Chapter 21 #2
‘My gramps used to say a rose between two thorns, but I don’t know about that.’
She reaches into the sleeve of her shirt to tug on a silver bracelet. ‘You get along with your parents?’
‘Nope.’
It was an unexpected question but I’m even more surprised at myself for answering truthfully.
‘My dad is an intense guy,’ I tell her when she gives me an expectant look. Not the kind of thing you can say without offering a follow-up. ‘His way or the highway, you know? He’s always been more old-school conservative and he hates soccer.’
‘What?!’ She sounds surprised. ‘I thought all dads wanted their sons to be good at sports?’
I shake my head and smirk at the generalization.
‘Ethan Senior played football, a real man’s sport.
He was All-State in high school, played tight end for the Gamecocks in college.
At least until he got a concussion in his junior year.
Tapped out before he could even think about going pro.
As far as my dad is concerned, soccer is a girls’ game. He only tolerates it because I’m good.’
‘I’m sorry. That must be tough.’
‘It’s not great,’ I confess. ‘But we don’t see eye to eye on much of anything these days. What about your folks, y’all get along?’
‘We get along great,’ she says but I can see her tensing up as she speaks. ‘My dad sounds a little like yours, kind of traditional. He’s in real estate so he’s always out and about. My mom stays home to look after me and Hudson.’
‘Can’t imagine you need that much looking after?’
‘Depends who you ask.’
I could be projecting but I think she looks a little sad when she releases her bracelet. It glints under the streetlamp before disappearing back inside her sleeve.
‘Doesn’t matter how old you are when you’re the only girl, at least in my family. My folks have always been protective, I came here to get a little space.’
‘I’d say you managed that. You’re four thousand miles out of the way. I bet they miss you.’
‘Right.’
She rubs a hand along the side of her neck like she’s carrying the weight of the world on those shoulders. I’m a team captain, I know when to push harder and when to change the subject. Now isn’t the time to push her.
‘Wofford is a good school, good football team too. Your brother as smart as you?’
‘Smart enough to know if you’re good at football you don’t have to worry about the grades quite so much,’ she says with a sly smile.
‘Ahh. You mean he’s smart like me, dumb jock smart.’
Mia beams in earnest, hugging my jacket around herself. ‘You can’t be all that stupid. Passing the Hemden entrance exam is no joke, plus you have a full soccer schedule on top of the academic requirements. That’s pretty impressive. Give yourself some credit, Ethan.’
In the dark of the night, I feel like I’m glowing brighter than any of the lanterns around us. I wave off her compliment but store it away for safekeeping at the same time. But I don’t think she’d be thrilled to hear how I skipped the entrance exam, so I keep that to myself.
‘Eh, soccer is easy, I’ve been playing for as long as I’ve been able to kick a ball,’ I say instead, expertly kicking a stone off the path with the inside of my foot. ‘How come you didn’t go to Wofford like your brother?’
‘Too close to home. My folks wanted me to stay in state but I was hoping to put at least a little distance between me and Valley Springs. It didn’t quite work out that way until I came here.’
Carpenter House comes into view as she drops her arms down by her sides, the too-long sleeves of my jacket covering her hands in a way that is goddamn adorable.
Everything is perfect, the crisp night air, the autumn leaves, Mia by my side.
The only thing I would change is how long it takes to walk from Members to Carpenter. A few minutes isn’t nearly long enough.
‘How come I never saw you around at Marshall?’ I ask, shortening my stride to match hers, dragging out every possible second. ‘It’s not exactly a huge school, bigger than Hemden, sure, but I thought I knew everyone in our class.’
She fishes around in her purse, searching for the same key I have in my back pocket. ‘I was around. You just didn’t notice.’
‘Seems hard to believe.’
‘You moved into the room next to mine and it still took you how long to find out my name?’
‘Too long,’ I say lightly, finding her blue eyes for just a second. ‘I thought I’d be homesick by now but it hasn’t hit yet. How about you?’
‘Nuh-uh.’
‘There’s nothing you miss about home? Nothing at all?’
