experience – soft, delicate…

  She ran her hand over Marisa’s bottom. Marisa moaned but who knew what it was in response to. The boy? The Girl? Both? Just for a second Clair touched Marisa’s pussy, she felt Nathanial too. The experience racked her brain. The fact that Clair was touching Marisa excited Nathanial and he was about to reach climax. The feel of Marisa around him was insane and he tried to go on so she could come first. When Marisa got really loud Clair put her hand over Marisa’s mouth.

  “Oh shit!” Nathanial said, trying to hold on. He couldn’t believe this was happening. This road trip was going to be fucking fantastic.

  Marisa had an orgasm and fell off Nathanial just in time before he sprayed like a fountain. No more than three seconds later did the door open and happy, drunken hipsters stumbled in. They gawked at the scene of Nathanial sticky and naked and girls on their knees around his feet.

  7 “You Mind If I Ride With You Guys?”

  Clair was the first to exit the bathroom, feeling a bit overwhelmed by what just occurred. That was certainly eventful, what the hell was going to happen on the road if that just happened in a public restroom?

  Meanwhile Nathanial was in the best mood over. He jumped out of the club and onto the sidewalk and basically attacked Jeremiah with a brotherly hug.

  “Oh shit dude!” Nathanial said, “Where’d you go? Did you find that girl?”

  “Nah, got some fucking amazing weed for the trip though.”

  “Yeah? SHIT! So rad.” Nathanial was experiencing a second wind. Jeremiah though was a bit bummed he didn’t get lucky and just wanted to get some sleep before the big day tomorrow.

  “Yo, you hyped up again, huh?” he said to Nathanial, kind of weary.

  “Just happy,” he said. Marisa leaned in and kissed Nathanial on the cheek.

  “Oh man, you remember that guy, that like talent…modeling agent guy that stopped us on the street the other day?” Jeremiah said.

  “Uh…” Nathanial tried to think, but he couldn’t think passed what just occurred in the bathroom. Why the heck would he want to?

  “Anyway he came to the show man,” Jeremiah said. “Fucking came right up to me and said I was great and gave me his card again.”

  “Yo, that’s fucked up,” Nathanial giggled. “He wants your ass.”

  “Yeah, kinda freaky,” Jeremiah said. “Let’s get out of here. It would be nice to be home before I have to get up.”

  “Fuck it, man, because tomorrow none of this will matter.” Nathanial threw his arm around Jeremiah and they walked ahead of the girls. Clair tried to think of something to say until Marisa started laughing.

  She passed Clair a nervous look. “See…I told you I wasn’t wearing any underwear.”

  “Uh yeah,” Clair looked away, a goofy grin on her face. She had no idea what to say.

  “Look, I don’t have to go on this trip.” Marisa wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. What was a good idea anymore?

  “No, its cool. You’re kind of part of the group now.” They were quiet for a minute before they both busted out in laughter. The rain was starting to fall again. Only a few second passed before it turned into heavy sheets.

  “Oh shit, I left my umbrella,” Marisa said, looking back at the club.

  “Well we can either spend more time in the rain going back for it or run to the car service place and wait under shelter,” Clair said. They glanced at one another and decided simultaneously…

  “RUN FOR SHELTER!” They held each other’s hand and ran as fast as they could towards Bedford Avenue. Clair had no idea how Marisa could run in those shoes but they almost beat the boys to the steps that led down to the Northside Car Service where they waited for their car to show up.

  “Five mentos,” Nathanial said. Marisa stared out at the rain, hoping it would slack off soon.

  “I can’t believe I left my umbrella at the club,” Marisa complained. Nathanial swatted Jeremiah on the arm.

  “Yo, give me your vest.”

  Jeremiah’s eyes widened. “What?”

  “Your vest, dude, so she can cover herself up ‘til the cab comes.”

  “You crazy? This is a hundred dollar vest,” Jeremiah tugged on it. It was leather and encrusted with jewels and patches of his favorite bands. It was a very impressive vest and Clair didn’t blame him for not wanting to give it up.

  “Its getting wet anyway, jackass.” Nathanial stared at Jeremiah for a minute and Jeremiah knew what was next. Nathanial playfully attacked him and Jeremiah was too tired for this type of horseplay.

  “Okay, okay…” Jeremiah took the vest off and handed it to him. “Jerk…” he mumbled.

  “Hey.” A voice that was somewhat familiar to Nathanial snuck up on him. He looked up and saw Jimmy standing there at the top of the stairs. That goofy bad hair sticking up a bit. He gave a shy wave. Where’d he come from? It was just like before, he just suddenly appeared.

