Can't Fight The Moonlight
Well baby, you are all that I adore
It was still too early to go home. I knew that Trinity would be over at Evie’s all day and probably again tonight. I sighed heading to Johnny’s bar as. I cranked up the music as I smiled listing to Avenged Sevenfold’s – Beast And The Harlot. I sing along with the lead singer, M. Shadow’s voice as I smirked pulling into the bar’s parking lot. I turned the car off and got out locking it up as I walked inside. I smiled at one of the waitresses as I walked over to the bar taking my usual seat.
“Hey lovely.” The bartender greeted me like he always did. “Usual?” He asked.
“You know me oh so well, Harold.” I smiled at him as I grabbed my pack of cigarettes out of my purse and pulled one from the box. I lit it up and inhaled the toxic smoke as I exhaled it and smiled in relief.
Harold sat my drink down in front of me as I smiled nodding at him. I finished my cigarette up as I took and downed half of my drink. I had been coming to this bar since my parent’s died drinking away my sorrow. Harold had never asked my age or anything. He knew my father and knew how close I was with my father. I sighed as I sat there quietly when the little bell above the door rung out signaling that someone had entered the bar. I turned my head slowly to see the man from earlier, with a group of guys and three girls.
I turned my attention back to my empty glass as I frowned. The memory of my parent’s death began to plague my mind as I closed my eyes attempting to block the memory as it took over.
I smiled as I walked with Frankie and Alex back to my house. We had gone into the graveyard to hunt for ghost. Frankie’s idea, of course. She was the person that loved to do things like that. I smiled as Alex kept his arm around my shoulder as I laughed shoving him off as he went to tackle Frankie down. I laughed as I held onto my sides and stopped when I spotted something horrific.
Cop cars were lined up and down the street at my house. Ambulances pulled into the driveway, along with a corner truck. I took a deep breath as Frankie and Alex stopped quickly rushing to my side. Both of them held to me as we slowly began walking towards the house. My dad’s brother, Jonas came running to me as he grabbed me in his arms holding me tightly. I held onto him as I looked over his shoulder to see my Aunt Regina holding Trinity while she slept. Jonas pulled back from me as I looked up at him, “What’s going on?” I asked him.
He held me tightly as he sighed heavily. “Your parents…” He said as heard the sadness in his voice. I could sense something was wrong.
“What about them?” I asked him.
“Their gone.” Jonas said.
I frowned as tears began to pour from my eyes. I held to my stomach as I cried harder than I had ever in my life. My world was falling apart right before my graduation…
I opened my eyes up and sighed heavily as I looked down at the glass. It’d been five years since they had been taken from me. I wiped some tears away as I noticed the guy from earlier at the bar I worked at sitting near me. I cleared my throat as I held my glass up for Harold to refill. “Do you drink like this normally?” He asked me.
I turned my head as I looked at him and nodded, “Unless I have my little sister.” I said.
“Little sister?” He questioned.
“We lost our parents when I was eighteen and she was two. I became her legal guardian and raised her.” I said.
“How old is she now?” He asked.
“Seven.” I replied turning to look at Harold when he brought my glass back.
I smiled nodding at him as I took a big gulp from the Long Island Tea. I sighed as the guy moved closer, “I’m Zacky.” He said extending a hand to me as I smiled weakly shaking his hand.
“Leah.” I said.
“That’s a cute name.” He smiled at me.
“Thanks.” I laughed.
“So I take it that you’re not born and raised here in California?” He asked me.
I shook my head, “We lived in Georgia. But. My father moved us here when I was thirteen.” I said.
“Ah.” He smiled. “A Georgia peach.” He smirked wiggling his eyebrow causing me to laugh.
“If you wanna call me that, go for it.” I laughed taking a sip of my drink.
He shook his head as I smiled at him. The remainder of the time we chatted about various things. Favorite music, bands, food, etc. I knew it was getting close to closing time for Johnny’s Bar. I slid off the stool and paid for my two drinks I had as I tossed my purse onto my shoulder and walked out. I headed for my car as Zacky hollered at me as I turned around looking at him. “I tried to get this earlier at the Coyote Bar.” He smiled handing me his phone. “Could I have your number? I am here for a couple weeks before my band heads out on tour. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow at the beach or something?” Zacky asked smiling hopefully.
I nodded typing in my number as I handed his phone back. “Just text me or whatever. My sister is staying at her friend’s house this weekend so.” I smiled.
