The walk home that night only pissed Dustin off more. No man wanted to walk around town at any time of day with a massive hard-on. Thankfully Tink and Trevor weren’t in the living room when he got home. He was in no mood to explain his situation to them. Let alone tell them it was Danni. Heading to his room, he heard Tink laughing across the hallway. Trevor said something he dared not to repeat before the bed frame hit the back wall. Instantly feeling his blood boil now if it wasn’t already.

Locking himself in his room. Turning on the TV Trevor got from the pawnshop, he did his best to drown them out. Striping down to his boxers, he dropped to the floor and started doing push-ups till he couldn’t anymore. Then when to crunches. Then dips off the side of his bed. Wall squats, just repeating this over and over till he exhausted himself out. Thoughts of Danni no longer clouding his mind as he laid back in bed sweaty and tired.

In the morning, Tink knocked on his bedroom door. Waking him saying that he had a visitor well that they had a visitor. Right then he knew it was Nolan for his random home check.

“Fuck I’ll be out in a minute.”

Dustin quickly scrambled to pull on clothes brushing his fingers through his hair that was in dire need of a cut. Picking up a few things he had laid around the floor from the night before. Emerging from his room, already spotting Nolan down the hallway chatting with Tink.

“Morning.” Spoke Nolan.

“Let me get both of you some coffee.” Tink insisted as she headed off into the kitchen.

“Nice women.” Nodded Nolan as he looked around the place some.

“Not mine if that’s what you're asking.” Replied Dustin.

“Not asking anything.” He nodded moving around the living room.

Tink coming in a few minutes later with two cups of coffee.

“I left yours black got the vibe that’s what you like if not I have sugar and cream in the kitchen.”

Handing the cup off to Nolan, “That’s perfect.”

Nolan appeared to be impressed by her. She once again excused herself from their presents disappearing off into the kitchen again.

“So your room?”

Nolan asked this but it was more of a order over anything else. As they headed back down the hallway he continued to look around, popping his head into every room giving them all a once over.

“Any updates for me?”

“No job but have an appointment to take my driving test later on this week. Even study for it so I doubt I’ll have any trouble with it.”

Dustin sipped his coffee as Nolan walked around his bedroom. Lifting things, opening all the draws in his room sifting through them trying to find anything he might be hiding.

“I don’t have anything to hide.” He stated.

Dustin was never into doing drugs himself. His record could tell Nolan that. Along with the mile-long list of clean piss tests, he's had done. Just sold and pushed them to others. He also wasn’t stupid to stash something here when he knew Nolan would be checking in on him. He watched as everything that was his got picked through again feeling like he was back in prison having his cell tossed looking for contraband.

“Why hide these?” asked Nolan, pulling out a stack of books from the bottom drawer in his dresser.

“I didn’t.” Lied Dustin.

Nolan took them out of the draw placing them on top of the dresser. All of them were old and tattered the covers mostly gone now from reading them so many times over. Their faded spines had PROPERTY of D. RAINEHART written on them.

“You like the classics I see.”

Holding up his copy of The Odyssey looking over at him before placing it back down on top of the stack.

“Reading isn’t a bad thing you know. I saw you took college courses too. Anything you're thinking about pursuing?”

Dustin had to stop himself from laughing at this question.

“I don’t think a felon can do much when it comes to an educated career.”

He really didn’t see any high hopes for himself. He only took the classes while locked up to pass time. He was actually a pretty smart guy just one that didn’t apply himself to any of it when he was younger. Now he figured he would be working some shit dead-end job for the rest of his life going nowhere, because of his past.

“There’s more out there than you think.” Nolan sounded positive.

Dustin watched as Nolan pulled out a business card from his back pocket, handing it over to him. The card read SHAYS TOWING LOCAL AND HIRING with a phone number to call. Looking at it, then back at Nolan like what is he supposed to do with this.

“That’s why I said get your license.” He laughed. “Shay is a former parolee of mine and only hires guys on parole. Just tell him I sent you. He’ll give you a chance.”

Nolan moved along the room once more before he headed towards the door, “But like me, he doesn’t stand for fuck ups or tardiness.”

They moved back down the hallway together, Dustin taking his empty cup of coffee into the kitchen, Nolan followed him smiling at Tink was cleaning up what was left of breakfast that he apparently missed.

“I’d like to talk with you as well Ms.Tink. Alone.” Eyes glancing at Dustin.

Tink telling him she’d be fine and that a plate was in the mic for him whenever he was hungry. Annoyed that Nolan wanted to talk with Tink. He took the plate she saved for him and left. Not going too far, sitting down in the living room trying to hear their conversation. Ultimately it was no use, Nolan lowered his voice as he spoke with Tink hearing her laugh a few times even. Curious to know what he wanted from Tink. Dirt on him cause it wasn't going to happen.

“Well till next time Ms.Tink,” Nolan spoke as he left the kitchen.

Dustin placed his now empty plate on the coffee table as he stood up, turning towards Nolan.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed either.” He pointed at Dustin's lip.

“No fights I hope.”

“No. Bit it myself the other day.” He lied.

Fingers running over his busted lip from Danni, she really got him good. Then he kind of deserved it forcing himself on her.

Nolan knew it eyeing him even harder, “Well I’ll see you next week same time at my office and better hear from Shay too by then.”

He finally left, allowing Dustin to breathe. He hated still being under a microscope watched by others how were just waiting for him to mess up and fail. The pressure was starting to get to him. Tink walking in smiling.

“I kind of like him.”

“He’s okay.”

“He seems like he genuinely cares about you and wants to help.”

“Well, I guess he did kind of set me up with a job,” He paused “What did he want with you?”

She shook her head at him, “Just wanted to ask a few questions about you and what I think of the situation.”

That’s all she told him, preferring to have more details than just that about their private conversation.