Vegas - Sara Barielles
Choose - Sara Barielles
+1+
One Year Later
“Halfway there O’Conner”
I nod my head at whoever runs past me squinting through the shower water still in my eyes. The locker rooms are almost cleared out and I take my time to empty out my locker.
I sling my duffel back over my shoulder and grab my rolling suitcase before heading out out of the locker room.
Danny-O is standing in front of the mirror with t-shirt stuffed in his collar and holding out his cell phone, with his mouth open.
He looks ridiculous, but it works for him.
“See ya later man”, I say
“Yo, you gonna be working the blackjack tables at Treasure Island tonight, O’Conner?”, Danny- O asks.
“I’m taking the summer off. I got a better job for the summer”
“What’s better than working in Vegas in the summer ?”, he says, “Eh ! You gonna keep up your training, right? They got any gyms up there ?”
I just shrug my shoulders and leave the locker room. He jogs behind me because he needs me to be his wing man, but he gets stopped by a few promotional managers from the UFC. They are always hanging around the gym and it looks like it's going to be Danny-O's big break
That idiots going to be on one of those cheesy billboards soon, his large Instagram following and pouty lips helped.
I still need to get 100 or maybe 500 fights under my belt, but I’m not even halfway there. I like to think maybe one day I’ll have a billboard, one day I'll be a real deal MMA fighter.That one day some kid will hear my story of getting out of Pachenga, getting out of prison and reforming.
Maybe
I toss my stuff in my 1999 Chevy and blast the radio. Then I drive towards the mountains. I don’t stop till I’m near Reno and even then I just drive past it.
When I make it Cascade Falls and O’Conner Camping, Jerry and Logan are waiting for me outside the welcome center. It’s odd seeing Jerry without a walker. I guess there really was something to that yogurt. He looks ready for the summer.
“You get a new badge”, Logan ceremoniously hands me a badge that reads “Manager-In- Training”
“Whatever”, I say, “Next year I’ll be to busy blowing up on pay-per-view to be a manger”
Okay, maybe in five or six years.
“Whatever, just be glad you get to stay in an actual cabin this year—“
“No, I miss my shack. I’ll be just fine there.”
A few kids from Lake Tahoe are staying the summer to work. Jerry says it will cost him, but he has a good feeling about this year.
“Now”, Logan whispers “We initiate the newbie’s by taking them to get the best country fried steak this side of the Sierra Nevada.”
“Dessert Nights ?”
“Okay, second best.”
I stiffen a little but he doesn’t notice.
We all pile into Logan’s Explorer and God help me I actually know the lyrics to Honky Tonk Badonkdonka, but I pretend like I don’t.
I can’t help but to smile when I see that pink neon sign is lit up brighter than ever. I get out the car first inside it’s smoky with the lonely locals and music being played through the crappy speakers.
My eyes take in everyone in the place. I don’t see a single familiar face.
“Hey , city boy”, two voices say in unison.
Tirney and Thistle are holding trays and come up behind me.
I get lost trying to form words, they both have their hair in high buns, then they move past to the next people, treating me like I’m any other local. I have so many questions but there is a tinge in Thistle’s expression that lets me know I’m not going to get them.
I find Ty hovering in the back counting receipts; she doesn’t say anything when I join her.
“Hey, Stranger”, she says
“You came back .”, I say, “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
“I find something about this town can be very healing. Besides--This town counts on me and my maple cinnamon waffles.”
“So there is something in the food.”
She lifts an eyebrow.
“How are you, Cillian.”
“Better.”
I knew I was doing better, I knew maybe I was on the right track. I just wanted the same for her, that day I didn’t have the nerve to ask.
+2+
I saw it come in from the window.
I tugged on my green polo and watched as a purple butterfly made its way through the open window and landed on my bed post.
It was joined by another and then another. I turned from my window as a steady stream of butterflies fluttered into the room.
I’m dreaming
I’m not dreaming
I run outside
Sitting in the clearing behind the cabin a girl with long black hair sits on the grass holding open a a white mesh box, releasing hundreds of butterflies. She watches them launch from the basket, she studies them taking in their beauty. She seems a little envious of them as they fly away.
“Truth”, I shout from a distance.
She stands up, smiling when she sees me.
“Truth, big guy”, she yells back.
She turns and beckons me to come forward. The thing is I met this girl last summer . Something tells me she is different.
When I reach her I hold out my hand, she looks at it then back at me.
“Cillian”, I say
She hesitantly holds out her hand.
“I am April”
“April ?”
She nods and pulls me in for a kiss.
I can’t wait to get to know this girl
I want to ask her to see me in Vegas
I want to know what great things she will do
I know I’m young, but I want to be the one she falls in love with
Because we’ve got all summer.
For now, this is my happily ever after.
A/N
