The Wannabes (2 page)

“Stella, you can be such a twat.” Alex kneeled next to
Corbin. “I am sure it is just rumors. Just small town bullshit.” Corbin nodded.

“Well, I have had enough of this chick drama. I am going
down stairs for a few beers.” Ryder stood then walked into Alex’s room. He came
out a few seconds later wearing a tight black t-shirt and jeans that had holes
in just the right places and black boots. Corbin found herself taking him in
once again. Only this time she felt a stir in her panties. She swallowed hard.

“Better put your eyes back in your head. Rob wouldn’t
appreciate you drooling all over another guy,” Stella spat then went into her
room. She slammed the door. Corbin felt herself blush again as Ryder gave her a
crooked smile. Corbin grabbed her cell phone and then stormed into her room
slamming the door as well.

RYDER TOOK A seat at the bar.

“What can I get you, hun?” the bartender asked. She was a petite
blonde. Her tank top barely covered her boobs.

“Busch light bottle,” Ryder replied. As she walked away he
took in the view of her ass. She was wearing tight short shorts and they clung
to every curve.

“$2.00,” she said when she returned. Ryder gave her the
money then looked around the barroom. It was a small place. Two pool tables and
a dart board were towards the back. A few of who he assumed were locals set at
the opposite end of the bar. At one of tables there was a group of women
giggling and looking his way. He gave them a small nod which made them giggle
more, then took a long pull off of his beer.

“New here?” the bartender asked. She leaned onto the counter
giving Ryder a full view of her cleavage.

He cocked a sideways smile. “Just got here today.”

“I knew it. Are you with a band or something?”

“Not anymore.” Ryder shook his head.

“What instrument did you play?” She twirled her hair around
her finger.

“I was the singer.” He watched as the bartender bit her lip.

“I love singers,” she purred.

“Sally, can I get a beer sometime today?” an older man
called from the opposite side of the bar. As she walked away he checked out her
ass again. He knew she was putty in his hands. Being in a band had always made
the chicks lose their panties. He smiled to himself then downed the rest of his
beer.

“Sally, I need another.” Sally hurried to him.

“This one is on me.” She gave him a wink. She handed him a
beer then leaned in close,” I go on break in an hour. I would love to talk with
you some more… alone.” She licked her lips.

“Sally, looks like your keeping a close eye on my brother,”
Ryder heard Alex say as she entered the bar. He watched Sally’s face change
from wanting to jump him to a full on blush. She gave Ryder another glance then
hurried to another customer. “Stay away from her. She’s a whore,” Alex
whispered in Ryder’s ear.

“Sounds good to me,” Ryder whispered back. He wiggled his
eyebrows.

“Aren’t you tired of that scene?” Alex sat down next to him.
“Sally, can I get a Jack and Coke?” Sally gave her a quick nod.

“I’m a dude, remember?”

“And a man whore,” Alex mumbled. Ryder laughed.

Sally sat down her drink. “$3.50.”

“I got it.” Ryder handed Sally the money and gave her a
wink. Sally didn’t make eye contact with him. She came back with his change,
her face red.

“Before you got here I was close to nailing that chick. She
said ‘I go on break in an hour’. You always were a cock blocker,” Ryder teased.

“Don’t start that shit. I just know the people here. If you
want an STD, go for it.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Ryder knew he was getting
under her skin.

“And stay away from the whores from Muscello. They are bad
news, home wreckers to say the least.”

“Cock blocker,” Ryder mumbled and took a drink from his
beer. Alex punched him in the arm.

“Stop calling me that.”

“Maybe I should hook up with Stella. She seems very
interested.” Ryder watched as Alex rolled her eyes.

“Stella is my friend, but…” Alex paused. “She has issues.
She is trouble.”

“I like trouble.” Ryder wiggled his eyebrows again. Alex
sighed next to him. Ryder, sensing her tension, nudged her. “Don’t worry. I
won’t get involved with her. I’m just joking around.” Alex nodded. He downed
his second beer and ordered another.

“Don’t you think you should pace yourself, lush?” Alex
raised her eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip.

“I got this, Mom.” Ryder gave her a glance. “So what’s up
with Corbin?”

“Oh no, she is too nice of a girl for you. You don’t need to
poison her.” Alex stared him square on.

“Poison her?” Ryder laughed out loud.

“You know what I mean, she has a lot on her plate right
now.”

“Like…?” Ryder gestured for Alex to continue.

“For one, a boyfriend.”

“Serious?”

“He gave her a promise ring about two years ago, so I guess
it’s serious.”

“OOOOh, a promise ring. Who the hell gives a promise ring?”
Ryder shook his head. “He sounds like a major douche.”

“He is a major ass. Before tonight is over Corbin will be
crying alone in her room. It is the same shit every weekend. Her trying to
track him down and him ignoring her.”

“I would be more than willing to console her.” Ryder clicked
his tongue.

“Seriously bro, if you fuck with her…” Alex punched him in
the arm again.

“I’m just kidding, geesh.” Ryder rubbed his arm. “I’ll be
right back. Need to piss.” He slid off the stool and made his way to the back.
On his way there he made sure to make eye contact with the giggling ladies. He
gave them his infamous crooked smile and wink. They all blushed.

