Chapter 12 #3
Cruz watched as Clay got his things together and started toward the door without a word.
“Meeting up for lunch?” Cruz called out from where he sat at the small table in the apartment they shared.
Clay looked back at him. “Sure, we can do that. Where?”
“Chinese buffet in the student union?” Cruz asked.
“Sure. About 1:00?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Yeah, me, too,” Clay said, opening the front door to walk out of it.
“You still haven’t heard from her?” Cruz asked.
Clay stopped and shook his head.
“She’ll call when she sees the message, or maybe just email. But worst case, just call her yourself. Maybe she still hasn’t seen your email. It’s not usual for you to email her.”
“I texted, too.”
“Call her, Clay. At least you’ll know why she hasn’t responded. I mean, it wasn’t abnormal for any of us to go an entire semester or more without speaking. She’s probably not expecting it.”
Clay kind of shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Call her, and let me know what happens when I see you at lunch.”
Clay left, closing the door behind himself.
Cruz shook his head as he took another huge bite of his Frosted Flakes cereal.
“There is no way he sees her as just a friend.” His phone rang and he looked questioningly at it.
Nobody ever called him this early in the morning.
He pulled his phone closer then spilled his cereal by dropping his spoon into the overly milk filled bowl when he saw Julia’s name on his screen. “Hello!” he exclaimed into the phone.
“Cruz? Hi, it’s Julia.”
“Hey, good morning. You’re up and at ‘em early,” Cruz said.
“I am, yeah. I was just thinking about you and how much fun we had at the movie, and I wanted to call and say thank you again.”
“You’re welcome. We had a good time,” he said, smiling like a little kid as he sat there alone in the apartment marveling at the fact that she’d called him.
Their conversation slowed a bit, leaving her grasping for something to say. “So, do you have a busy day planned?” she finally asked.
“Yeah, every day. I tend to overload myself with classes so I can graduate more quickly than anticipated. So, that means a lot of classwork and homework. Can’t afford to miss a lecture.”
“Sounds intense. I understand sticking to your goals, though. Not a lot of people our age can stick with commitments that are that intense. Most aren’t already aiming for politics. I’m really impressed that you are.”
“I’m lucky enough to have known what I wanted to do for a long time,” Cruz said.
“I remember you always being so focused in school. I was envious.”
“Focus is easy if you just find what matters to you,” he said. “So, what are your plans for the day?”
“Oh, you know… pulling a split shift at the store, and working at the restaurant between store shifts. Try to make a little extra money this week.”
“Richie says you’re one of the best employees he’s got. That’s praise not easily won from him.”
“Thanks for saying so. I always try to do my best.”
“It shows.”
There was another lull in their conversation.
“Well, I guess I’ll let you go. I just wanted to be sure you knew how much I enjoyed spending time with you this past weekend.”
“I enjoyed it, too. I hope you have a good day. Tell Richie not to work you too hard,” Cruz said.
Julia laughed lightly. “Noooo, not me. I’m not even going to think that in his direction.”
They both laughed.
“I’ll talk to you later, Julia. Take care,” Cruz said.
“I will. You, too,” she said, then ended the call.
Sitting in her apartment, she looked longingly at the phone in her hand before she sighed and slid it across the coffee table before she got up to take her coffee cup into the kitchen.
Maybe she’d misread Cruz. He didn’t seem too excited to hear from her, and now she felt like a fool taking the chance to call him while he was away at school.
Cruz sat at his kitchen table and looked at the phone in his hand. He thought about their conversation for only a few seconds before he called her back.
Julia looked over at her phone, ringing and vibrating on the table. She rushed over to it, and picked it up, swiping the screen to be able to answer the call. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me,” Cruz said.
“Hey,” she said hesitantly, since she still felt a little exposed from making that call and not getting the response she’d hoped for.
“After we hung up I felt like we missed something, and I had to call back.”
“What did we miss?” she asked, pretending everything was fine with her.
“You reached out. I was happy to hear from you, but neither of us said so.”
“I guess I just don’t know for sure where I stand with you.
I mean, are we just friends? Because if so, that’s okay.
But are you looking for more? That’s okay, too.
I’m just not really sure how to approach you, or not.
