Change of Heart - By S.E. Edwards Page 0,4
get it, do you? That’s it. We’ve been evicted. They’ve changed the locks.” Now, I definitely feel like crying. “Abby, what the hell were you thinking?”
“Come on Penn, it’s not that bad.”
“Not that bad?” I spit at her. “I have nowhere to go! Where am I going to sleep tonight?”
She shrugs. “Don’t worry about it. You’re smart. You can figure it out.” Without warning she grins. “You seem tense. You know what can help loosen you up? Really take the edge off?” She starts to reach for the plastic bag that she’d stuffed into her purse. I cut her off.
“Don’t you dare,” I warn her.
Abby makes a face at me. “Come on, have some fun. We’re in college, for crying out loud!”
“No, I’m in college,” I say, “or, at least, I’m trying to be. You’re just floating around, hopping in and out of whatever night class piques your interest. We were supposed to get away from shit like this when we moved from California!”
“That’s not very fair,” she pouts.
“Fair?” I repeat, exasperated. “You want to talk to me about fair? How is it fair that the roommate I trusted with my rent money ends up spending it on MDMA and booze? How is it fair that I have nowhere to sleep tonight because of your stupidity?”
Abby exhales. “Penn, you can be such a downer sometimes.”
“No, it’s called facing reality, Abby! It’s called living in the real world, with real consequences. You think this problem will just go away with a few pills and a drink?” I snort at her in contempt. “And what happens tomorrow, pray tell? What happens when you wake up hung over next to some guy you don’t even know, and he tells you to get the hell out of his apartment? Huh? Tell me that, Abby. Tell me where you’re going to go.” I’m livid now, but I can’t help it. “Look me in the eye and tell me that you truly believe that guy you had buzzing around you earlier looks like the type who’ll take care of you in the morning. Because I seriously doubt it.”
Abby’s face breaks during my tirade. Her eyes glisten with tears. “You don’t have to be so mean,” she whimpers.
I shake my head in disgust. I don’t care if I’m being harsh. She needs to hear the truth. “I’m leaving, Abby. I hope to God you figure something out, because there’s no one left to bail you out of this mess.” Or me, I think sourly.
“Wait, wait! Hold on! I have an idea!” Abby says, latching onto my wrist as I get up to leave. “You know our landlord, right? He’s cute, isn’t he? I’ve always thought he had a thing for you.”
I rip my arm out of her grip. “You’d have me resort to prostitution?”
“A… mutually beneficial agreement!” she defends.
“He’s at least fifty!” I sputter.
“Older men are more experienced.”
I shake my head at her. “Screw you, Abby. Seriously, screw you.”
Chapter Two
The bad feelings are quickly flowing away as I take a sip of my Manhattan. I laugh at another one of Richard’s jokes.
“You’re cute when you do that.”
“Do what?” I ask.
“The way you wrinkle your nose when you laugh. It makes you look kind of adorable.”
“Adorable?” I repeat, my amusement growing.
“Sure. It’s an endearing look.”
I’m leaning back against the wall. Richards’s arms are on either side of me. We’ve moved away from the crowded bar to a quieter spot. I can feel the heat of his body near mine. I’ve taken off the stifling sweater and am just wearing the black tank top I had underneath. My shoulders are bare.
“So, anonymous girl, are you really from Jersey?” Richard asks.
I cock my head to the side and grin. “What do you think?”
“I think not. But I also think you’re trying to be too obtuse for your own good. As it stands, I still don’t know your name, and we’ve been flirting for at least fifteen minutes.”
“Flirting? Is that what you call this?”
“Of course. Don’t you agree?”
“Maybe.” I bring the glass to my lips to hide my smile. “But you caught me in a pretty bad mood at first.”
“Rough night?”
I shake my head. “Don’t even get me started.”
“Let me guess. Best friend issues?”
“Close,” I reply, surprised. “Roommate issues.”
“Ah. Those are the worst. You live together, so it’s not like you can just get away.”
“I don’t even know about that anymore,” I mutter.
“Well, there is one way to make things better.”
“Oh?” I glance up at him, and realize he’s looking deep