“How’s school going?” I ask.
“It’s goin’. Coach has us bustin’ our asses.”
Growing up in Texas, nearly no guys would swear around me or any other girl. It was one of the many manners we were all born and raised with. Though Matt isn’t the first boy to swear around me, there’s something about it that makes me feel unhinged, like we have a comfort that extends beyond the parameters of politeness.
“I have so much homework lately that I think it’s coming out of my ears,” I tell him.
“You’re losing your accent, Olivia Reid,” he tells me. “You’re startin’ to sound like a Yankee.”
Out in the living room, I hear Rose giggling.
“You’ll have to tell my friends here that because they all think I have a heavy accent.”
“Nah. You have the perfect balance, Olivia Reid.”
“What are you doing tonight? Are you guys all going out?”
“Yeah. I think Royce and I are goin’ to hit up a bonfire down at the river. A bunch of people are gonna have a campout. Might sleep in the back on my truck.”
“Won’t that be cold?”
“It wouldn’t be if you were here.”
Heat rises to my cheeks, his words painting an image of us surrounded by pillows and blankets with the Texas sky above us.
“Maybe we’ll have to test that theory when I visit next month.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I let out on a sigh.
“Okay, then. Well, Olivia Reid, I hope you have yourself a wonderful evening, and I look forward to seeing you soon.”
“Yeah…” I say, sitting up, not ready for the conversation to be over. I trip over my thoughts, thinking of things to ask him. Open-ended questions that will continue our conversation, so we both forget about everyone else and create our own little universe despite our distance. “We got a cat.” The words tumble out of my mouth and have me slapping a palm across my forehead.
That was not open-ended or a question.
“A cat?”
“Mmhmm. My roommate’s friend brought it over. Rose wants to keep it. She thinks it’ll be fun.”
“Man, cats make a mess. They’re meant to live outside and catch rodents and shit.”
“That’s what I told her.”
“You’re too sweet for your own good. You know that?”
There are noises behind him. Voices and laughter, and then a girl squealing and giggling. He must have covered the mouthpiece of his phone, muffling his voice as he tells his friend that he’s coming.
“I’ve gotta go, Olivia Reid. I’ll see you.” He hangs up, and I lie back, closing my eyes as I replay the conversation, the tone of his voice, the obvious intentions. Talking with him is bittersweet. Our calls are always fast and spaced by weeks, and they always remind me that we’re living separate lives.
A crash in the other room has me jumping up and heading toward the living room. “What happened?”
Rose turns with our floor lamp in her hand. “It’s okay. It still works.”
“How’d it knock over the lamp?”
“I moved and startled Elton.” She looks at the couch where I’m assuming the kitten has gone into hiding again. “He seems to be afraid of the color orange. He took one look at the orange pillow and booked it.”
“Aren’t cats supposed to be color-blind?” I ask.
Rose shrugs her shoulders. “I thought that was dogs?”
“According to Google, cats can see shades of blue and green, but reds and pinks can be confusing and may appear more green,” Arlo reads from his phone.
“Does that mean it’s afraid of orange or green?” I tease.
Rose rolls her eyes, but Arlo chuckles.
“We should make posters and hang them up. Maybe someone’s out looking for the cat?” I suggest.
“Elton,” Rose corrects me.
“Are you already off your call with loverboy?” Rose asks while I grab my backpack and haul out my laptop to start creating posters to print.
“He was heading to a party.”
“I’m sorry, did you say party? Like that thing I invited you to go to tonight?” Rose walks over to where I’m sitting on the couch and sits so close her leg is against mine, then she leans her head on my shoulder. “Are you saying that all I have to do to get you to pay attention to me is ignore you and text you twice a month?”
Still sitting at the dining room table, Arlo looks at me.
“It’s not what you’re thinking,” I tell him.
Arlo shakes his head, his eyebrows jumping. “I didn’t say anything.”
“I know, but you were thinking it.”
His lips fight a grin. “What was I thinking?”
“That I’m one of those girls. That I’ll sit and pine for a guy who barely acknowledges me.” I point a finger at Rose to ensure she’s listening as well. “I’ve known Matt almost my entire life. This isn’t just some swoon where I like him from a distance, and he has no idea, and I have no chance.”
“I never said you don’t have a chance. That’s not why I don’t like the situation,” Rose says. “I don’t like it because you’re gorgeous and sweet, and he doesn’t treat you like the queen you are. Boyfriends are supposed to get their girlfriends gifts for Valentine’s and birthdays and for no other reason besides knowing they’re fucking lucky.”
“We live in different states. That complicates things.”
“But you’re guacamole, babe. And I don’t want him to treat you like you’re run-of-the-mill salsa.”
“I like salsa,” Arlo says. “Why are we dogging on salsa?”
“Salsa is great. Salsa is fucking fantastic. I love salsa, too. Hell, I am salsa to guys because I like to sleep with them and then send them packing the same night. I know the score. They know the score. But, you’re not a booty call to Matt. You like him. You have feelings for him, and all of that is keeping you from experiencing a little salsa while you’re in college. Therefore, I want to make sure that if you’re all in, he’s all in—and not just when it’s convenient or when you go visit.”
“He’s busy.”
“You’re busy. You go to school full-time and have a job.”
“You’re forgetting that I take care of you.”
Rose smiles. “That’s a given.”
She turns her head, and I can tell she wants to delve farther into this conversation. I, on the other hand, have no interest. “This is a heavy conversation—like wool sweater heavy. We’re good. I’m good. I’m happy.”
Rose looks at me, her eyes vacant for a minute before she swallows the rest of her thoughts and nods. “That’s all I care about.”
“Arlo’s next,” I say. “Sounds like he’s wearing a bit of a chip on his shoulder from his last love interest.”
He shoots me a curious look and says, “What makes you say that?”
“Lucky guess,” I snicker as I settle back in my seat, opening a blank document to start typing.
Rose pulls her chin back. “What? I haven’t heard about this.”