11. Bad Blood
CHAPTER 11
Bad Blood
JOEL
I don’t step inside the house until after dark, with a paper bag full of groceries we don’t need. Key comes into the kitchen from the living room a few seconds later, his hair standing on end and a beer in his hand.
“Joel, where the fuck have you been?”
“I had to get some things,” I say, setting down the bag on the counter.
He pulls out a jar of sauerkraut and cough medicine. “This? This is why you’ve been gone for hours?”
I shrug. “They didn’t have it at Fred’s. I had to go across town for the good stuff.”
“‘The good stuff’?” Key blusters. “Since when are you a sauerkraut connoisseur?”
“Since always!” I insist, sure he can see right through the lie.
I put away the rest of the items while Key watches me intently. When I close the fridge, he sighs and shakes his head. “Whatever, dude.” He grabs his beer off the coffee table. “This came today while you were out.” He slides a letter to me across the table. It’s opened and handwritten, so it’s not a bill.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Just read it.”
Picking up the paper, I unfold it and read.
Joel and Key,
I was disappointed to have our reunion last week tainted by such animosity and violence. Perhaps it was too much to hope that either of you have grown up and we could have a civilized conversation. I see now that I was wrong. I’m sorry that you both still feel such hatred toward me and our past friendship, especially when you consider how close we once were. You think you know people, then they stab you in the back. I didn’t want it to come to this, and I hope you remember that going forward I’m just trying to do what’s right.
Logan Samuels
“What in the actual fuck?” I shout. Key seats himself at one of the barstools and downs the rest of his beer. “No, seriously, what the fuck is this?”
“Apparently One-Punch Logan is more delusional than we thought,” he says, sounding exhausted.
“ ‘I’m just trying to do what’s right?’ ” I ask, scanning the letter again. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Beats me. The guy’s an idiot with an ego the size of the moon. Always has been, always will be. I knew when he showed up at the show it was a bad omen. Things have been going too well around here.”
“Should we call Al? Let him know?”
Key frowns and twists his lips. “Let him know what? That a guy who was never officially part of the band showed up after eight years and sent us a vaguely threatening letter?” He shakes his head. “Look, he’s probably just bluffing. Trying to scare us into giving him some money. Once he realizes we’re not playing around, he’ll go away.”
But something churns in the pit of my stomach. Something uneasy and sour that ferments like rotting meat. Perhaps it’s because there was a time when Logan and Key were friends before I showed up. There’s a whole history between them that I was never invited in on. Then there was that day . . .
“Hey,” I start cautiously. “What was it that you two got into that fight about, anyway? I can’t remember.”
It’s not that I can’t remember, it’s that I literally have no idea. I just remember walking in on the two of them. Key, holding Logan up by his collar against the wall of the barracks. Key had seemed to come to his senses for a moment, and when his back was turned, Logan was ready to swing at him from behind. So I clocked him in the face. I never liked the guy and didn’t particularly like that he was a part of our little makeshift band at Samson Academy. I was thrilled when Key started to pull away from him. Then when I saw them fighting, I didn’t even need to ask whose side I should be on. Key is my brother. I’d do anything for him.
“Who remembers?” Key says quietly. “It was so long ago.”
“Seriously? It must have been bad. You two were really going at it. I was worried you were going to kill him.”
Key sighs, his head falling back on his shoulders. “From what I remember, which isn’t a lot . . . I think he’d gone through my personal effects.”
I raise my eyebrows. “He went through your shit?”
He nods slowly and smacks his lips. “Yeah.”
“But . . . why?”
His gaze locks on some memory in the distance. “He went through my mail. Letters and shit I had in my trunk. Took something from me that—something important that I can never get back.”
Key’s cheeks turn red and there’s an ache that begins to spread in my chest. “Dude, I’m sorry. I didn’t know?—”
“It’s fine.” Key brushes his hands off on his lap and stands, but his eyes are wet. Whatever it was that Logan took from him . . . it still hurts him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask.
Key grins even though his lip quivers. “I didn’t feel like I needed to. You were exactly who I needed at that moment. I didn’t even need to ask or explain . . . you just had my back.”
I nod. “I always will.”
He claps me on the shoulder and squeezes. “Right, well, now that I’ve been thoroughly drowned in bad memories, what say you to us hitting up the titty bar?”
My muscles tense. Shit . . . I wasn’t expecting this tonight. “Uh, really? Tonight?”
Key rubs his hand down his face. “Yeah, I could really use the distraction. Maybe bring home a friend?”
I can’t go there with him. Not after finally getting Cherry to agree to a date. I mean, she used to be a stripper, but I doubt she wants to date a guy who is out and gawking at other women. Not to mention, it’ll be more difficult to convince Key that I can’t bring someone home once I’m out.
“Actually, I can’t.”
“What?” he blusters. “Why not?”
I grab the cough medicine from the counter. “I think I might be coming down with something.” I fake a cough. “Don’t want to screw up our performance schedule by getting some nasty bug. I’m just going to take this and go to bed.”
Key groans. “Come on, seriously?”
I shrug. “We can go some other time.”
“ Fine . I’ll see you in the morning.”
Key huffs before turning toward his room. Feeling like an absolute asshole, I call after him. “Hey, Key?”
“Yeah?”
“Everything will be okay.”
He nods. “Yeah, I know.”
Then, with one last smile, he disappears down the hallway, and I stand with my feet glued to the floor wondering if the friendship we have is strong enough to welcome another person into our lives.