drink and smoke and fuck around. I do that shit for free with a very select few when the weather’s nice at Crystal Lake.” She looks at me as an O forms on her lips. “That’s not for public knowledge. I mean, not even Chloe knows.”
“Secret’s safe with me, Savvy. Trust that.”
“Good, because that’s my place of peace.”
“Understood.”
“Anyway, they hire people around the area and even pay off the cops and shit so they can shit on people’s self-esteem, if they let them.”
“See what I mean, Savvy? Those are the turds of society. They’re the ones who get off on oppression.”
“I won’t disagree, but they’re also shelling out enough money to people who don’t have enough to make ends meet … unless these things went on. Tell them they aren’t worth knowing.”
“How about you tell them? I know damn well you’d love them and they’d love you.”
“Slow your roll, little dude, I just agreed to having my first friend in you, since I came here.”
“So, you’re an elitist, too, in a way?” I joke.
“No, I’m not that deep. I just hate bullshit and drama. Life’s too short for that.” She yawns.
“Tired?”
“Exhausted.”
“Slide in under the covers. I’m going to turn on the TV.”
“Ugh …” she groans as she pushes the duvet back and slides in.
“Don’t judge it as mindless. It’s thought provoking, and I think you’ll love it if you just give it a try.” I get up, walk over, and grab the remote off the fireplace mantel.
“Just tell me what it’s called,” she grumbles as she removes two of the three pillows, leaving her with just one for her head to lay on.
“The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“If you’re putting on porn—”
I laugh. “It’s not porn.”
One episode in, and she’s hooked.
“See? Men suck.” She has pointed at the TV more than once, saying that same phrase.
She looks over at me and sits up. “Your neck’s going to hurt tomorrow if you keep it in that position.”
“Nah, it’ll be fine.”
“Just, I guess, come over, but stay above the covers.”
“Seriously, Savvy, I’m okay.”
“Well, you’re making me uncomfortable watching you.”
“More uncomfortable than you’ll be if I’m in that bed with you, you know, because men suck?”
“Shut up and just come on. It’s your bed.”
Chapter 14
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. …
It shouldn't be that women are the exception.”
~Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Savvy
I wake up feeling as though I am sleeping on a cloud, surrounded by the most heavenly scent—fresh rain in the forest, mixed with soap. Well, I mean, if heaven exists.
I open one eye slowly to see if he’s next to me. He’s not. I open the other and roll to my back, looking up at a ceiling higher than any I have slept under. I’m alone in a room, a dark room lit only by the fireplace that is gently roaring, a room for a king, or queen, or whatever. We’ll say gender neutral and call it a day.
I watched him fall asleep. Seeing that was better than any of those videos he posted. I will admit, I understand how the addiction to social media can be caused. I will never admit that I watched in silence during my excommunication, due to Chloe being an idiot, over and over, and sometimes over again.
When I look a bit closer at the window, I realize black blinds of some sort are covering the view of the ocean that I saw between episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale. Both the view and the show, amazing, obviously for different reasons.
When I get up to look out the blinds, I see the sun high above us and wonder what time it is.
I hurry to the bathroom, and when I turn on the light, I see a fresh toothbrush on the granite countertop and my clothes, folded?
What the hell?
I pick them up and smell them. They smell like laundry detergent that isn’t mine.
There’s a note.
Clothes are clean, come down and chill when you’ve done whatever it is Savvys do to start the day.
X
Tricks
Feeling like a slug for not being up before whatever time it is, for him doing my freaking laundry, including my underwear, as I take in my surroundings, I feel like I’m betraying the sisterhood and hatred of “the man” by being here.
In the few weeks I’ve known him, it’s been obvious he’s not like they were. Even more obvious since our hours of conversation last night.
I also realize that I haven’t grown a penis or turned to stone because I’m in a house like this, with