“Sounds great. Maybe I can meet her soon.” Zacky smiled.
“Maybe.” I smiled as I got in my car.
I watched Zacky disappear to his vehicle as I smiled. I started my car up and pulled out heading to my apartment. The whole ride there I couldn’t stop smiling.
“Hey lovely.” The bartender greeted me like he always did. “Usual?” He asked.
“You know me oh so well, Harold.” I smiled at him as I grabbed my pack of cigarettes out of my purse and pulled one from the box. I lit it up and inhaled the toxic smoke as I exhaled it and smiled in relief.
Harold sat my drink down in front of me as I smiled nodding at him. I finished my cigarette up as I took and downed half of my drink. I had been coming to this bar since my parent’s died drinking away my sorrow. Harold had never asked my age or anything. He knew my father and knew how close I was with my father. I sighed as I sat there quietly when the little bell above the door rung out signaling that someone had entered the bar. I turned my head slowly to see the man from earlier, with a group of guys and three girls.
I turned my attention back to my empty glass as I frowned. The memory of my parent’s death began to plague my mind as I closed my eyes attempting to block the memory as it took over.
I smiled as I walked with Frankie and Alex back to my house. We had gone into the graveyard to hunt for ghost. Frankie’s idea, of course. She was the person that loved to do things like that. I smiled as Alex kept his arm around my shoulder as I laughed shoving him off as he went to tackle Frankie down. I laughed as I held onto my sides and stopped when I spotted something horrific.
Cop cars were lined up and down the street at my house. Ambulances pulled into the driveway, along with a corner truck. I took a deep breath as Frankie and Alex stopped quickly rushing to my side. Both of them held to me as we slowly began walking towards the house. My dad’s brother, Jonas came running to me as he grabbed me in his arms holding me tightly. I held onto him as I looked over his shoulder to see my Aunt Regina holding Trinity while she slept. Jonas pulled back from me as I looked up at him, “What’s going on?” I asked him.
He held me tightly as he sighed heavily. “Your parents…” He said as heard the sadness in his voice. I could sense something was wrong.
“What about them?” I asked him.
“Their gone.” Jonas said.
I frowned as tears began to pour from my eyes. I held to my stomach as I cried harder than I had ever in my life. My world was falling apart right before my graduation…
I opened my eyes up and sighed heavily as I looked down at the glass. It’d been five years since they had been taken from me. I wiped some tears away as I noticed the guy from earlier at the bar I worked at sitting near me. I cleared my throat as I held my glass up for Harold to refill. “Do you drink like this normally?” He asked me.
I turned my head as I looked at him and nodded, “Unless I have my little sister.” I said.
“Little sister?” He questioned.
“We lost our parents when I was eighteen and she was two. I became her legal guardian and raised her.” I said.
“How old is she now?” He asked.
“Seven.” I replied turning to look at Harold when he brought my glass back.
I smiled nodding at him as I took a big gulp from the Long Island Tea. I sighed as the guy moved closer, “I’m Zacky.” He said extending a hand to me as I smiled weakly shaking his hand.
“Leah.” I said.
“That’s a cute name.” He smiled at me.
“Thanks.” I laughed.
“So I take it that you’re not born and raised here in California?” He asked me.
I shook my head, “We lived in Georgia. But. My father moved us here when I was thirteen.” I said.
“Ah.” He smiled. “A Georgia peach.” He smirked wiggling his eyebrow causing me to laugh.
“If you wanna call me that, go for it.” I laughed taking a sip of my drink.
He shook his head as I smiled at him. The remainder of the time we chatted about various things. Favorite music, bands, food, etc. I knew it was getting close to closing time for Johnny’s Bar. I slid off the stool and paid for my two drinks I had as I tossed my purse onto my shoulder and walked out. I headed for my car as Zacky hollered at me as I turned around looking at him. “I tried to get this earlier at the Coyote Bar.” He smiled handing me his phone. “Could I have your number? I am here for a couple weeks before my band heads out on tour. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow at the beach or something?” Zacky asked smiling hopefully.
I nodded typing in my number as I handed his phone back. “Just text me or whatever. My sister is staying at her friend’s house this weekend so.” I smiled.
“Sounds great. Maybe I can meet her soon.” Zacky smiled.
“Maybe.” I smiled as I got in my car.
I watched Zacky disappear to his vehicle as I smiled. I started my car up and pulled out heading to my apartment. The whole ride there I couldn’t stop smiling.
2/17/13