Falling for Bentley (Part One) by Shawnte Borris Page B

up before taking a swig of his beer.
    “Yeah,” I mumbled, remembering her drinking my water.
    “What’s the plan for tonight?” inquired Curtis.
    “I have to do some laundry and I was thinking of hitting up the grocery store.”
    “Cool. I’ll come with you.”
    “What, no plans with Loran tonight?”
    “Nah, I thought it’d be better if I let her get some sleep tonight .”
    “Looks like you could use some, too, with those bags under your eyes,” I mocked.
    Curtis stood up and slapped his chest a few times, “This bull is good to go, all the time.”
    I went to my room to grab my t-shirt, wallet and keys. I walked past the bathroom, “Dude, are you pissing with the door open?”
    “Looks like it, doesn’t it.”
    “I don’t need to hear you take a piss.”
    “I didn’t realize I let my mother stay with me,” chimed Curtis as he flushed the toilet and washed his hands.
    While I was putting on my shoes I asked, “You do realize when you move in with Loran, you won’t be able to do that, right?”
    “Man, I’m going to rule the house. I’m even gonna make her hold it while I take a piss.”
    “You’re an idiot,” we both laughed as we walked out the door.
    “Welcome to the Piggly Wiggly,” said David, an autistic man the school usually has as their water boy during the football season.
    “Hey, David,” Curtis and I replied with smiles.
    “Ready for the football season, Bentley?” David asked excitedly.
    “You bet, buddy. Gonna be my water boy this year?”
    “Yes, I am!” he shouted.
    “Glad to hear it, man,” I said placing my hand on his shoulder.
    “Bentley, can I get a team jacket this year?”
    “I don’t see why not. Just get me your size, and I’ll make sure you get one. Would you like a jersey, too?”
    “Yes!” David yelled.
    I laughed, “All right, catch you later, dude.”
    I was placing more fruits and vegetables into the cart when Curtis came back with bags of chips, “What the hell, dude? The cart looks like a chick’s.”
    “I need these things in my smoothies in the mornings.”
    “No, what you need is some pussy juice in your smoothies,” Curtis ranted as he threw the chips into the cart. “I gotta go grab some bread and lunch meat.”
    “I’m going to go grab some milk.”
    Curtis hollered back to me, “Get some real milk, none of that skim milk shit.”
    I rounded the corner of the milk aisle and saw David talking to Haley.
    “I’m David,” he stuck out his hand.
    “Hi David, my name is Haley,” she delicately placed her hand in his.
    “You are very pretty, Haley.”
    She laughed and placed her hand on her chest, “Thank you.”
    I grinned, thinking how nice she was being to him.
    “David, I was wondering if you could help me?” Haley asked pleasantly.
    “I can help with anything,” David said excitedly.
    “I’m making hot chocolate and I was wondering what is the best milk?”
    “My mama always uses the pink lid milk,” he said proudly.
    “Two percent sounds good to me.” She smiled while grabbing a half-gallon of the pink lid milk.
    “You’re welcome, and thank you for shopping at the Piggly Wiggly,” David said before literally running the other way. Haley laughed as she watched him.
    I pushed my cart beside her, “Fancy meeting you here.”
    “Bentley, hey.”
    “What are you doing here?”
    “Grams is out of some stuff to make hot chocolate and s’mores.”
    “Hot date?” I asked, more for my benefit to see if she was dating anyone.
    “Nope, just the fireplace and a good book calling my name,” she answered.
    “So not dating anyone?”
    “Bentley, are you fishing?”
    “Me? No. I just might know of someone to set you up with, that’s all.”
    She hugged her bag of marshmallows tighter, “I’m not interested, but thank you.” Haley had a funny look in her eyes, I reached out for her arm, but she quickly sidestepped me and said, “I better be going. Have a good night, Bentley.”
    I looked at her, puzzled,