Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
B
I grab my key and my wallet from the small table beside the front door to my apartment. I go to grab my jacket next. “Fuck! I knew I was forgetting something.”
“What?” Iris and Fia say in unison.
“Uhhhhhh! I left my fucking jacket there.”
“Where?” They say it in unison again.
I look back and forth between them. “Stop that, it’s creepy. You guys sound like Mya and Ella.”
Iris puts a few grapes in her mouth before responding. “Where did you forget your jacket?”
“Can’t hear you, your mouth is full. Didn’t your mother ever teach you manners?” I heard her, but I’m trying to avoid her question.
Fia, having also clearly heard Iris, despite her mouth being full, clarifies. “She asked where you forgot your jacket.”
“Oh, nowhere.”
Fia’s thick, dark, perfectly groomed eyebrows raise up in questioning. “You forgot it at his place, didn’t you?”
“Who?”
Iris, from the other side of me, chimes in. “Of course you did! B, are you sure you didn’t forget it there on purpose?”
I glare at Iris as if that’s the most ridiculous thing she’s ever said. Because it is. “Of course I didn’t forget it on purpose. Did you forget who you’re talking to? ADHD queen, remember?” I say, pointing a finger at myself.
“I don’t know, you did go on a date with him. And you never go on dates.” Fia twirls one of her curls around her finger.
“First off, it was not a date. Second, just because I said he has a pretty penis doesn’t mean I left my jacket there on purpose, so I had an excuse to see him again.
You guys both know I leave my shit everywhere.
I’m constantly forgetting things. Why is this damn jacket all of a sudden the exception? ”
Iris looks over at Fia, and some unspoken conversation passes between the two of them before Iris speaks up. I hate how close they're getting; it means they can gang up on me now.
“B…you never talk about guys for longer than a couple hours after hookups, unless it was really bad or there’s some crazy story that came out of it.
Fia and I are just observing and posing hypotheticals in case, for some reason, you may or may not be interested in this guy beyond a one-night stand.
Even if it’s just as a repeat fuck buddy.
You are clearly showing more interest in him than usual. ”
"That's it, I'm leaving to get coffee like I was planning to before this ridiculous conversation."
The girls both snicker, but I ignore them. They’re getting the silent treatment from me, indefinitely. I throw on Fia's jacket and walk out before either of them can say anything else to annoy me.
While I was away, getting coffee for the three of us, the girls put on a romcom, taking advantage of my absence so I couldn't object.
We’re about halfway through the movie now, or whatever part they play the sappy montage of the couple falling in love, right before everything falls apart.
The latter is my favorite, especially when the thing that breaks them apart is realistic.
But then the ending ruins it by having them get back together, despite the shit storm they just went through.
Somehow, they’re always able to fight through it and find each other in the end.
But the part I don’t understand is, did they completely forget that they just hurt each other?
I mean, hello, you hated his guts 20 minutes ago for a reason, honey.
That’s the problem with love. It causes people to ignore all the red flags and fall in love completely blind to all the signs that the relationship is inevitably going to fail. Love makes people stupid.
My phone vibrates, and I pull it out from under the blanket to check it. Thank god I did, because the text is from Kass.
Kass
You forgot your jacket here.
B
I realized that today when I left my apartment to get coffee.
Kass
That’s the first time you’ve left your house since Sunday?
B
Yes.
Why?
Kass
You just struck me as a girl who’s always on the move.
B
I am. Just didn’t have anywhere to be, I guess.
Kass
Do you want to come pick it up? I could also drop it off if that’s easier for you. Since you seem to be going through a homebody phase right now.
B
I can come pick it up.
Kass
Great. I’ll be in tomorrow from 10-6.
Just text me when you’re on your way over.
B
Will do.
Kass
Hope you enjoy your little adventure outside your apartment.
B
Haha. You are so funny.
Kass
I’d like to see your face like that.
B
I bet you would.
God, why am I still messaging him? We have a plan to meet up. Just stop it.
Kass
Especially on your knees.
B
Don’t you have work to do?
Kass
It’s a slow day.
Don’t you have work to do?
B
My job is mostly travel. So when I’m home, I’m home.
Kass
Sounds nice.
B
It is. Until I get shamed by my tattoo artist for never leaving my house.
I DO go out, btw. A lot, actually. Ask any of my friends.
Kass
I’d love to meet your friends.
B
Stop that.
Kass
Stop what?
B
Stop trying to convince me to go out with you again.
Kass
Is that what I’m doing?
