The Ex-Girlfriend

As she walked away down the hall, Shane's little comment about her growing up turned the corner of her mouth mischievously upwards. She might have even been able to make a move on him already but it was better to be sure. Besides, the buildup was fun. There was a satisfaction in laying each piece of the trap, making all the details up and fitting them as she went without losing sight of the endgame. Debi returned to her desk and put the document together, the printed email, the copy and all that, then put the original back into the stack of papers in the docket where she had marked with the letter opener. Shane's door was open. She entered.

From the near end of his desk she could see the photo of him and his bride-to-be just past his far elbow. Debi's jealousy of Meghan was not because she had lost Shane away to her, because she hadn't in the slightest. Debi had been long gone well before Meghan had arrived on Shane's scene. It was that life was easy to her, a fucking silver platter, straight from birth, on the right side of the tracks, the apple of her father's eye, the teacher's pet, employee of the month. She could see it all in the bright shameless face in the frame. All of that shit was easy for cows of the herd like Meghan that were happy doing just what they were told without ever questioning anything. Some girls grew up poor, with an alcoholic Mom and a couple of stepdads along the way, stealing bikes just to replace the ones stolen from them, refusing to please people who were never pleased anyways. Fuck Meghan. Debi would teach the little princess a lesson. She'd show her what it meant to be a real woman in this world.

"Here's that billing error report," she said with tired eyes and a half-sleepy smile as she placed the document on the corner of his desk. While Debi was pretending to be overworked (or at least embellishing), Shane's burden was purely authentic. His thin tie was loose around his collar and his hair was a bit out of place as if he had been raking his hands through it for most of the afternoon. His movements were stiff and lethargic and he was beginning to darken beneath his eyes. "I'll just have to put this archive back up on the shelf," she sighed and approached the stool to step up.

Shane was tired and sick of working, but he knew his hard work would pay off in the long run. As he continued to type away at a report, he didn't hear Debi enter the office. He had long ago loosened up his tie and the stress of the work week was showing on his face and in his body. He needed to relax, but at the same time, he was too hard of a worker to ever put his needs in front of his job.

"Here's that billing error report"

The words broke him from his focus on the computer screen as he looked up, giving Debi a tired smile. "Thanks Debi..... you really should go home and relax...." he said, seeing her half-sleepy smile. As he noticed the document, he picked it up and looked it over. He sighed deeply as he set the paper back down. "Nice work..... you have impressed here...." he complimented her.

"I'll just have to put this archive back up on the shelf."

He heard Debi sigh as she headed over to the shelf. He knew she was tired and felt bad that she seemed to be overworked. He stood up, not wanting her to do anymore then she had to. "Debi.... please, I will get it..... you go home...." he said as he walked over to her, moving right near her. "You don't have to put that back up there, I can do it...." he insisted. He looked down at her, again noticing her beauty. The thing about Debi, is she always was able to gain attention, no matter the situation.

"You don't have to put that back up there. I can do it."

Silently, Debi mouthed an 'awww'. Shane being taller looked down upon her. She knew that she could always make his eyes wander and let the hefty file in her folded arms tilt forward to give him a view through the open collar of her blouse of the skin of her chest, then slowly breathed in to fill her lungs.

"Thank you, Shane," she said and handed him the file. "I really should get going. Don't want to miss the bus."

The next morning she came in five minutes late as she stopped on the corner to buy a latté and get in a quick smoke. Marjorie gave her a glare but she just walked briskly to her desk with an easy smile. Debi was made and she knew it. Even the branch manager had an eye for her. Her coffee break was lengthened with more extended flirting with Craig in the lunch room. Debi was getting away with little things here and there, extra smoke breaks, texting and surfing on her own phone while at her desk, killing time by deliberately taking every trip that she could to the copy room rather than planning them out to collect several print jobs at once. As long as she knew how to look busy when people were watching (and really that just meant Shane and Marjorie) no one else would care.