Is it okay for me to call when I miss you?
Is it not? I just… I feel like I probably should have just left it alone and not worried about it until you did. ”
“I’m glad that you called. You shouldn’t regret it, if that’s what you’re feeling. It’s all a little complicated otherwise, for me, not you. Or maybe it is for you, too.”
“Help me understand why it’s complicated.”
He grinned to himself, liking that she asked to understand rather than taking offense to him saying it was complicated.
“I like you, always have. I had the best time I’ve had in a long time when we went out.
You put me at ease and that means something.
But I’m not home very often, and when I am, I’m always studying or doing some kind of research.
I don’t really have a lot of free time. I can’t get distracted if I don’t want to lose momentum, you know?
But I don’t want to pretend you’re not out there, either. So… complicated.”
Julia did a little happy dance in her living room at his confession of liking her, but didn’t reply.
“It’s not fair to keep you out there blowing in the wind for when I might come home or might be available, but you should know that I think about you. I find myself missing you.”
“Then it’s enough,” she said.
“Missing you?” he asked.
“Yes. I feel the same way, minus the being so busy that I don’t have free time.
Well, that’s not completely true. I don’t have a lot of free time but that’s because I work all the time, it’s not like you trying to make a difference in the world, I’m just paying the bills.
But I like knowing that you think of me, too. ”
“If you don’t mind weird hours, whenever I have a few minutes maybe I can call you sometime,” Cruz said.
“Well, we both seem to have early mornings free,” Julia said.
“Breakfast tomorrow?” he asked.
“I’ll be ready with my coffee and toast.”
“And I’ll be ready with my Frosted Flakes.”
“Frosted Flakes?” she asked with a chuckle.
“I confess. I’m addicted to sugary kids’ cereals. This week it’s Frosted Flakes.”
“Remember Sugar Pops? I love those things!”
“Yes! They call them Corn Pops now, still so good.”
“I’ll pick some up so we can have cereal together the next time you get some time.”
“It’s a plan. Looking forward to it.”
“Me, too. Have a good day, Cruz. And thank you.”
“For?”
“Taking the time to look my way even when you don’t have time to look my way.”
Cruz laughed. “I don’t think I’d be very happy if I looked away. Take care of you, Julia. Talk to you soon.”
~~~
Clay was halfway across campus when his phone started ringing. He dug it out of his pocket as he continued walking to his first class. “Hello?” he asked hopefully.
“Mr. Vega?”
“This is he,” Clay said.
“This is Oliver Gant. I own Hephaestus. I was told you’re interested in buying him.”
Clay stopped walking to better concentrate on the call. “Yes, sir. That’s right. How much do you want for him?”
The man laughed. “You haven’t asked what condition he’s in, if he can be ridden, or any other pertinent questions.”
“As long as he’s alive and can withstand the trip without worsening any condition he’s in, that’s all I’m concerned about.”
“What are you going to use him for?”
“He’s to be an engagement gift for my girlfriend. She fell in love with him when she was a young kid, and still talks about him. He’ll live out his life pampered and doing pretty much whatever he wants.”
“Where are you located?”
“Eventually, Bigsby Equine Center in Missouri. I’m not home at the moment, but will be more than happy to transfer the funds to you. And I’ll send extra if you can deliver him on a date yet to be determined.”
“We talking a week or a month?”
“We’re talking about two weeks. I won’t be home for another week, and then a few days more to get everything ready.”
“I can do that. He’s healthy. Older of course, but still very healthy for his age.”
“Can I text you my email address for an invoice? Just send me an invoice with your selling price and I’ll pay you today.”
“You don’t want to haggle his price?”
“No, sir. She loves him and I want to make sure that he belongs to her.”
“Send me your email address and I’ll send you an invoice, including delivery, and then we’ll make arrangements for a definite day.”
“Be sure your bank account is on the invoice, too so I can transfer the funds.”
“Will do. Pleasure doing business with you. Glad Hephaestus will have a soft place to land.”
“Same. Thank you, Sir.”
Clay ended the call at the same time the alarm on his watch went off, letting him know he had two minutes to get to class.
He tucked his phone away and started jogging. He’d have to wait until later to call Harper.