I thought I was just being friendly. You know, building rapport with my client.
B
Do you eat out all your clients in your office?
Kass
Not usually.
Not usually? Most girls would get jealous about that. They’d be sad to find out that their little fantasy where they’re unique and special was fake. Not me.
Actually quite the opposite. The thought of Kass fucking someone else on his desk has me squeezing my legs together a little tighter.
I leave him on read because I don’t care.
When I lock my phone and tuck it back under the blanket, I suddenly feel eyes on me. “Jesus!” I glance back and forth between Fia and Iris. “Quit fucking staring at me like that. You guys are creeps.”
“Were you texting him?” Iris’s voice rises two octaves to emphasize the last word.
“Yeah.” Before they can fully freak out, I cut them off. “We were just making plans for me to get my jacket back.” I have both hands up, one in each of their faces. “So shut up and leave me alone.”
When they don’t retort, I slowly lower my hands. They’re actually being really calm right now. Iris almost looks…concerned?
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“You didn’t.”
“Then why the weird face?”
“You really don’t see it, do you?”
I look over at Fia, whose expression is hard to read. She doesn’t say anything.
"Okay, now I’m really getting weirded out."
“B…” Iris places her hand just above my knee. “I mean this in the kindest way possible…”
“Of course you do.”
“I think something's a little broken up there.” She gently taps my forehead with her free hand. “And here.” She uses the same finger to tap my chest. Or I guess…my heart?
I’m getting uncomfortable with the seriousness of this conversation, so I do what I always do and lighten the mood. “Well, duh. We all know that.”
“I’m serious, B. Sometimes I wonder if you’re ever going to be capable of loving someone when you’re so shut off to the idea. You clearly like this guy, and you’re being so insanely stubborn about it. What’s so bad about having a little crush? Why are you so afraid of it?”
“Write that down, and I’ll ask my therapist about it.”
“You don’t go to therapy.”
“Ah, right,” I say, pretending I forgot.
Iris cracks the tiniest of smiles, but I can tell she’s still trying hard to remain serious.
“Please don’t worry about me like that. I’m only 24. If I’m still this way at 44, then you can start hounding me about dusting off my cold, black heart. Okay?”
I tap her freckled nose. Though she seems unsatisfied with my compromise, she drops it. And Fia, who’s been silently observing this want-to-be come-to-Jesus moment from the other side of the couch, doesn’t have anything to add.
“Alright, now who’s up for some Bay Watch?”
“You’re ridiculous.” Iris tugs a wad of my hair. That’s always been her little way of getting her frustrations out with me. It’s cute.
KASS
I got a text from B an hour ago saying she was on her way. Now, I don’t know exactly where she lives, but I can’t imagine she’s that far from here. I’m working on a client right now, and it’s taking me way longer than it should. Probably because I keep checking the door.
“Who are you watching for?”
“No one.” I keep my head down and continue working, avoiding Raina’s questions because I’ve never successfully hid anything from her. She can read me like a book.
“Right…”
“Why are you even here? You’re supposed to be at home recovering.”
“Can’t I swing by to say hi to my favorite bosses? I miss you guys.”
"I guess that's within your basic human rights."
"Doc said I have three more weeks of physical therapy, then I should be good to work again.”
“I don’t want you rushing into it.”
“Me? Rush into things? No…I would never.”
“The sarcasm in your voice tells me that you do have some self-awareness.”
“I promise I won’t rush into it.”
“Good. We don’t want you to need another surgery in a couple of years.”
“Who knows, maybe I’ll be retired by the time I need surgery again.”
That has me turning off my machine and sitting up in my chair. I look over at her, sitting on my countertop like she owns the place. “Retired?”
“It’s a pipe dream, but wouldn’t that be nice?”
“You’d get too bored. Just like you are now.”
“Good point.”
Before I duck my head back down to continue working, I spot a streak of purple flying by my window. I watch to see if she comes through the front door. But then I see a kid with a purple backpack running by the window on the other side of the door.
Focusing back on my work, I shoo Raina away so I can concentrate.
Of course, right when I get in a groove, that’s the moment she chooses to walk through the door.
“Raina! Ohmygod, I didn’t think you’d be here.”
“I’m not supposed to be. But I had to come check on Kassinova over here. Make sure he didn’t burn the place down without me.”
I fight the urge to look up, not wanting to seem like I’ve been anxiously awaiting her arrival. Which I have been.
I listen to the two of them exchange pleasantries, and I’m pretty sure B just showed Raina the tattoo I did.