Friday was the once-per-month jeans day and Debi's were new dark blue with gold stitched ass pockets. They were painted on tight and held up with a thick black belt. She wore them with little black medium heeled ankle boots. Her blouse was shiny gold, tucked in tight and unbuttoned halfway down. Keeping things urban and blingy she wore three inch gold hoop earrings and topped everything with a purple and gold LA Lakers ballcap, brim sideways gangsta style. On her trips to the print room or the lunch room her silent grin was smug as all the heads turned to watch the bad girl pass the cubicles and doorways.

Just before lunch Marjorie visited her desk. The office manager was not in jeans. The heavy older lady was dressed the same as any other day.

"I know that this is a casual dress day, Debra," she said. "But the hat is rather too casual. Could you remove it please?" Marjorie did not approve of any of her look but the hat was the only thing that she could comment on. The blouse was legit and the jeans were too. She was decently covered.

"Certainly," Debi said with a thin smile and dropped the hat into the bottom drawer of her desk with her purse.

When she heard a stairwell door open and shut two flights up, Debi crushed out her smoke where she usually did and held still to listen as the voices above bounced and reverberated down the concrete walls.

"See the chick on the third floor today?"

"In the gold top? That's Lewis' secretary."

"No shit? What a honey."

"Tap that fine ass?"

"God, I'd fuck her in a heartbeat."

Debi chuckled silently to herself as she noted that she preferred a man to last a bit longer than that, but just like she had thought, she had every guy in the office lusting after her. Two weeks into the job, she was already probably the most powerful girl in the building. Listening to these two practically drooling made her feel like it anyways.

"Yeah, would sure look great on the end of my dick. Just bend her over a desk and go at her."

She wondered exactly which guys they were. From the fifth floor they were probably senior advisors, at least one of them anyway. Who was that husky guy with the goatee, again? Bruce Bentley? Wasn't there another guy named Horowitz?

"Think Lewis is doin' her?"

"Nahh. Guy's a straight edge. Engaged and everything." There was some moderate laughter at Shane's expense.

"Hey, you smell smoke?"

"Shit," Debi tensed up quietly to herself and left the stairwell.

Later in the lunch room, lanky Craig was making small talk.

"Coming out to Santorino's for drinks tonight?" he asked. "A bunch of us are going."

"All right," she shrugged playfully. "Think I just might."

It was ten minutes to five and Debi was clearing out early. She put the Lakers hat back on and deliberately twisted it just as crooked as before. Then she donned her funky sunglasses, grabbed her coat and purse and leaned into Shane's doorway.

"Have a nice weekend, Shane," she smiled. She wasn't about to tell him where she was going. She had to stay good in his eyes.

At the bank machine on the sidewalk she saw that her first pay had indeed been deposited. She withdrew some cash. The June sunshine glinted off of her blingy gold blouse and she enjoyed another cigarette as she walked the two blocks down to Santorino's. Through the window she could see Craig at a table with a few others from the office. He was ordering a round of drinks. Right there on the sidewalk, she tugged her shiny gold blouse out of her jeans and unbuttoned it. Some skinny guy with acne waiting for the light to change at the crosswalk gawked as she knotted it to show off her midriff and the black edges of her bra cups. Pulling the door open, she went in. It was about time that she had a good night out partying. It was official. She was back in action, making men do whatever she wanted.

"I really should get going. Don't want to miss the bus."

Those words from Debi stung Shane a bit. He watched her leave as he put the files back up on the shelf. He headed back towards his desk, shaking his head. He never thought Debi would be the type of woman that needed to take a bus. Even when they were together, Debi always seemed to have everything together. Sure, she cheated on him a bunch when they were dating, but she always had a way about her that made Shane feel like she would end up successful. She had confidence and a personality that just oozed success.

The next day at work Debi was dressed to impress again. Shane did not mention anything about her outfit, but it was definitely the type of outfit that garnered attention, and not the appropriate kind for the office. Shane was hard at work, off at meetings for most of the day, leaving Debi alone with Marjorie. It was a typical meeting filled day, and when Shane finally arrived back at the office, he only say Debi for a few minutes. Just long enough for her to say goodbye and head out for the weekend.

