K. Robinson: Twisted Ties

“If you want to flirt, go ahead. You need to remove your arm from my shoulders though before someone thinks you’re my boyfriend. I don’t want people to assume I’m the idiot girlfriend who stands around while her boyfriend eye-fucks the girls around them.”

He laughed. “You worry too much. I won’t eye-fuck anyone.”

“You can eye-fuck all you want. Just don’t act like my brother or boyfriend while you do it.”

“Maybe I want to pretend I’m your boyfriend.” He bent down and gave me a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

“You’re an ass,” I growled as I wiped his kiss away.

“I know.”

He finally dropped his arm from around my shoulders once we made it to the third floor. I wasn’t sure if it was because he really was looking for someone to hook up with or because we had to walk single file down the hallway since girls were everywhere, trying to carry boxes. Either way, I was glad.

Once Andy and I had started hanging out a lot back in California, we’d had to fight off the rumors within his circle of friends. Everyone had assumed that we were a couple since we were together all the time, but we’d finally managed to convince them that it wasn’t true. Andy and I’d talked about whether or not there was anything between us, and we’d both agreed that there wasn’t.

We were nothing more than friends, and I was relieved. I wasn’t over Jesse, and I wasn’t sure that I ever would be. Andy kept up with his man-whore ways, and I moped by myself, wishing daily that Jesse would come back.

“Hey, I think this is your room,” Andy said from behind me.

I turned back to see that he was right. I’d been so preoccupied that I hadn’t even realized that I’d passed right by my room. I unlocked my door and threw it open. It was ten times smaller than the room I’d had at my mom’s house, but I loved it anyway. My dad had called the school and arranged for me to have a private room since I was his daughter, so I knew my room was smaller than most since it only slept one.

A small closet was only a few feet away from the main door. A desk was against the far wall, next to the one and only window. I could see from here that the window’s view was of the parking lot out front. A twin-sized bed sat on the opposite side of the room, and another door was in front of the bed. I walked over and opened it to see that I had my own bathroom. It was small, but it was more than I’d expected. Now, I wouldn’t have to fight with every other girl on the floor to shower daily.

“What do you think?” Andy asked as he sat down on my bed.

“I love it,” I said as I smiled.

“Really? It’s kind of tiny. I’ve seen your room at your dad’s house, and this is the size of your closet there.”

“I don’t care. It’s mine, and my mother has no say here. I love it.”

“You’re so weird,” Andy said as he spotted a stack of boxes beside the desk. “At least your stuff made it here safe and sound.”

“Yeah, it would have sucked if they had lost my crap.”

“You want to get unpacked before you take me to my place?”

“Nah, I can do that later. I need to make a quick stop before we go to your place though.”

“Okay…”

He eyed me suspiciously, but I ignored him. He was going to kill me when he realized what I’d done.

I locked up and led the way back downstairs. I had to hug the wall more than once as girls passed by me with their arms full of boxes. Once we made it outside, I walked to my car and unlocked it. I double-checked my directions as I waited for Andy to get into the car.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“You’ll see.”

“Emma…”

“Don’t use that tone with me. You’ll see soon enough.”

I drove through the congested traffic as I searched for the street signs I needed. Once we were off the main drag, the traffic thinned, and it was easier to watch for my destination. I spotted it and quickly pulled into the driveway of a two-story brick house.

“What are we doing here?” Andy asked.

“I have to pick up something.”

“What?” He spotted a car in the yard with a For Sale sign on it. “Emma, you didn’t.”

“Shut up.” I stepped out and started walking toward the house just as the front door opened.

“Can I help you?” an older lady asked.

“Hi, I’m Emma. We spoke on the phone about the car you had for sale online.”

“Of course. Let me grab the keys, and I’ll be right out.”

I walked across the yard to where the car was sitting. It wasn’t the nicest thing out there, but as long as it ran, I’d take it. I knew asking my dad for money to get Andy a car would be too much, so I’d saved some of my monthly allowance from my dad until I had enough to get him something decent. He only planned to stick around for a few months, but he still needed something to drive while he was here.

“I’m going to kill you,” Andy whispered in my ear.

I jumped, not realizing that he’d followed me. “You need something to drive.”

“I’ll take the bus.”

“You’ll take your car,” I countered.

“Here are the keys if you want to start it up,” the elderly woman said from behind Andy.

I turned and took them from her hand before walking over to the car. After unlocking the door, I started the car, and I was relieved when it took right off.

“Can we take it for a drive?” I asked.

The lady seemed unsure. “If you do, I’d like to go with you. It’s nothing personal. I just don’t want it to disappear.”

“Of course!” I said.

I got out and then sat in the backseat. Andy and the lady sat down in the front. I knew nothing about cars, so I figured it would be better if Andy did the test-drive. Andy put it in drive and pulled onto the street. We circled the block a few times before he parked it back in her yard.

“It seems to be in good shape. How much are you asking?” he asked.

“I wanted three for it. It was my husband’s car, and he recently passed away. I hate to sell it, but I need the money.”

“We’ll take it,” I said before Andy could say anything. I pulled my wallet from my purse, counted out thirty-five hundred dollars, and handed the cash to the lady.

She looked confused when she finished counting it herself. “Sweetie, you overpaid me. I only wanted three.”

“And I think it’s worth thirty-five,” I said calmly.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she hugged me. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this helps me. I’ve barely been able to afford food since my husband died.”

“You’re welcome,” I said as I hugged her back.

It was so unfair how some people struggled day after day while others rolled around in millions of dollars. I knew it wasn’t my money to give, but I didn’t care. My dad wouldn’t miss a few thousand, and this lady needed it more than we did.

We finished up with the paperwork, and the lady walked back inside her house.

“That was nice of you,” Andy said.

“She needed it, and I wanted to help her,” I said as I walked to my car.

“You’re a good person, Emma. I hope you know that.”

I didn’t answer as I got into my car before heading in the direction of Andy’s apartment. After what I’d done to Jesse, I didn’t feel like a good person.

Jesse was on my mind as I drove to Andy’s place. I wondered how different he would be since the last time I’d seen him. Two years was a long time, and people could change a lot in that amount of time. I knew I had. What if I find him, and he’s completely different? What if he isn’t someone I could love anymore? I wasn’t sure how well I would handle finding him, only to lose him again.