  “Oh hey…” Nathanial was completely caught off guard.

  “Are you guys getting a car?” Jimmy asked.

  “Yeah, we’re going back to Bushwick,” Nathanial replied.

  “You mind if I ride with you guys?” Jimmy asked.

  Clair and Marisa exchanged concerned looks.

  “Um, no, I guess not.” Nathanial just wanted to go home at this point and get out of the rain. He knew everyone else felt the same. Jimmy however didn’t even seem to notice the rain – all he noticed was Nathanial.

  “We can split the cost,” Jimmy was quick to say. “It’ll be cheaper.”

  “Not that much cheaper,” Marisa mumbled. Jimmy kept his eyes on Nathanial as the car pulled along to the curb.

  “Whatever, man, its cool,” Nathanial decided.

  They piled into the backseat, with Clair squished against the door, Marisa next to her, Nathanial beside Marisa and Jimmy next to Nathanial. Jeremiah took the front seat. As the night went on, he was getting grumpier and almost didn’t care to know anyone he knew. Meanwhile the physical closeness between Nathanial and Jimmy was a bit much for total strangers.

  Marisa had Jeremiah’s soaking wet vest in her lap and it had a poignant odor to it. Did these boys ever bathe?

  “I’ll take that,” Nathanial said, sweetly. He was acting like a boyfriend. He took the drenched vest away and noticed how wet her white t-shirt was and was starting to excited all over again.

  “Thanks,” Marisa gazed at him while Jimmy studied him the way someone might stare at a one-of-a-kind painting before deciding to buy it.

  “So when’s your next show?” Jimmy asked.

  “Oh I don’t know, going to L.A. tomorrow,” Nathanial informed. “Well…” he broke out into an adorable smile, the kind that made every one fall in love with him. “We leave tomorrow, we won’t be there until like…shit…six days.” He pulled on his hat like he always did when he got overzealous. Jimmy suddenly looked down at Nathanial’s hand. Nathanial had pale, thick fingers and his fingernails were nearly chewed off. They smelled like pussy. When a traffic light hit, Jimmy saw a tattoo of a mermaid eating a fish on Nathanial’s right wrist. He’d gotten the tattoo shortly after he met Jeremiah in a hostel. He thought it would be cool if they both had mermaid tattoos.

  “I’d like to go back to Wisconsin,” Jimmy said, melancholy, still gazing at Nathanial’s hand.

  “Oh yeah?” Nathanial was getting sleepy now.

  “Yes, my sister lives there – she has a great big…big farmhouse. I went there once b-but she hasn’t invited me back but sometimes I’m like I should just go and surprise her, you know? Life is but a minute long really. We need to remember that, and make it the best minute possible.”

  Marisa caught Clair’s eye again and mouthed the word “What?”

  “Do you get along?” Nathanial asked, cutely curious. “With your sis?”

  “Oh yes,” Jimmy said, looking away and out of the window. “I’d love to go on a road trip – that’s quite bantam of
you.”

  “Bantam?” Nathanial stared at Jimmy, amused by the word. “What’s bantam?”

  “It means spirited, it also means aggressive cock – cock as in bird.”

  Clair gave Jimmy a crazy look before staring at Marisa again. The two tried hard not to laugh.

  “Bantam…sounds like what you’d call Batman’s booty,” Nathanial said, and then everyone did laugh, even the cab driver.

  “I have an idea!” Jimmy slapped his knees with his hands gloriously and leaned forward to bug the cab driver.

  “Hey man, could you play this CD?” Jimmy held the CD out and looked at Nathanial.

  “Which track is the Formaldehyde song?” he asked Nathanial.

  “Four,” Nathanial said, his voice scratchy from singing. It turned Marisa on a great deal. She found his hand in the dark car. Nathanial slowly leaned into her until his head was resting on her shoulder. The pit of Marisa’s belly warmed with happiness and she squeezed his hand tighter. The night became dark secrets and speeding blurs of light…

  Jimmy was humming along to the song.

  “I could totally imagine this on the radio – getting played all the time,” Jimmy said. Nathanial nodded. Jimmy’s enthusiasm – whether sincere or sarcastic – was starting to get tiring.

  “So had you heard of the band before tonight?” Clair asked, sounding quite cavalier. She was sick with jealousy at the fact that Marisa and Nathanial were holding hands. She wanted sweetness like that in her life – with him. She would give anything, literally anything, to have Nathanial’s head on her shoulder, to have him shield her from the rain, but she