Shane knew the office went out to Santorino's for drinks on Friday night, and he was tempted to stop by for one. He was heading off to his car when he called his wife. She was working nights this week at the hospital, and was just about to start her shift. He sighed as he hung up, wondering if Debi would be out with the rest of the office. He was not one to go out too often, however, he needed a drink. With the stress from the meetings, he figured he owed himself one.

As he arrived at Santorino's, he parked in the side parking lot. He walked in the door and saw many of his co-workers there. As he walked in, a tall man named Brian walked over and smiled.

"Shane, great that you could make it, how were the meetings today."

Shane smiled, him and Brian were pretty good friends. They golfed at times on the weekends and there families hung out. He talked about the meetings as he walked over to the bar and ordered a whiskey and ginger. He looked around the place and noticed a crowd around someone. He was wondering who had garnered so much attention from the men in the office as he tried to catch a glimpse.

To his surprise, as one of the men moved slightly, he noticed it was Debi. She was at the center of attention. Shane was not overly surprised, however, her actions at work had shown that she was a changed woman. He smiled as he sipped his drink, he couldn't blame her. It was the weekend, she did not have to act professional in her own time. He wondered if his image of her being changed was real or fake.

Craig had waved her over and ordered a round and Debi had asked for anything with tequila in it. There were six of them at the table and a few more at another table. On her left was a pudgy fellow with a crew cut named Cliff Adams. Next to him was Bruce Bentley. She wondered if they were the two that she had overheard in the stairwell that afternoon. Across from her was Amy from reception. She was chubby and had a round homely face. On the shy side, she did seem to like being noticed by some of some of the guys. Then there was Rick in his forest green golf shirt (it was casual Friday after all) and his fauxhawk haircut, and on Debi's right was lanky ash blonde Craig. No matter who was speaking, all eyes seemed to keep checking on her every few moments. Even Amy kept sizing her up, either in jealousy or admiration or perhaps both. It had been so long since she had commanded such attention and the power was as intoxicating as ever. Craig was in the middle of a story about being drunk on a golf course with a client as Rick put in his supportive two cents here and there.

"So we came down the hill in the golf cart just way too fast," he explained to his captivated audience.

"Yeah, they were up on two wheels," said Rick. "We were behind him in the other cart watching it all."

"And Nick's bag falls over and all his clubs scatter across the lawn!" Craig gesticulated with his long arms as everyone laughed. "But then that shifted the weight in the cart and Nick totally loses control. I'm hangin' on to the cage but the next thing we know, Splash! We're in the creek!"

"We gotta get this cart out of the water before someone reports us to the course marshal," said Rick.

"So now all four of us are knee deep in the water tryin' to drag this thing out," Craig continued, his arms still animating the scene. "It's on it's side. The thing is fuckin' heavy."

"Because of the battery," Rick added. "That's the heaviest part."

"Well it took a few minutes but we got it out but now the damn thing won't start," Craig went on. "So we push it down to the next hole and park it behind the hedge. We leave it there and we do the next couple of holes walking, but of course once we get to the fourteenth tee, sure as shit comes the marshal and he sees all our clothes are half-soaked and we're so busted!" Craig finished the story shaking his head to raucous laughter.

Debi got to the bottom of her first drink. She had finished it quicker than she had expected to. That's when she saw Shane approach.

"Oh, hi," she greeted him trying not to look surprised. She had told him that she had to catch the bus and here she was at the bar instead. Just like Craig and his golf buddies had been caught, so had she. The only difference was that she knew how gullible and unassuming Shane could be. She would talk her way out of it if it came to that. "Nice to see you," she smiled warmly as the server approached and Bruce Bentley got the next round.

"Hey Shane," invited Craig. "Come sit down." Rick shuffled over to make room between himself and Amy.

Shane and Brian had grabbed a drink at the bar as they made there way over toward a group of co-workers. Shane smiled, it had been a long time since he had made it out to a work outing like this. He forgot how much fun it was to relax, de-stress and converse with his fellow workers. As they approached the table he noticed Debi and saw her looking surprised to see him. He gave her a friendly smile. "Hi Debi..... looks like you all are enjoying yourself."