‘Nope. You?’
‘Not really,’ I tell her, surprising myself.
‘Dorms are good, classes are good, soccer is great, even the food is better than it was at Marshall. Life was always crazy hectic, I never slowed down long enough to worry about anything too much, always bouncing from one thing to the next, never going all in on anything. I like having time to myself, I love being off my phone, and it turns out I’m kind of good at psychology when I knuckle down and concentrate, which is as big a shock to me as anyone. ’
‘You don’t miss your friends?’ She looks up at me, and I know what she’s going to say before she says it. ‘Your girlfriend?’
‘I thought I would be lonely,’ I reply, not answering her directly. ‘I’m not. Turns out having people around you 24/7 doesn’t make you happier, only more distracted.’
When she huffs out a short laugh, I tilt my head to one side, a silent question.
‘It’s like we switched places,’ she explains, waving her key in the air. ‘At home, I had way more time to myself than I ever wanted. Now I have to figure out a way to balance my classes with my job and a social life. Maybe I should’ve come to you for advice.’
‘My advice would be don’t waste your time on that douche in the leather jacket.’
It’s said before I can stop myself, but Mia doesn’t respond. She stands frozen, her hand halfway to the door, key hanging in midair.
‘I’m joking,’ I splutter, forcing the words out. ‘Only, yeah, relationships won’t exactly solve your time-suck problem.’
‘Is that why you came to Hemden? Because you and Breanna broke up?’
This is my punishment. Any time I get close to feeling good about something, anything, the universe serves me an unwelcome reminder.
‘Yeah,’ I say, pulling away from her. ‘It is.’
Mia unlocks the front door and we climb the stairs in silence, considerably less comfortable than we were before.
Three flights have never felt further as I trudge behind her, watching one foot pass in front of the other.
Slipping quietly into our flat, we creep down the hallway to our rooms. I slip my key into the lock to open my door and watch her do the same.
‘Goodnight, Mia,’ I say before she can disappear. ‘And happy birthday.’
‘Ethan?’
When she says my name, she sounds a little awkward, like it’s a language she’s not fully confident in speaking. ‘There is one thing I miss.’
‘Yeah?’
She rests her head against the wall and nods.
‘Biscuits.’
Not what I was expecting.
‘Biscuits?’ I repeat. ‘As in flour and butter and buttermilk biscuits?’
‘Yeah,’ she says with a sigh. ‘Nothing fancy, just a homemade biscuit. I tried to explain them to Alice, and she bought me a scone, but it’s not the same at all. I didn’t even try with sausage gravy. I’d give anything for a run to the Hardee’s drive thru.’
‘So that’s your guilty pleasure,’ I say with reverence as though she’s confessed some mortal sin. ‘I’m with you on the junk food but you can keep Hardee’s. I’m a Waffle House man myself.’
‘Says someone who has never worked at a Waffle House. You put in six days a week over summer break then see how desperate you are. I never want to hear the words “smothered and covered” again as long as I live.’
‘Stop, you’re making me hungry,’ I warn, tongue lolling out of my mouth as I pretend to drool. ‘Hey, maybe your mom could send you some biscuits.’
She smiles like I’ve said something hilarious. ‘If I told my mom I was homesick for her cooking, she’d have me back on the first flight to Charlotte.’
There’s a long quiet moment as she opens her door, and my insides turn to liquid, every inhale filling me with the possibilities of every successive second.
‘Goodnight,’ she says, fumbling with her keys as she breaks away from my gaze. ‘Thanks for walking me home.’
‘Any time.’
I watch her close the door to her room, listening to the lock turn and catch, fully aware she’s still wearing my jacket.
It’s not like I need it right now and even if I did, I’d rather freeze to death than ask for it back.
No, the thought of Mia standing in her room, my jacket around her shoulders as she takes off her shoes, checks her phone, does whatever else it is a girl does when she gets back to her room after a long day, that’s enough to send me to bed happy.
I looked out for her at the bar, I walked her home, I gave her my jacket.
I got to take care of someone today. I got to take care of Mia.
And it feels so good.