ALEX WATCHED RYDER walk away, she
knew she couldn’t control him and was worried that he was going to fall into his
old ways. Just a year earlier Ryder had been on a downward spiral. He had
landed in jail due to a DUI, wrecked his prized custom Harley Davidson and
almost died due to the accident, and to top it off, had been kicked out of his
band ‘Infected Whiskey’. Life had never been easy for Alex and Ryder, but they
had always somehow managed to get through the worst. Alex was so relieved when
Ryder contacted her a month ago asking for a place to crash for awhile. She
finished her drink just as Ryder exited the bathroom. He stopped at the
giggling dipshits table and began conversing with them. Alex watched Ryder work
his flirting magic. She witnessed it many times over in her life. As Ryder
would say, “So many women so little time.”
She watched Ryder turn to
her, she crossed her arms in an attempt to imply
are you done,
and he
shot her a small smile and shook his head. Her look seemed to work because he
made his way back to her.

“Cock blocker,” he said aloud with a huge grin. He tipped
his beer up and gulped it down. Alex jabbed him in the stomach just as he took
a huge drink, making him spit beer everywhere.

“That sweet move should turn your new fan club away,” Alex
said standing. She grinned.

“You are such a bitch,” Ryder laughed as he wiped his chin.

“You know it.” Alex exited the bar and Ryder followed.

“Do you have any food at your place? I’m starving.”

“You are always starving,” Alex replied. She stopped walking
and turned to Ryder. “I am glad you are here.”

“Don’t get all mushy, sis.” Ryder mussed up her hair.

“I’m serious, that bike accident almost took you away.” She
thought back to him lying in the hospital bed. Tubes and wires had him hooked
up to a bunch of machines, and his face. It was so bruised, he was barely
recognizable. As if reading her mind, Ryder wrapped his arm around her shoulder
and gave her a squeeze.

“Stop it.” He shook her playfully. “I need food, woman!” he
added in caveman like tone. Alex couldn’t help but laugh.

“You are so stupid,” she managed between laughs. Ryder gave
her another squeeze.

CORBIN LAY ON her bed, tears pouring
down her face. What if the rumors were true? She had been hearing them too. Her
heart ached in her chest and her stomach churned. She loved Rob with every
fiber in her body. When they first started dating in high school, everything
was great. He was very attentive to her needs and wanted to spend as much time
as possible with her. Now, it was nothing but a chasing game. She, wanting to
see him on a daily basis and he wanted to hang out with his friends. She wiped her
eyes picked up her cell phone and plugged in Rob’s name. Taking a deep breath
she typed,

We need to talk.
She hit send.

About????
Was his response.

Us.
A single tear slipped down her cheek.

I will try to stop by later.

Corbin shook her head. She threw her phone down on the bed.
She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She told herself that she was done with
him, as she did most every weekend. She was so tired of trying. She looked at
the small diamond ring on her finger and thought back to the day Rob gave it to
her. It was her 21
^st
birthday. He had shown up to the apartment
drunk. He shoved the box in her face and vowed his undying love for her and
made a promise to marry her. Now
two years later that promise remained
unfulfilled. Corbin twisted the ring and then slid it off. Tears welled up in
her eyes. She placed the ring in her jewelry box and shut the lid. The ring was
a heart breaking lie that she no longer wanted to be a part of. She lay back on
her bed and stared at the ceiling. Her thoughts then drifted to her Mom. Her
Alzheimer’s had gotten much worse and now when Corbin visited her, she had to
explain who she was. It saddened Corbin deeply because her Mom had always been
her rock. Corbin yearned for the days when they would sit and talk for hours. Feeling
tears again, she quickly wiped them away.

“Honey, I’m home,” she heard Ryder announce. Her mind
shifted from Rob and her Mom to the image of Ryder in his boxers and the way
his hair was messed up. She began twirling her hair and let her mind drift off
to naughty places. A knock on her door interrupted her fantasy.

“Entrez.”

Alex peeked in. “I am going to Royce’s to pick up some stuff
for tacos. Do you need anything?”

Corbin shook her head. “’Kay. I’ll be back in a few.” Alex
closed her door. Corbin waited to hear the front door shut and then stood and
opened her door. She crossed the living room and into the kitchen. She opened
the fridge and began scanning the items inside. Beer, a half-gallon of milk,
and some cheese sat on the shelves. She pulled out a beer and popped the top.

“Alex, are you out there?” Ryder called from the bathroom.
Corbin paused mid sip.

“She went to the store,” Corbin replied.

“Shit. Can you grab me a towel?”

“Sure.” Corbin grabbed a towel from the hall closet then
knocked on the bathroom door. Ryder opened it a crack, steamed poured out.

“Thanks,” he said from the other side. Corbin went back into
the kitchen. Her mind flooded with thoughts of Ryder naked in the bathroom. She
started to feel guilty about thinking of him that way and willed herself to
stop. But as soon as he exited the bathroom the thoughts hammered away at her.
He was wearing only a towel. His long hair dripped water onto his chest. She
watched a drip run down his chest and into the V.

“Thanks for the towel,” Ryder said. Corbin brought her
attention to his eyes then nodded, struggling to find her voice. She felt her
face redden. Ryder walked towards her. He stopped just inches in front of her.
She looked at the floor, afraid he was going to kiss her, but she wanted him
to. She looked up into his eyes. He reached behind her and pulled open the
fridge. He grabbed a beer and cracked it open. He stayed just inches from her.
She watched him take a gulp from the can, even the way his Adam’s apple bobbed
as he drank turned her on. Corbin wanted to touch him, taste his kiss. She
opened her mouth to speak just as Stella walked in.