Again (Brandy Jeffus)

he was being so negative. He used to enjoy hanging out with Ed. He motioned for the bartender to come over and he ordered a light beer. He looked around the bar and noticed all the balding, older men gathered around a TV in the corner. Down a few spots from him was a couple, oblivious to their surroundings.
    “So man, who's all supposed to come out?” Eli asked after taking a short drink from his bottle.
    “Just some of the group. Noah, Robert, Travis. They all hit me up saying they would come out. Everybody was real excited that you were back in town. We’ve missed ya dude.”
    Eli gave a dry laugh. “I've only been gone 18 months. Feels like a lot longer.” He took another short swig and felt the liquid move throughout his body, loosening everything up. He raked his fingers through his short buzz cut. He missed his curls, mainly because Bonnie had loved them so much.
    “So how was it over there man? Were you guys ever in some major trouble or what?” Eddie took a long pull of the bottle and smacked his lips.
    “Yea, I mean it's no walk in the park dude. It sucks a lot. I’m probably going back on the next tour.” Eli took a deep breath and let it out through his teeth. These guys had no clue.
    Eddie nodded absentminded and took another pull from his bottle. Eli noticed his face was covered with sweat. He felt bad for his friend, but he couldn’t place his finger on why. It was then that a group of four men barged through the door loudly talking. Eli quickly recognized his other high school pals. They loudly approached Eli and Eddie and started giving Eli claps on the back.
    Slowly Eli felt his edge soften. He took life too seriously, more so than his buddies for sure. He felt the tensions in his shoulders melt off as his world grew hazy under the influence of alcohol.
    Tonight he wouldn’t give a care in the world. He played darts and pool. He laughed too loud and too long at stupid unfunny jokes and rooted for a team he didn’t care about. He let loose.
    But in the back of his mind, he secretly hoped that Bonnie would walk in, look at him with those heart-stopping gray eyes and tell him that he had enough to drink and it was time to come home with her. Because he knew if that happened, he wouldn’t give a second thought to doing exactly what she said.
    She never came through the doors though, no matter how hard he wished. He ended up drinking way too much. He had to call a taxi to his parents’ house and crashed on the couch.
    Before succumbing to sleep he wondered what Bonnie was doing at that very second.
    Chapter Nine
    I wake up to the sound of my mom praying fervently. My vision is blurry so I blink repeatedly. I look over and see she’s on her knees leaning over a small couch.
    "Hey," I call out. Her head snaps up and she turns.
    "Oh baby girl! Oh my God, you've had me so worried. Are you okay?"
    "Eli, where is he? Is he alive?" Everything that happened rushes at me like an unrelenting wave. Mom reaches for my face and her eyes are pained.
    "Honey, he's in surgery. He has been for the last three hours." A stabbing pain hits my heart. I had to find him. He needed me. I need him.
    I take a breath and began to sit up, "I gotta go see him. Why am I here?" I look around at all the medical equipment in the small space.
    "They have you here for observation. They couldn't wake you up after you fainted. You've been knocked out the entire time. Nobody could wake you up. I was so scared." Mama wipes a tear that had begun falling. She grabs my hand and squeezes gently. "Eli will be okay; the bullet didn't hit his heart. So we can praise the Lord for that. He was a real hero today."
    I nod, keeping silent, as tears run down my cheeks. Mama leaves to find a nurse while I lay there praying. The scene where Eli falls to the ground keeps replaying in my head. He looked so weak, so vulnerable laying there on the ground, blood pouring out.
    Mama comes back with a nurse who then quickly takes all my vitals and gives me some water to drink. I sign release papers and finally it’s time to leave that cramped room. Mama wraps her arm around my waist and we find the waiting room for the surgery floor. Eli's parents are there.
    They inform us that the doctor had just came back and said that while it was a close one, Eli pulled through surgery and would be fine. Mrs. Stone looks at me with red rimmed, puffy eyes and holds her arms out. I am wrapped in her arms and she whispers, “You saved his life.”
    Exhaustion