Fallout Dreams

ava 06

ava dreamt she was sucking on the nozzle of a helium tank used to blow up birthday balloons. the gas couldn't find its way out of her nose or ears, so it kept expanding, dizzying her brain and straining her temples.

the helium was a dream. the headache was real.

the morning glowed purple through her homemade curtain. she remembered last night. she remembered gary. she winced and rolled over... but he wasn't in bed.

on the nightstand: three solo cups, one condom wrapper, a knocked-over cross.

except for the dull hiss of warm air, the vent was silent. outside her door, a man muttered, "shit. shit. shit."

it was nolan. his test was in twenty minutes.

ava shuffled into the kitchen and found gari-jean scouring the cupboards.

"please tell me you have tomato juice." her hair looked like it was rubbed with balloons. the ghost of a couch cushion still haunted her cheek. "if i ever see peach tea again—"

dean appeared out of nowhere, made zero eye contact with either girl, and knocked on ava's door.

"he's not in there," ava said.

"shit." (still no eye contact.) "gary!" he yelled at the living room. "we gotta bolt!"

nolan pinched the top of his nose and wiggled his arm into his jacket. "nineteen minutes."

"the car's still here. think he walked?"

"the fraternity's ten miles away," said gari-jean.

"his farm's a couple miles down the road. maybe he went home."

"if he's got the same hangover as me, there's no way he walked anywhere."

"forget him," nolan said. "i can't miss this test."

dean opened the front door, muttered "later ladies," then darted to the car while shouting gary's name into the woods.

nolan turned to follow, then stopped short. "tell your sister..."

ava gave the boy five solid seconds to finish his sentence before interrupting. "it was nice meeting you," she said.

"yeah... you too."

she closed the door behind him.

a single eye peeked from the crack in mia's door. "is it safe?"

"all clear," said gari-jean.

mia emerged in cotton undies and an old tee. "was that the most awkward walk-of-shame ever?" she asked.

"not as awkward as last night," said gari.

"nolan wasn't interested?"

"he was interested... but not in me."

mia thinned her lips, rubbed her temples, and braced herself on the back of the couch. "mine was interested but too drunk to do anything about it. i think he was still tryin' after i fell asleep."

gari turned to ava. "sounds like you're the only one who got—"

nolan burst through the front door, marched through the living room, ignored mia's naked legs, and looked her straight in the eyes. "last night i met a girl i liked. she was smart, charming, and caring, and i'd like to see her again. if you run into her, have her give me a call." he pressed a folded piece of paper into her palm, broke from her gaze, and left.

"what the hell was that?" gari asked. "and what girl?"

* * *

it was saturday afternoon when—for a few short minutes—the seal around ava's brain cracked and a full stanza finally slipped out.