it.”

 

“I never said I was sitting here drinking because of him, you’re the one who implied that.”

 

“Is it because of him?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Then what’s going on with you?”

 

“For the last time, nothing is going on so drop it.”

 

Vic’s eyes narrowed, then he sighed and shook his head. “Fine, consider it dropped, but I know you, and you’ll tell me eventually.”

 

“Whatever.”