Candy Hearts

Jane spent her Friday night in front of the screen doing side missions for her newest game Badlands. She particularly grew annoyed with the current one, where you had to take out a horde of nomadic zombies just to retrieve some canned beans for some rando NPCs for another basic side quest. She wanted to throw the controller against the wall when the screen flashed DEFEATED, but they weren't exactly cheap and she already had to replace her first one.

She just bit her lip in frustration and continued, what else was there to do? She'd already done the main playthrough twice already, and all her friends were busy or too lazy to kick it and she too lazy to drive to them (this was a spread-out city). She continued through this redundant playthrough until she got mauled once again, and then opted for a tea break. Nice warm chamomile, then smoked a J and got back onto a comfortable position on her bed. If she couldn't beat it this time she’d go back on to good old Cowboys in Space 2. Yea, that shit never failed, cowboys and extraordinarily scenic skylines. She took another sip of her tea. You know, it may get a little lonely or rather, boring sometimes, but this is my best life, she thought, propping her feet up against the worn out ottoman and laying back into the cushion.

Then her phone buzzed loud, and it made her jump about a foot into the air. It was Cameron, Cameron the guy from college, the guy who knew how to live it up in the moment, the guy who almost convinced her marriage was a sensible enough prospect, also the guy who was temperamental, all over the place in your face, too loud and just too much for her. She found herself off on a tangent again and decided to just see what he had to say.

Hey Janie! I’m back in town and in the area, wanted to know if you wanted to chill for a minute?  

She put the phone down and pondered for a moment. I could hang, but what does he mean? As in go out and hang somewhere or ‘Netflix and chill’? How’s this gonna go? Friendly visit? Sexy romp? Or I wanna get back together? Could she even handle that right now?  Should I stay or should I go? Agh!

If he taught her anything, it was to live a little, and maybe that’s why I didn’t work out between them. She was a housecat, and he was a terrier, like the one she had back then, always running, jumping, begging to go on walks every 5 minutes then crashing at sundown only to wake you up with sloppy kisses at the crack of dawn. He loved that dog, even though he insisted he was more of a cat person which seemed an odd fit but she supposed opposites attract sometimes.   

Eh, she figured, what else did she have to do tonight? She might as well take advantage, between finishing her online schooling and her day job she might as well take a night to just chill.     

Hey Cam! Yea, it’s been a minute. I’m down to chill, just lemme put on a nice shirt.   

Dope! I’m heading up from Downey, you need a ride? I wanna go to a place in Pasadena.   

Nah, I’m good. It’ll be easier and less out the way for me to meet you there. Just send me the address.   

She went to her room to get ready and find that nice shirt. She noticed one of the little bracelets she had hanging on her hand jewelry holder; an old candy heart charm bracelet. That Cam had given her ages ago. It was a goofy old thing, a chain of candy hearts linked together with some cheapy looking metallic wire and red and pink heart jeweled charms in between, various cute (and a couple obscene phrases suggested by Cam himself), courtesy of his sisters line of kitschy costume jewelry for her Etsy page, fun grabs for the season. She smirked, picked it up and put it on her wrist, looking at the dangle playfully. She wondered why she even kept it, and she didn’t really know herself, other than she just couldn’t bear to part with the stupid thing. Her phone buzzed and sent her into a tizzy again before she just saw it was just someone posting another annoying video on her group messenger.

She decided to take the bus from her place in Eagle Rock, so they’d get there around the same time. And at around 7:30 she found herself in front of a nice enough-looking building; old school classy as per the general style of downtown Pasadena and led herself inside.   

It was spacious, with white lighting, black seating, gold trims, a little bougie. She felt a little underdressed in her jeans, red tank and a pea green pilot jacket but at least she brushed her frizzy hair and accessorized with a double chained peace sign necklace and some ruby flats. And the bracelet! She still had it on, she hadn’t necessarily meant to keep it on, was that too much? It did match a little with her ensemble? Then she saw him, those dark Coke can rounds atop his brunette sweep of hair, sitting at a little table by the bar. He barely turned and caught her eye. He smiled and waved her over. She slid the thing off quick, throwing it into her bright pink clutch before joining him.

“Jane!” He almost reached for a hug but sufficed for pleasant pat on the shoulder.

“Hey...it’s...”

“Been a while, I know. Come on, sit down.” He pulled a chair for her.

“2 whiskey gingers with Jameson.” He motioned towards the bartender who nodded.

“Of course...”

“Our favorite Irish drink for my favorite Irish lass.” She tried not to blush twisting a

smile.

“Ever the charmer still huh?” Cameron smiled.

“It’s good to see you Jane, really, I was afraid you wouldn’t show...”

“I didn’t think I would for a minute there.”

“And I would’ve understood after the shit I pulled...” He looked down. The bartender

handed them their drinks. “But things are different now, I’ve gone legit, doing game design.”   

“Wow really? That is legit.” She took a sip of her drink. 

“But enough about me. What are you up to these days?”

“Well, alright, I guess just plugging away at expensive online schooling for my sociology degree which may or may not, but most likely not, be of any use after I graduate but I’m enjoying the ride in the meantime.” She took another drink. Cameron scoffed.

