No.
Don’t let the bad ruin the good. Take control.
I relax my hands. I’m okay. I reunited with my best friend and nothing happened that would ruin what Scotty and I have. I don’t need to get worked up like this. Nothing. Happened.
I get back to my feet and emerge from the bathroom. Marie sits at her desk and looks up from her book. “You good?”
I feel a hint of embarrassment for having Marie take care of me in my moment of panic. “Yeah, thanks. I’m sorry about that.”
“No problem. I get it. It’s what friends are for.” She closes her book and lightly taps it with her thumb as she gauges whether she should ask her next question or not. “Did he do or say something to you to get you worked up?”
My eyes grow wide. “What? No! We were friends in grade school. He moved away the summer after sixth grade.”
Marie’s shoulders relax. “Okay, I just wanted to check. I’m glad you found your friend again, but he still seems off to me. Just be careful.” We let the conversation drop. She rummages through the drawers under her bed for pajamas then slips past me toward the bathroom. Moments later I hear the shower water running.
I glance at my phone. Almost 7:00. Dad should be home, so I give him a quick call.
“Hey, kiddo.” His voice is heavy with exhaustion.
“Hey, how was your day?” I slouch in my desk chair and doodle absentmindedly on a piece of scrap paper.
“Not too bad. Long, but aren’t they all? I missed you this morning. Get back to Keyser safe?” Dad sounds tired but he’s still Dad.
“Yeah, I drove back right after church so I could do some studying. I just wanted to say I’m sorry I didn’t get to spend much time with you while I was home.” I scribble out the frowny face I drew.
“That’s alright, honey. I know you had plans with Scott. He’s a good boy. How about next time you’re home you and I can plan a date? We’ll go to the diner and play putt-putt or something.”
“That sounds great! Spring break is in three weeks, so I’ll have plenty of time to spend with both of you.”
“Good. Well, I better go help your mother with dinner. I’ll talk to you again soon. I love you.”
“I love you too.” I put down my phone and open my vet tech book. Just because I need to study Calculus more doesn’t mean I shouldn’t study my other subjects. Plus, I like this one best, so it’s a nice change of pace from studying Calculus earlier. I read through the chapter and make flashcards of the section questions. Marie reenters the room and begins doing some studying of her own. Time slips away from me.
My phone begins to buzz, and the screen alights with Scott’s picture. It startles me at first but then I answer. “Hey, Scotty.”
“Hey, Katie. What are you up to?”
I glance at Marie who waves her hand ensuring me that I’m not bothering her. She’s playing on her phone instead of doing homework now anyways. “Just studying. You?” I go and lounge on my bed against a mound of pillows.
“Packing my clothes.”
“Packing? You haven’t left for Pennshire yet?” I glance at the darkened sky outside the window.
“I’m not going back until in the morning. I’ve been helping Mom pack more of Dad’s stuff away this weekend. And since I spent Saturday with you, I didn’t finish it all.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Scotty’s Dad decided to leave him and his mom about a month ago for a younger woman. I know it’s been hard on them both. I secretly think Joyce believes he’s going to come back since she won’t get rid of his things. Scotty has only recently convinced her to pack it away, hoping by not seeing it will help her cope and move on.
“Katie, you have no reason to apologize.”
But I do. I think about telling him about Matthew. Holding my new friend as a secret doesn’t feel right but telling Scotty about a new guy in my life right after talking about his cheating father doesn’t feel right either. It’s not the right time now. Guilt seeps in turning my inside cold. “I just know it’s hard,” is all I can manage to say.
“It’ll be okay. Mom and I are tough. Mom has me, and I have you.”
“Right. Well, I’m going to go shower and get ready for bed. I’ll text you before I go to sleep, okay?”
“Alright, Katie. I love you.”
“I love you too.” I lay down my phone and take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I’m okay. I’ll tell him tomorrow.
I grab my pajamas from the end of the bed and shuffle to the bathroom. The heat from the shower steams up the small space as I slowly undress. Tomorrow is another day. Another chance for things to be better.
CHAPTER FOUR
My Monday morning classes pass without much excitement. Scotty sends me an early text ensuring me he made it to Pennshire safely. I use the grab and go option for lunch and meet up with Marie outside by the flagpole. We chat about how unfair it is for teachers to have pop quizzes and laugh as two jocks try to catch the same football and collide with each other.
Matthew strolls by, only pausing long enough to touch my shoulder and tell me I look pretty today. Marie watches him but doesn’t say anything. I shout in my head for him to come back, but I’m glad he can’t hear me. It’s best to keep him at arm’s length until I can sort through yesterday’s strange emotions.
After lunch, I drop off my books in my room and grab my car keys. Even with my scattered thoughts and overwhelming feelings I can’t help but feel excited to return to work after the weekend off.
JoJo’s Jungle is an exotic pet store with animals ranging from cats to snakes to prairie dogs. I started working there at the beginning of last semester and can’t imagine being happier anywhere else. Joe, the owner, a short round man with a grey beard and sparkling eyes only works me a few hours a day to cooperate with my class and study schedules.
I park my car in the tiny gravel parking lot and lock it. On days I don’t work until close, I enjoy the short walk through town from campus to work, but it’s not one I would do at night in a college town. I open the door to the little shop nestled between an insurance office and an abandoned building. The bells hanging on the inside handle harmonize with the tweeting birds in their cages hanging from the high ceiling. No one is sitting at the register desk, so I slowly circle the room to make up for being early.
The left wall has shelves of tanks holding different kinds of snakes wrapped around branches and lizards chilling in water bowls. We have one snake, a green reticulated python, that’s seventeen feet long. Dwayne takes him out to hold for fun, but I’ve only worked up the courage to stroke his scaly skin. Working here definitely expands my comfort zone but I enjoy it.
Tucked in the corner is the turtle pond. The constant flowing fountain adds a peaceful vibe to the shop. Next to it is the fish tanks on the back wall. All the bright swirls of colors make the tanks look like liquid rainbows.
A sharp yap pulls my attention to the right wall where the dog and cat kennels are. A young golden retriever wags its tail so hard its whole butt wiggles. I stick my hand in between the bars and laugh as she excitedly licks my fingers. Her bright amber eyes remind me so much of Anna’s. I often wonder which weekend trip will be the last time I see her.