He heard Rick greet him and ask him to sit down, and Shane shook his head. "No, no, you guys enjoy your table. Brian and I are just heading over to the other end of the bar." Shane smiled at everyone at the table and greeted them all. He used to be close with most of them at the table, however, with how quickly he moved up the corporate ladder, they seemed to distance themselves. He did not blame them, but he did not want them to not be themselves at the table if he was there.

"I am sure we will be seeing you all around," Shane smiled as he looked at Debi. He grinned at her again before heading off toward the bar with Brian. At the end of the bar, Shane was enjoying his drink with Brian and two others. A woman named Brittany, she was in financial services and was in charge of the department. She was middle aged, and more conservative then Debi. He also was with Erick, an older gentleman who was on the board for the company. He had been with the company forever. He was known as a guy who used his money to get what he wanted, and had been divorced two times.

As the night went on, Shane kept looking over at Debi, seeing her with the group. He watched as she had the men wrapped around her finger. He was not surprised, but it brought a smile to his face to see her using her charms on someone other then him. At one point Shane saw Debi get up and head to the bar. Shane walked over, wanting to buy her a drink. He walked up behind her as the bar got a bit crowded.

"Hi, having fun? Do you want another drink..... it is on me for doing such a good job so early in your career," he grinned as they moved up closer to the bar. Debi slipping into a gab as Shane stood behind her.

Debi was in her element with all eyes on her and it felt great to be in the action again, even if Shane's presence was keeping her honest. Rick thought he was cool with his quiet nonchalance but he had no game whatsoever. He so obviously wanted to fuck her but didn't have the guts to even approach. That was such a turn off, besides the fact that she wouldn't have been interested in him anyways. Still, she'd take his attention. Debi always fed off of stuff like that. Craig on the other hand, while still totally hot for her was more casual about it. He was cool under pressure. Sooner or later he would make a move. Cliff just wasn't attractive and Bruce figured that talking about women like they were mere objects, but only while their backs were turned, made him some sort of a ladies man. Jerks like him were always great for free drinks. Meanwhile, Amy seemed to be admiring her, which was cool. It was certainly better than the alternative of catty jealousy. Perhaps some day Debi would take her under her wing. She could dress her up and take her out to meet some guys.

Through it all she kept quiet tabs on Shane as he sat at his table with his friend Brian, that Brittany woman that she didn't like (Brittany would be the catty type) and some bigwig high roller from upstairs that she hadn't met yet. He seemed like a player. Outwardly, Shane seemed mostly unmoved by Debi's presence, but internally he had to watch. When Bruce ordered shots, Debi acted embarrassed, putting on a show of begrudging as she downed her sambuca while the guys cheered her and Amy on. Not long after that, Debi decided that it was time to test Shane's perceptions and perhaps even his defenses by moving closer. By then the alcohol was making her rather bold after all. She pushed back her chair and stood, then took her time making her way to the bar. Sure enough Shane was on his way too, probably trying to make it look like just some random encounter.

"Hi, having fun?"

"Yes, actually," Debi turned to him and smiled. "I really wasn't going to come but somehow I ended up here," she shrugged in embellished guilt. There wasn't much room so she took him by the elbow and drew him closer.

"Do you want another drink? It is on me for doing such a good job so early in your career."

God, she had a career now. Debi found a sick humor in that. She certainly had no intention of being a working stiff in an office for any serious length of time.

"Well, I should probably take it easy. It's been a long time since I've been out like this," she admitted. That part was true. Life had gotten off the rails and now she was getting it back on. "Maybe just one more."

Shane was enjoying the night out with his co-workers. While he was trying to play it cool with Debi around, inside he was wondering if this 'new Debi' was real or just something she was portraying. He wanted to believe that Debi was a changed woman, however, his memory of their past still lead to him having some doubts. When he met with her at the bar, he grinned at her answer about having fun.

"No need to explain, you are allowed to come out and have fun...… especially after just finishing up with your first week on the job," he smiled at her. He felt her hand move to his elbow and pull him closer to her at the bar. It was crowded and he figured this was a way to talk without screaming. He smiled as he moved closer to her.

