Glitch (part 1 of 2)

This is part one of Glitch. I figured it was too long to post in one thread so I decided to break up the short story. Glitch is part one of a three part short story series. The series follows main character John and his quest to separate reality from fiction. The story is available for free download on my web site (and Amazon soon).

Please provide constructive criticism (not just criticism) and enjoy!

I worked hard my entire winter and spring quarter for this moment: My summer vacation. I didn’t have to return to school until September 3rd and everything was sweet! The summer became even sweeter when my best friend Mark decided to come to town. He left a few years ago to attend another university and his visits were pretty rare. We mostly communicated via email and phone chat so having him here in the flesh was going to make this summer something else! Old memories flooded back giving me the feeling I had when we just entered college and ran rampant at night. Those were moments I’d never forget.

High street today was littered with people walking into different stores and those just standing around on the sidewalks talking to their companions. I watched the sun reflect on different sunglasses and women’s glistening skin as our bus rushed forward with the same obnoxious sound most massive engines had.

“Man, Mark Walker! What have you been up to since moving to New Hampshire?” I asked looking out the window and watching the passing people as we made a right turn on Arcadia and High. Mark shook his head grinning as he moved his deeply curled, dark brown hair from his face. I noticed a triangular hint of sun glimpse on his left forearm, making him appear lighter than his typical dark brown complexion. I thought it kind of odd that I took notice to it, so deciding to ignore it, I turned my attention on Mark again.

“Eh, same old, same old. Since graduating I’ve been looking for a job. I don’t wanna intern.” Mark said. I looked up at him, surprised, wondering why he wouldn’t. I, myself, was interning at Key and Jacobs law firm while I finished my Bachelors program. I wanted to have experience before I entered my Master’s so I could knock one thing off the list as I entered my Doctorate program.

“I know, I know,” Mark finished saying “But it seems like a waste of time to me. I just wanna work!” Mark said raising his hands and dropping them dramatically while laughing.

“You’d probably get a lot more work if you interned. Trust me, they look for crap like that. Experience and blah blah” I said. I didn’t like interning either, but it made sense. Who would want to hire someone that didn’t have hands on experience?

“Yeah, I guess.” Mark said looking back out the window. Didn’t we already pass this street? I thought as we came back around and passed a Hookah spot on Arcadia. What is he doing?

“Hey man, have you talked to Denise yet?” I asked Mark. It was his ex and she’s …changed.

“Yeah man. She has gotten faaattt!” said Mark mocking Stewie Griffin from Family Guy. Mark could be a jerk sometimes, but I don’t think he would ever say that to her in fear of hurting her feelings.

I chuckled as I silently agreed. Normally, I had no problem with a woman’s weight, but she went from maybe 100 something pounds to 200 within a year. Wondering what happened, I decided to not talk about her weight gain.

“What happened with you two? You dump her because of the weight?”I asked. One minute the two are conjoined at the hip, the next minute they’re breaking up for whatever reason.

“Nah, man. Although, I couldn’t really see her weight while Skyping. We just didn’t work out”

“Why not?” I pried. I didn’t dare ask her. She gave me the look of death every time I passed her on campus. While I was good at ignoring it, I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell I did to her?

“She wanted to get married, dude, fucking married. Can you believe that?” Mark said shaking his head. “I’m already in another state, how would that even work?” Mark said looking out the window.”Besides,” he finished“I’m too young to be married.”

“Hmm. Why’s she mad at me?” I asked, seriously wondering. I couldn’t help but notice we passed the same Hookah store when I seen the same hint of sunlight hit Mark’s arm.

“Why does he keep coming down this street?” I asked Mark.

Mark shrugged saying “This is the first time we came down here, isn’t it?”

“No, this is like the third time he turned down this street.” Mark looked at me as if I was crazy. Feeling crazy, I tried to make eye contact with the driver only to notice the rear-view mirror was angled to where I could only see the top of his head.

“Anyway.” Mark said changing the subject “She probably thinks you have something to do with it”

Raising my eyebrows, I asked “She does?” wondering how. I always had a girlfriend. I wasn’t the multiple women type, but Mark was. She knew that when she met him. I guess, I thought as we turned down Arcadia and High; passing the empty bus stop for the third time. I looked over to see the same glimpse of light hit Mark’s arm as we passed the same Hookah shop. What the hell? I thought looking at Mark who was staring at me in confusion.

“Now do you notice that we turned down the same street again?” I asked

“Nah man, but you keep phasing out, what’s up?” he asked me.

Beginning to get angry, I looked up to ask the bus driver “Why do you keep going down the same street?”

Saying nothing, the driver kept going as he turned down another street.