Shadow's Secrets
Chapter 1
by $imone

"This is never going to work! I'm telling you, 
seriously!" I sighed.
 
"Shut up and lean back," Jane pushed me down on the 
bed. "Suck in your stomach!" 

"It is! Give me those fuckin' pliers." I pulled my 
jeans zipper up and asked for assistance.  Ace was 
sitting behind me trying to play "Shock Me" on my 
acoustic guitar.  Jane pulled me up off the bed. 
"Ace, please.  Don't let the whiskey fool you." 

"You're as drunk as I am," he slurred. 

"Not nearly enough," I grabbed the brown paper bag 
from him and chugged Jack Daniel's.  I threw on an 
off-the-shoulder black top and pushed my dark curls 
back while I put on a Harley Davidson bandana. 

"Shadow, let's go!" Jane insisted. 

"I'm gonna go take a piss." I grabbed my makeup bag 
and slammed the bathroom door. 

"Where's my Jack?" I heard Ace yelling in the 
background. Nervously, I applied my makeup.  I put on 
a little green eye shadow and the reddest, red 
lipstick I had.  I took a couple more swigs of the 
bottle before I stumbled out of the bathroom. 

"Shit! You're all fucked up now.  Look at you!" 
Jane's voice boomed through my ears. "Get over here." 
She opened her bag and pulled out a salt shaker full 
of coke, cut a line and bit off the end of the straw 
in my soda, and handed it to me. 

"How sanitary," I said sarcastically.  I grabbed the 
straw and deeply inhaled.  "Any white showing?" Jane 
shook her head.  She grabbed my bag and we walked out 
of my apartment. 

"He's never gonna like me! This is a fuckin' stupid 
fuckin' idea," I threw up my arms in frustration. 

"Keep walking before Ace blacks out," Jane rolled her 
eyes and put his arm over her shoulder. 

"How many more blocks?" I whined. 

"There he is! On that corner!" Ace pointed out.  I 
gulped.  There he was.  He was so sexy: black denim 
jeans, leather jacket, John Lennon sunglasses (which 
looked cool even with the sun setting over New 
York).  I wanted to run and jump him right then. 

"Ace! Jane! Over here!" Peter waved. 

"He doesn't like me," I turned around. 

"Oh yeah, bring your friend too.  She looks like 
fun," he took off his glasses and winked.  I began 
blushing, but took another swig out of the paper 
bag.  We grabbed a booth at this tiny bar and 
restaurant combo.  At first, I was sitting on the 
edge, but Peter pulled me in close and put his arm 
around me.  "So what's a nice girl like you doing 
with these clowns?" 

"Stealing my Jack Daniel's!" Ace pitched in.  Peter 
moved closer in and smelled my hair, and began 
kissing me.  I pushed him off. 
"What do you think you're doing? You don't even know 
my name!" 

"Ooh, she's Italian! I can just see it now.  She's 
gonna throw her drink in my face unless I do 
something.  I'm sorry, sweetheart.  I am Pedro, the 
great Italian lover! Who might you be?" 

I choked on my beer, fuming with anger.  Jane 
apparently noticed, "Pete, this is my friend Shadow." 

"Shadow? What kind of a name is that?" 

"You should know.  We went to the same school.  Think 
back, was there ever anyone called 'The Shadow' in 
our school?" 

"Oh yeah," he recalled, "Man was she a biiiit... I 
mean, she was really tough.  That's you? You're THE 
Shadow? Well, what's your real name?" 

"Bella," I whispered under my breath. 

"That's better." 

"You better not repeat it, if you know what's good 
for you," I flirted back, playing with my brass 
knuckles. 

"Hey Ace! I think it's time to go home. It's getting 
late and uh... we need one last roll in the sheets. 
See you two later," Jane waved.
 
"So uh, Shadow?" Peter chuckled, "How about you come 
back to my place and we'll see what happens? Or are 
you more of the sadist you were back in high school?" 

"See what happens?" I asked, beginning to sing 
"Nothin' To Lose", "Sure, why not?" 

"Oh baby, now you're speaking my language.  Keep 
singin'!" He lifted me up and carried me out of the 
bar.