"Well, I should probably take it easy. It's been a long time since I've been out like this. Maybe just one more."

He grinned at Debi as she spoke about taking it easy. He called the bartender over and ordered her and himself another drink. As the bartender left to go make the drinks he smiled at her. "Take it easy? Man you have changed, usually you were the one getting a bit crazy and making some bad decisions at the bar," he joked with her. As the bartender returned, Shane reached around Debi and paid for the drinks. He grabbed both glasses and stepped back, handing her one. "Here is to a good first week...." he smiled as he raised his glass to hers.

"Man you have changed. Usually you were the one getting a bit crazy and making some bad decisions at the bar."

"Bad decisions," she smirked. "Yeah, the bar wasn't the only place," she let on, feigning guilt. "Then she shook her head. "Anyways."

"Here is to a good first week."

"To better decisions," she smiled. "Cheers." Debi clinked her glass to his and took a healthy sip.

"I like your hat," winked the bartender. He was thick black man with a closely trimmed neck beard.

"Oh, thank you," Debi smiled back as she twisted the brim to the other side and posed.

"Sassy bird," he said. "So did you see the Laker game last night?"

"What? Oh no, I don't follow," she said. "It's just a cool hat. Goes well with the blouse."

"Sure do," he winked again. Then he turned to Shane. "Nice girl you got there. You look good together. Don't let her go"

Shane laughed as she smirked at the bad decisions comment. He heard her talk about the bar not being the only place and he couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, lets not keep dwelling on the past," he agreed as the subject changed. He raised his class and clinked his with hers as he took a sip of his drink. He smiled as the bartender came over.

Shane watched as Debi talked with the bartender. As normal, it was easy for her to command the attention of anyone, and judging by how the bartender was trying to focus on her, he could see that had not changed. He smiled as they talked about the Lakers, and Shane knew that Debi had no idea about them. He held in a laugh as she made a comment about it matching her blouse. He then watched the bartender openly check her out before turning to him.

"Nice girl you got there. You look good together. Don't let her go."\


Shane couldn't help but laugh a bit. He nodded, "Well you know, I am lucky I guess...." he grinned at the bartender before laughing as he turned and walked away. "Sorry, I didn't think you wanted him to keep hitting on you by knowing you were single," Shane said as he leaned in to whisper to Debi. "Or maybe I should call him back over and let him know you are?"

"Sorry, I didn't think you wanted him to keep hitting on you by knowing you were single. Or maybe I should call him back over and let him know you are?"

"Aww," Debi blushed. "You were always so sweet," she told him as she rubbed her fingertips up and down his back. Then her expression demured. "You were so good to me ... and I wasn't very good to you," she admitted. Then she took her hand from his back to pat him on the forearm as if to keep him in place apart from her. "I'm happy for you and Meghan," she said, smiling warmly again. "She's a very lucky girl."

Shane heard Debi and smiled at her. "We were young.... it is okay Debi..... things happen," he said to her. He felt her fingertips moving up and down his back as they stood close together. He knew her words would bring back memories of what she did to him, but he tried to fight them off. Debi was a changed woman, or at least she seemed to be trying to be a changed woman.

"I'm happy for you and Meghan. She's a very lucky girl."

Shane felt her hand move to his forearm and he looked down at her. "Thank you Debi..... she is amazing..... she really is," he said grinning at her. He sipped his drink as he felt her hand still on him. "So...… we need to find you someone that is going to treat you right...." he said to her grinning. As he stood there, the bar area began to get a bit more crowded. He felt bodies press against him, and he took a step closer to Debi. "It is crowded tonight..." he said to her as he leaned in to say it.

"So ... we need to find you someone that is going to treat you right. It is crowded tonight."

Shane had never been that good at conversation. In fact his game was fairly weak and in a way it was a turn off, but he was good looking enough and she had always loved how he would constantly hang from her little finger. The world was for the strong and with him she had always been strong.

