“Are you saying
I smell like an onion?”
We got to the car and I let him open the
door, standing back and folding my arms.
Damn, it was fun screwing with him. He was
about to open it but pulled his arm back at
the last second and walked around to his
side of the car. I wrenched it open, got in
and fastened my seat belt.
“No, I mean that you’re one of those
girls with layers. You know, you’re more
than just a pretty face. Plus, you don’t have
to scrape through a layer of makeup to get
there.” While it was true that I didn’t wear a
lot of makeup, I used to, back when I wore
skirts more often than pants and had to
look good for any photo opportunity. I used
to get up early every single day and
straighten my hair and line my eyes just so.
I had the cat eye thing down to a
science. I honestly didn’t know where my
eyeliner was. I definitely hadn’t seen it in
months. Renee had probably stolen it.
“Is that a nice and slightly weird way of
saying I look like crap?”
“Jesus, do you take everything
negatively? Man, kick a guy for trying.” He
shook his head and started making drum
noises. “Your turn.”
“I’m not telling you my life story, Dusty.”
“I’m not asking for your life story.
Just…give me something.”
“Why? What do you want from me?”
He shook his head, a different kind of
smile on his face.
It was almost shy. If anything about him
could ever be considered shy.
“Nothing, Red. Absolutely nothing.”
And by the time I could think of
something to say, we were back.
“I know you didn’t forget your phone,
you liar. Is something burning?” I pretended
to sniff the air as we walked up the front
steps. “I think your pants are on fire, dude.”
“Ha-ha, you’re so funny.” He reached
out and rang the doorbell. I raised my
eyebrow. I would have just walked in.
The bell dinged and then donged and
Dusty made the exact same sound with his
mouth. Somehow. The door opened, and
Hunter gave both of us a look before
holding the door open to let me in.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said to Dusty, but
it sounded like a question. He tapped two
fingers to his forehead and then flicked
them upward in a little salute/wave. Yeah,
okay.
“’Bye.”
Hunter was still looking at Dusty. Hmm. I
was distracted from watching the two of
them by a retching sound coming from the
upstairs bathroom and then Mase yelling
that he needed a hand. There was a sound
like a herd of stampeding models as Renee
and Taylor clacked their way up the stairs to
take care of their fallen comrade.
“Jos, can you bring me up a glass of
water?” Renee said over her shoulder as
the puking sounds got louder. Lovely.
“Yeah, I’ll get right on it,” I said, giving
her a thumbs-up and walking toward the
kitchen. I set the glass in the sink, turning
the water on, and tiptoed back to where I
could hear Hunter and Dusty, but they
couldn’t see me.
“So, I’ll see you at Steiner’s tomorrow?”
Hunter said.
“Yeah. I might be late, but I let Kent
know.” Dusty walked into the living room,
and I could hear him rustling about “looking
for his phone.”
“Found it. See you tomorrow, man.
Thanks for inviting me.”
“Thanks for coming.” I heard them
slapping hands or fist bumping or
performing some type of guy-bonding ritual
and then the door closed and I realized the
glass of water was overflowing. I went back
to the sink and turned it off.
Bromance indeed.
My alarm shattered the calm of sleep
the next morning so completely that I woke
up cursing. Stupid fucking school. I rolled
out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. I
was just taking care of business when a fist
slammed on the door and Renee’s voice
penetrated my morning fog.
“You’d better not be late your first day.”
“Thanks, Mom, but it would be nice if I
could pee without being interrupted.”
“Just get your ass upstairs in ten
minutes, or I’m coming back
I smell like an onion?”
We got to the car and I let him open the
door, standing back and folding my arms.
Damn, it was fun screwing with him. He was
about to open it but pulled his arm back at
the last second and walked around to his
side of the car. I wrenched it open, got in
and fastened my seat belt.
“No, I mean that you’re one of those
girls with layers. You know, you’re more
than just a pretty face. Plus, you don’t have
to scrape through a layer of makeup to get
there.” While it was true that I didn’t wear a
lot of makeup, I used to, back when I wore
skirts more often than pants and had to
look good for any photo opportunity. I used
to get up early every single day and
straighten my hair and line my eyes just so.
I had the cat eye thing down to a
science. I honestly didn’t know where my
eyeliner was. I definitely hadn’t seen it in
months. Renee had probably stolen it.
“Is that a nice and slightly weird way of
saying I look like crap?”
“Jesus, do you take everything
negatively? Man, kick a guy for trying.” He
shook his head and started making drum
noises. “Your turn.”
“I’m not telling you my life story, Dusty.”
“I’m not asking for your life story.
Just…give me something.”
“Why? What do you want from me?”
He shook his head, a different kind of
smile on his face.
It was almost shy. If anything about him
could ever be considered shy.
“Nothing, Red. Absolutely nothing.”
And by the time I could think of
something to say, we were back.
“I know you didn’t forget your phone,
you liar. Is something burning?” I pretended
to sniff the air as we walked up the front
steps. “I think your pants are on fire, dude.”
“Ha-ha, you’re so funny.” He reached
out and rang the doorbell. I raised my
eyebrow. I would have just walked in.
The bell dinged and then donged and
Dusty made the exact same sound with his
mouth. Somehow. The door opened, and
Hunter gave both of us a look before
holding the door open to let me in.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said to Dusty, but
it sounded like a question. He tapped two
fingers to his forehead and then flicked
them upward in a little salute/wave. Yeah,
okay.
“’Bye.”
Hunter was still looking at Dusty. Hmm. I
was distracted from watching the two of
them by a retching sound coming from the
upstairs bathroom and then Mase yelling
that he needed a hand. There was a sound
like a herd of stampeding models as Renee
and Taylor clacked their way up the stairs to
take care of their fallen comrade.
“Jos, can you bring me up a glass of
water?” Renee said over her shoulder as
the puking sounds got louder. Lovely.
“Yeah, I’ll get right on it,” I said, giving
her a thumbs-up and walking toward the
kitchen. I set the glass in the sink, turning
the water on, and tiptoed back to where I
could hear Hunter and Dusty, but they
couldn’t see me.
“So, I’ll see you at Steiner’s tomorrow?”
Hunter said.
“Yeah. I might be late, but I let Kent
know.” Dusty walked into the living room,
and I could hear him rustling about “looking
for his phone.”
“Found it. See you tomorrow, man.
Thanks for inviting me.”
“Thanks for coming.” I heard them
slapping hands or fist bumping or
performing some type of guy-bonding ritual
and then the door closed and I realized the
glass of water was overflowing. I went back
to the sink and turned it off.
Bromance indeed.
My alarm shattered the calm of sleep
the next morning so completely that I woke
up cursing. Stupid fucking school. I rolled
out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. I
was just taking care of business when a fist
slammed on the door and Renee’s voice
penetrated my morning fog.
“You’d better not be late your first day.”
“Thanks, Mom, but it would be nice if I
could pee without being interrupted.”
“Just get your ass upstairs in ten
minutes, or I’m coming back
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