(Once) Again Read Online Free PDF Page B

screen and shoved it back into my pocket.
    I walked up to the counter. A lady with a really bad wig and too much makeup looked up at me. “I’m here to pick up a prescription. Josh Wagner.”
    “Oh my, you were the shooting victim,” she said with no reservations, like it was normal to blurt out something like that. I bet she wouldn’t be too happy if I walked up and said, “Oh you must be the lady with the bad wig.”
    “That would be me,” I said. I was getting used to it though. It was a three-ring circus after the shooting. I was like a local celebrity. Weird how Kat didn’t have a clue. The girl needed a TV.
    She always loved reruns of
Saved by the Bell
and
Dawson’s Creek
. She talked about the characters like they were real people, and even though I didn’t care about the Joey, Dawson, and Pacey triangle, I listened anyway because it made her happy.
    “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. It’s great to see you out and about.”
    “I appreciate that,” I said with a nod.
    “Let me get your script. I’ll be right back.” The woman wobbled away, and I glanced to my left only to be met by a shrine of condoms. It was like an insta-smack. The memory hit me hard. I had bought condoms before meeting Kat at the clearing.
    It was the first time we had sex. Call me cocky, but I had a feeling that night was the night. I was right. I remembered every detail right down to the white lace thong and matching bra she had under her light pink dress.
    “You have got to be kidding me. Josh?” I quickly turned at the voice and knocked a box of condoms to the floor. Of all people to bump into on my first real outing. And when I was with Kat, no less.
    I awkwardly went to pick the box up, but Kim beat me to it. “Umm . . . K-Kim. Hi,” I stuttered. Smooth. Real smooth.
    “It’s so good to see you. After I heard what happened, I was so worried. I wanted to call, but I didn’t have your new number.”
    I’m sure she did. Kim didn’t just call to see how people were doing though. She only called when she needed something or had an ulterior motive. It only took me a week of dating her to come to that realization. She wanted to use me and my baseball scholarship as a way out of here. Though, at the time, the sex was good, so I let her stick around. But then I discovered what it was like to have sex with Kat, someone I actually loved. Nothing topped that.
    Kim handed me the box of condoms. “Since you’re looking at condoms, I guess all the right parts are still working.” Her overly made up eyes glanced down to my crotch and then back up. She smirked in her sexy way, but it didn’t have the same effect on me it once did.
    Normally I’d have a smooth response, but my eyes settled on Kat across the way and panic set in. I fumbled with the box and put it back on the rack just as the woman from behind the counter approached.
    “Here it is.” The woman held up my prescription. She rung me up and I paid.
    “You take care of yourself,” the woman called out, and I offered a smile.
    I needed to get back to Kat, but as soon as I moved Kim stood in front of me. “It was good to see you. I’m still at home. Community college and all. We should meet up while you’re around.” She reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell.
    Her long red nails clicked on my phone as she typed in her number to my contacts. Note to self: delete. As soon as possible.
    She slid my phone back in my pocket and lingered a little too long. Then stood on her toes and kissed my cheek. “See you soon, gorgeous.” She winked a dark eye at me and strutted away. The girl had a nice ass. I couldn’t deny that.
    Shit. Why was I staring at her ass when the only ass I cared about had walked away a while ago?
    I met Kat back in the front at the register. She had a basket and far more than the bandages we came in for.
    “I see Kim is just as slutty as always,” she said, not even attempting to disguise the acid in her tone. She cringed.