Debi took a deep breath, filling her chest, and let out a heavy sigh. Lifting her drink, she eyed its half-empty contents as if she were assessing her life. She loved the act - playing the part. She was addicted to it. To pretend that she was changing her ways, she was almost fooling herself.

"Maybe I should just finish this and head home," she said.

Shane watched as Debi sighed, her chest rising and falling and she lifted her drink and finished it. He finished his drink as well, figuring Debi would want another. He was prepared to buy her another, as he was a gentleman and would never let her buy her own drink while he was around, no matter how bad their past may have been. That is when she spoke, and he heard something he did not expect.

"Maybe I should just finish this and head home."

Shane was a bit shocked. Maybe Debi had changed more then he thought. She was going to call it a night this early. He smiled at her as he reached around her to put his open glass down on the bar. "How did you get here? Do you need a ride home?" Shane was still trying to be the gentleman, not wanting her to have to find her own ride home. He smiled at her, "I can call you a cab..... or taking you home gives me a reason to leave and head home as well...." he joked as he looked over at Debi.

Shane had no plan to fall into any of Debi's old traps, however, he could notice a change in her. At least he hoped it was a change in her. She seemed to be trying to keep her life on a straight and narrow, and nothing about her actions made him think she was the old Debi.

"How did you get here? Do you need a ride home?"

"How did I get here?" she smirked, then broke into playful laughter. "Like seriously? Haha!" It was just like Shane to turn a bit clueless when he liked a girl. "Like we all just walked the two blocks from work, silly!" She slapped her fingertips teasingly on his elbow. She was feeling quite drunk now herself. Her sister would be ticked off if she knew what was going on but Debi didn't care. Stacey didn't need to know. As far as she was concerned, her sister wasn't her warden.

Then her expression turned a bit more serious as she eyed her nearly empty glass, Debi twisted herself to survey the table where everyone was still social. In her absence, Rick was silently fixated on Amy while Craig chatted across him with her. Debi had lost their attention and felt a pulling sensation from the table for her to go take it back. She looked back at her drink and then up at Shane in contemplation. He was a bit older and probably a little wiser, but he still had those same gullible blue eyes.

"I should go, shouldn't I?" she asked. Then she swallowed down the last of her drink and placed it on the bar. "Should I go?"

Shane heard Debi mocking his question, and he shook his head. "I get it, I get it..... poor Shane is overly concerned about his new secretary and how she is going to get home," he laughed as he felt Debi's fingertips teasingly slapping against his elbow. He looked down at her, "So kill me, I am trying to make sure you get home safe, that is all...." he grinned at her. Debi was always in charge of the situation, and he should have seen this reaction coming. To be honest, he should have known better.

"I should go, shouldn't I? Should I go?"

Shane smiled as he heard her. He knew the correct answer, but he also knew that Debi was the master at getting what she wanted. He shook his head, "Should you go? You probably should....." he said looking down at her. "I know the old Debi would stay, create some havoc and have a good time...… but the new Debi, I don't know if that is her style," he joked a bit. He knew her past, so he could have some fun with her.

"If this was back in the day, would you be asking me if you should go? Or convincing me to buy you another drink?," he said as he looked down at her. Part of his mind thought back to them in college. Debi was good at getting what she wanted back then, and Shane remembered that Debi could get him to do anything. Shane believed he was a different man now. He was happy with his life and would not doing anything to risk the life that he built.

"If this was back in the day, would you be asking me if you should go? Or convincing me to buy you another drink?"

"If this was back in the day," Debi began with an inebriated pause, "you wouldn't have had to ask. You'd have bought me another already." She flicked her eyebrows before continuing. "Either that or I'd have just taken the money from your wallet," she admitted with a mischievous grin and guilty eyes.

"'Scuse me baby," said a tall guy in a baseball jersey as he came up behind her. From over her shoulder, he looked down her blouse to check her out. "Move your fine self that way just a little bit so's I can squeeze in here next to you and get myself a drink," he winked.

