night.” I return her wink and she thumps me on the head.
“Asshole,” Lettie grumbles.
“How are you?” I ask her, noticing her limp. She’s tough as hell, but I see her body betraying her. That’s how I ended up helping her. Came over to pay my rent and heard her cursing inside. She’d fallen and fought me like hell when I offered to help her. I did it anyway and since she wouldn’t let me take her to the hospital, I sat with her for three hours and she offered me a job.
“My hip hurts like hell. I’m old. How do you think I am?” She almost trips and I reach out to grab her. She tries to shake me off, but I don’t let go and walk her back to her favorite chair. “What are you doing here? If you’re not going to be on time, what’s the point in coming?”
“Checking on you before I go take care of some shit.”
“I’m good. Don’t need your help today.”
At the same time her little yappy dog comes out barking at me. “Want me to walk him?”
“No.”
“Okay,” I tell her, but I grab the leash anyway. She grumbles the whole time I hook the dog up, but I know she wants me to do it. I still hear her cursing at me when I go out the door. It doesn’t take me long to take care of the dog and then I’m bringing him back and he stalks off the same way Lettie did. She has her arms crossed and won’t look at me.
“Thanks,” she mumbles. I nod, even though she won’t see, and leave.
* * *
Sitting in my car outside of Lettie’s house, I tell myself not to go. I should head home and wait for people to come over and keep living the life I have been, but I can’t.
Instead I turn the key in the ignition and head in the opposite direction. It’s not like I have a choice. The girl tried to stop my bleeding last night. The least I can do for her is make it so she’s not driving around with my shit in her trunk all day. Or doesn’t have my phone going off and driving her crazy.
Luckily, I have my notebook and
The Count
just in case Colt and his girl aren’t home. It would probably be better if they weren’t; that way I wouldn’t have to try and explain why I’m waiting around to try and find which apartment Delaney lives in.
It doesn’t take me too long to get there. Casper’s car’s parked out front and I wonder if she wakes up with the ghosts still in her eyes. If they always live there or if a new day gives her any reprieve.
My fist slams down on Colt and Cheyenne’s door. “Open up!” It’s crazy how easy it is to be someone else. How easily that mask slips into place without even trying.
Grumbling comes from inside before Colt jerks the door open. His hair’s all messed up and Cheyenne’s lying in the bed, dressed but looking just as worn out as Colt.
Guilt burrows around inside me, finding another place in my insides to make a home. I feel like shit for interrupting them, for slicing through their limited time together and pulling them apart.
I tap the side of my forehead. “What’s the point in knowing shit if you can’t have a little fun with it?”
Cheyenne laughs and sits up. Colt doesn’t look quite as amused but steps aside and lets me in.
“What’s up, man?” I ask.
“Really want me to answer that?” Colt scratches his neck and sits next to Cheyenne on the bed.
“Oh my God. Guys are so gross.”
“No. We’re honest.” I smile before walking to the window. It’s got a bench seat in it and faces toward the parking lot where Casper’s car is.
Cheyenne’s eyes get big when she sees the wrap on my hand. “What happened?”
Colt looks at it, too, before his eyes find me. It’s different than the look his girl gives me. She’s all concern and with Colt I see the worry, rimmed with a dull, sad blue. It’s crazy the things people see if they take the time to look. If they don’t only go skin-deep and try to find their way below the surface. In a lot of ways, Colt’s a prick. People will look at him and that’s all they see.
They don’t know
“Asshole,” Lettie grumbles.
“How are you?” I ask her, noticing her limp. She’s tough as hell, but I see her body betraying her. That’s how I ended up helping her. Came over to pay my rent and heard her cursing inside. She’d fallen and fought me like hell when I offered to help her. I did it anyway and since she wouldn’t let me take her to the hospital, I sat with her for three hours and she offered me a job.
“My hip hurts like hell. I’m old. How do you think I am?” She almost trips and I reach out to grab her. She tries to shake me off, but I don’t let go and walk her back to her favorite chair. “What are you doing here? If you’re not going to be on time, what’s the point in coming?”
“Checking on you before I go take care of some shit.”
“I’m good. Don’t need your help today.”
At the same time her little yappy dog comes out barking at me. “Want me to walk him?”
“No.”
“Okay,” I tell her, but I grab the leash anyway. She grumbles the whole time I hook the dog up, but I know she wants me to do it. I still hear her cursing at me when I go out the door. It doesn’t take me long to take care of the dog and then I’m bringing him back and he stalks off the same way Lettie did. She has her arms crossed and won’t look at me.
“Thanks,” she mumbles. I nod, even though she won’t see, and leave.
* * *
Sitting in my car outside of Lettie’s house, I tell myself not to go. I should head home and wait for people to come over and keep living the life I have been, but I can’t.
Instead I turn the key in the ignition and head in the opposite direction. It’s not like I have a choice. The girl tried to stop my bleeding last night. The least I can do for her is make it so she’s not driving around with my shit in her trunk all day. Or doesn’t have my phone going off and driving her crazy.
Luckily, I have my notebook and
The Count
just in case Colt and his girl aren’t home. It would probably be better if they weren’t; that way I wouldn’t have to try and explain why I’m waiting around to try and find which apartment Delaney lives in.
It doesn’t take me too long to get there. Casper’s car’s parked out front and I wonder if she wakes up with the ghosts still in her eyes. If they always live there or if a new day gives her any reprieve.
My fist slams down on Colt and Cheyenne’s door. “Open up!” It’s crazy how easy it is to be someone else. How easily that mask slips into place without even trying.
Grumbling comes from inside before Colt jerks the door open. His hair’s all messed up and Cheyenne’s lying in the bed, dressed but looking just as worn out as Colt.
Guilt burrows around inside me, finding another place in my insides to make a home. I feel like shit for interrupting them, for slicing through their limited time together and pulling them apart.
I tap the side of my forehead. “What’s the point in knowing shit if you can’t have a little fun with it?”
Cheyenne laughs and sits up. Colt doesn’t look quite as amused but steps aside and lets me in.
“What’s up, man?” I ask.
“Really want me to answer that?” Colt scratches his neck and sits next to Cheyenne on the bed.
“Oh my God. Guys are so gross.”
“No. We’re honest.” I smile before walking to the window. It’s got a bench seat in it and faces toward the parking lot where Casper’s car is.
Cheyenne’s eyes get big when she sees the wrap on my hand. “What happened?”
Colt looks at it, too, before his eyes find me. It’s different than the look his girl gives me. She’s all concern and with Colt I see the worry, rimmed with a dull, sad blue. It’s crazy the things people see if they take the time to look. If they don’t only go skin-deep and try to find their way below the surface. In a lot of ways, Colt’s a prick. People will look at him and that’s all they see.
They don’t know
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