“As long as your happy.” He took a drink. “You still doing your drawings?”   

“Eh, sometime when I have time, and the inspiration, of which I don’t have a lot at the moment…”   

“Ah, you should get back into that! You did some pretty cool stuff. Remember those comics about the superhero Radio-Heads?” she smirked.   

“Yea, that was fun…”   

“You should get back into that! What’s all this ‘more school for nothing’ shit anyway? You said after you got your bachelors you were ‘done with that life’?”   

“I changed my mind.” She took another longer drink.  

After a prolonged pause, Cameron spoke up again.   

“You wanna take a ride?”   

“What? Where?”   

“I know where, come on.”

He finished his drink, and after he spotted for the drinks, she followed his lead out the

door. He led her to a sleek black sports car.

“Holy shit is that a Jaguar?!”

“Yep. Just got her a couple months ago.”

“Wow…”

“Get in...” he tapped the FOB to open the door for her.

“How fast she go?” Jane asked sliding in cautiously.

“I've gotten her from zero to sixty in 5 seconds.”

“Niceee...” Cameron started the ignition and revved the gas. Jane nodded subtly, trying

not to act too impressed.

“And she's got a sweet sound system.” He cranked the radio. Jane winced. Cameron

smirked.

“You know it's sick.”

“Nooo...” she tried to deny with an upward inflection.

And so, they sped off as promised, the breeze blowing her hair awry through the open

window, watching the sparkling sea of lights below that was the city, blur by.

After what seemed like a brief few minutes they were at their old haunt, sideways neon sign lit up, THE KOROVA, at the door.  

Cameron opened the door for her, and she followed his hustle toward the club.  

"Ah man, I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl hearing that bass again." The music did thump low vibrations though the walls.  

"So close you can taste the Moloko?"  

"The best!" The bouncer checked their IDs and let them in through the doors to those familiar flashing lights and electric pulse. She heard the newest Weeknd remix reverberate through the walls.

"Man, I missed this." He closed his eyes, spinning forward. He danced toward the bar. 

"2 Molokos my brother." The bartender quickly obliged and slid them down to Cameron, who handed Jane hers.  

“Do me this toast to these good old times.” Jane obliged clinking glasses with him and

started on her drink while Cameron took no time finishing his. He placed his glass swiftly back on the bar. 

“Come on Jane lets go dance!” 

“I haven't finished my drink!” 

“Come on, finish it on the floor!” Cameron went off onto the dance floor. Jane shook

her head smirking.  She finished her drink and slowly joined him with her starter sway. Cameron was into it, and he had the moves. She watched him, moving faster, more rhythmic with the music, pelvic thrusts and sways, like a mix of the Weeknd himself.

He had this intense gaze when he was into shit, entrancing, his eyes shone gold in the neon lights and soon enough the two of them were grooving together quite nicely, Cameron taking the lead, and after some more intense staring and swaying eventually came the kissing.   

Then in the corner of her eye she saw the slender catsuited dancer come closer, inching towards Cameron. She ran a clawed black nail down his arm, and he obliged her, letting his hand drift casually down the side of her leg. He continued to groove with Jane, while petting the dancer, kind of sandwiched between the two of them. Janes mind was blurred with lights, rhythm and Moloko but not enough to really jive with this. She cut out, making her way towards the back door exit.   

She dipped into her clutch and pulled out a cigarette with her leopard pink lighter and had her smoke.   

“Jane! I wondered where you went ...” Cameron came towards her.  

             “It was about that time.” She exhaled a thin layer of smoke.   

“Seemed a little hurried.”  

“Yea well...”  

“I was just having some fun; thought you were too.”  

“Eh, this whole thing, I don't know, not my scene I guess.” She tapped her cigarette against the wall.  

“You feeling the edge of 30 already?”  

“I'm not getting old! I don’t know, just outgrown it all, I guess. I mean, even you’ve changed but…you’re still the same...”  

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She smirked.  

“It means I’ma call it a night.”  

“For real? It’s only...”  

“Almost midnight and I gotta work tomorrow.”  

“Pshhht all about that 9 to 5 huh? Guess you haven’t really changed either.” She shook her head, putting out her cigarette with her ruby red flat. He chuckled.  

“It's all good, I liked seeing you again.”  

“Tonight wasn't so bad.” She smiled.  

“Don't be a stranger yea?”  

“I'll try my best. You have my number.” She tapped at her phone ordering her Uber.  

“Right. I’ll see you around Janie.”  

“See you around Cam.”  

She looked out the window, into the slowly darkening hills of Hollywood. She saw something flash in the corner of her eye, like a shadowy figure running along the edge of the road. She swore she saw a pair of gold eyes meet her eyes for at least a split second, but double taking, she only saw the dim streetlamps in the passing distance. She blinked her eyes and shook it off. She checked her phone, 12:25am. She yawned, chuckling at herself. She put her phone back in her clutch and saw the bracelet there. She took it out, examining it in her fingers, smirking and shaking her head again. She lowered the window, throwing it into the shadows below.