Debi pressed up close against Shane to make room and the tall guy slid himself in to lean on the bar and start ordering. He was skinny and had slightly dark skin, as if one of his grandparents was black. His hair shaved close on the sides made him appear even taller than he really was. She bet he was a good lay. He glanced back at her with a sly grin while the bartender filled his order. Debi turned back to Shane and sighed.

"I don't wanna be like that anymore," she said. "I can't be like that anymore."

As Debi pressed up close against Shane he sighed. He saw the way she looked at the guy that slid in behind her. He felt her against him, but noticed the look in her eyes. It was the same look that would get her in trouble when they were together. The look he saw so often when he wanted to go home from the bar, but she wanted to stay. The look that at the end of their relationship he saw more and more whenever they went out. It was one that he knew would get her in trouble one way or the other.

"I don't wanna be like that anymore," she said. "I can't be like that anymore."

Shane heard her say this to him as she was close to him. He felt like she was asking for help. Not once did he think she was acting or putting on a show for him. He felt his hand slide to her elbow, holding her as he gave her a reassuring grin. "Then, I probably should take you home, not buy you another drink," he said softly. The look in her eyes was innocent, and all doubts about what Debi's true intentions were faded away.

Shane nodded at her, "Ready to go? We can slip out without anyone knowing...." he said softly. Not wanting her to feel like she had to explain to the rest of their co-workers why she was leaving so abruptly.

"Ready to go?"

Debi glanced back at the table, where she could see Craig's wry grin as the back of Amy's head shook with grand laughter. Then she turned to the bar as the bartender pushed beers and shots across the counter to the tall guy wedged in behind her. His long arm waved two girls over, inviting them into the crush and wrapping around them as they gathered up the drinks and shouted. The party atmosphere pulled hard at her ego, but Debi had changed, in a way. She wasn't about to do anything in front of Shane.

"Yeah," Debi turned to Shane, gently took his forearm in submission and answered quietly, keeping her head down in defeat. "Let's go."

Shane heard Debi agree to go. He felt her hand take his forearm as he nodded down at her. He let his forearm slip from her hand, but replaced it with his own hand. He wanted to lead her through the crowd and out of the bar. He felt the soft skin of her hand in his own and he smiled. He was a bit surprised that she agreed to leave. Maybe she was actually changing her old party girl ways.

As Shane led Debi through the crowd, he finally made it to the front door. The crowd was thinning and they slipped outside into the cool evening air. He sighed as he stopped, letting go of her hand. "I am surprised you actually wanted to leave...." he said grinning at her. With that, he started to head down the sidewalk, toward a parking lot just down the street where his truck was waiting.

"So, where are you living?," he said softly as they entered the parking lot. He unlocked his truck, but still walked over to the passenger side. He opened the door for Debi before heading over to the drivers side and getting in. He started his truck up before looking over at her. This was a different scenario, how often in the past had she convinced him to leave a bar, but only to go home and continue the party. Or how often had he made her leave a bar, only to have them get to the car and her using her body to convince him to go to a different bar.

Leaving the bar was actually hard. knew that she had missed the party life but hadn't known just how much until she had followed Shane out the front door. Debi didn't look back.

"So, where are you living?"

Shane led her across the parking lot to his big shiny truck that his job afforded him and opened the passenger door like a gent - like a doormat. Debi hoisted herself up and into the firm contoured seat. The interior still smelled brand new and Shane had kept it neat and tidy. Next to the dashboard lighter, the ashtray looked untouched. She wanted a cigarette but resisted as Shane got himself behind the wheel and shut the door. Sealed inside the sterile confines of the truck, they were alone.

"Culver City," she answered. "Sorry, it's probably out of your way."

"Sorry, it's probably out of your way."

Shane smiled as Debi told him where she was staying, then followed it up with an apology. He started his truck and began to drive. He grinned, "Not a problem..... I would rather make sure you are getting home safe." He focused on the road, and noticed how Debi was being quiet in the passenger seat. He wondered what could be going through her mind. Was she missing the party lifestyle? Was she unsure how to act around him outside the office? He was not sure, but he knew that Debi never was one to be quiet around him.

"So..... tell me.... do you enjoy not living the party lifestyle from college?," he said softly. He did not want to make her uncomfortable, but they hadn't seen each other in a long time. This was a chance to catch up a bit. "I know there are times I miss it..... I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my life now..... but there are times that I remember just going out without a care in the world."

He smiled as he said it. He hadn't thought about it in a long time. However, he did miss the carefree way he used to live when he was with Debi. Sure, it was not healthy and it definitely caused him more problems when he was with her. However, the way life was for him now, was very grown up. He figured that was part of life, but at times he always found himself wondering what if he didn't realize the issues Debi caused for him.

Shane rolled the truck out into the traffic. He'd had a couple of drinks himself and had always been leery about drinking and driving in the past, although at her beratement he used to cower and risk it anyway. Sometimes she would do it to him just to control him. There would have been a party off campus or perhaps they were just out of booze and needed to hit the liquor store. Shane would protest that he'd already had a few and shouldn't get behind the wheel, but the state of Texas would go vegan sooner than Debi would ever walk, and so she would chide him not to be a wuss. Then Shane would bring up the possibility of a police roadblock. They were common around campus, especially on weekends. 'For fuck sakes just shut up and eat a breath mint,' she would tell him. Riding with him like this reminded her of old times.

The California sun was setting. She put her sunglasses back on and flipped down the shade as they headed west.

"Do you enjoy not living the party lifestyle from college? I know there are times I miss it. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my life now ... but there are times that I remember just going out without a care in the world."

Shane was right. That was how it was - not a care in the world - at least until the cares caught up with her. Debi wanted that feeling again, but this time she would obtain it in a different way, one more sustainable. She would construct herself the foundation of an upward spiral instead of the vicious circle that she had trapped herself in before.

"There's more to life than that," Debi said. She knew that Shane couldn't disagree with her answer, making it the perfect way to evade his question. The sky above was dark orange and the buildings posts and wires before them were nearly black in silhouette. The signage of the bars and restaurants was beginning to glow brightly in the shadows too. "Left here," she nodded a block ahead. "We're almost there."

"There's more to life than that."

It was a short answer, but to be honest, Shane was surprised by it. Debi was right. While he at times reminisced about the past, there were more to life than how they used to live. He married to a woman that truly made him feel like a better man. Meghan had given him faith in the vision he had for himself. He truly saw himself building a family with her, something that never came up with Debi.

He nodded as he listened to her directions. He turned the truck left and continued to drive. He sighed, "Well...…. you are right.... there is more to life then the party lifestyle. I know for a fact that I wouldn't be where I am today if I stayed in that lifestyle," he said.

Shane felt like the car ride was a bit awkward. Debi was more quiet then normal and more subdued. He was shocked she was flirting a bit, or at least being her new self. Instead she sat there quietly as he drove closer to where she was staying.

"Right up here," she instructed as they neared her building. It was an older but neatly kept two storey apartment block in stucco. Her sister's unruly plants covered most of their top floor balcony. The lights were out. Stacey would still be leaving work. Debi wouldn't bother telling Shane which number they lived in.

He was buying everything, hook line and sinker - her new attitude, her newfound responsibilities, all that jive. He had bitten the bait. Now she would make sure that he swallowed it all right down whole. To finish off, all that she needed was a sad memory.

"Thank you for the ride home," she said as she undid her seatbelt and gathered up her purse. "And thank you for everything," she smiled. Again there was warmth in her lips but sadness in her eyes, as if she were undeserving of his kindness. "You're very sweet," she told him softly. Then reaching across, she took his chin in her fingertips and drew him closer as she leaned over and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. The sad memory she had chosen was that of the family cat dying on the vet's table when she was seven years old. Ginger would usually make her melancholy and the alcohol helped her eyes to tear up. Releasing him to sit back in her own seat, she drunkenly but carefully patted him on the forearm as if to leave him as unscratched as she had found him. Then she regarded him briefly with her glossy wet eyes before pulling on the door handle. "Good night, Shane," she whispered, stepped out and shut the door. With head down, she stepped quickly down the walk to the front door, buzzed herself in and disappeared.