Dancing in Circles (Circles Trilogy) (9 page)

"Movin' up to the big leagues, eh, Robert?" Estes punched his shoulder.

"You should see the women at Westland." He jerked his thumb towards Julie. "This one's the prettiest though."

"Does she play football?" Pete tossed the ball into the air.

"Hey, I'm the only one makin' passes at her."

"Ooh, I love it when men fight over me." She fluttered her eyelashes. "Sorry, I don't know a thing about football. I'd love to stay and watch, but I have to go."

Robert walked her back to the car.

"Can we start tonight?" Julie pulled her keys out of her purse.

"Sunday evenings is excitin' times. I spend'em at the Laundromat. Either that, or go naked all week."

She paused while a fantasy skipped through her mind. "I've never been to one."

"Then you haven't lived."

"Seven o'clock?" She opened her car and slid onto her seat.

"Sure, meet me at my place." He shut her car door.

Julie started the engine, shifted the car in to drive and pulled away.

Robert walked back to the game.

"You gettin' serious on this girl?" Paul slapped his best friend on the back.

Robert looked in the direction of the car. "Naw, she's Westland. We're just classmates." A hint of sadness tinged his voice.

Paul leaned closer to Pete. "He's got it bad. And he don't even know it yet."

***

At five after seven, she parked her car near the bakery and tapped her nails on the steering wheel.
So what do I want to talk about? I definitely want a peek at the mystery behind him. Why was he sent to Westland? Who gets sent to a school? And why?

She exited the car and walked up the stairs.
He said it was either Westland Prep or he does time. As in jail time? This is so going to be a challenge.
She raised her hand and knocked on Robert's door.

When he opened it, the smell of pizza and beer greeted her as she stepped into the room. His friends were scattered about the apartment.

She shook her head to an offered beer. "The last time I was here, you had a party. How do you get any work done partying all the time?"

"That one wasn't my party." Robert snorted. "Or my friends." He dropped the beer back into the case and grabbed a slice of double pepperoni pizza.

"You had a party for strangers in your apartment?"

"Those were Lauren's friends." He swallowed the last of his beer and tilted his head to the door. "Ok guys, out. I said I was kickin' you out when Julie got here."

The door opened and Lauren peeked around the edge. She smiled when she saw Robert, but when she spotted Julie, an angry glare settled on her face.

Robert grabbed her arm and pulled her into the apartment. "What the hell are ya doin' here?"

Lauren stepped close to Robert and cooed. "Ooh, Bobby baby, you know I didn't mean all those nasty things I said. I had…well, you know, just a little too much to drink."

"Excuse us." Robert pushed her towards his bedroom.

With a triumphant pose, Lauren stared at Julie as the door closed. Robert's voice was muffled, but from the tone, Julie understood he was angry. The crack of a slap was clear. The door jerked open. Lauren stormed from the room and slammed the apartment door. Robert exited rubbing his cheek. "Girl doesn't handle rejection well."

"I think she likes you." Julie tried the diplomatic route
. And really hates me
.

Paul walked over to his friend. "Cheek's red, man. She got ya good." He turned to Julie. "Hi, I'm Paul. Lauren's just using him."

Robert shrugged. "She's using me for status. I'm using her for sex."

"I guess it's true what Francine said. She said...." Julie stopped.

"Said what?" Robert's brow crinkled. Julie opened her mouth to speak, but Robert interrupted her. "Hold it. Guys, out." He pointed at the door. "Paul, see ya 'round, man. Don't let the ol' lady get on your case." They man-hugged.

"I know. See ya. Let's go guys." Paul hustled everybody out.

As his friend left, Robert explained, "He's my best bud. We've been through a lot. We joined Shoresmen together. Right now, he's got domestic problems."

"He's married?"

"Yea. He got Kaley pregnant, married her, then she lost the baby, and now he wants his freedom back, but she don't wanna let go." Robert grabbed a bulging duffel bag and two helmets, handed one to Julie, then exited his apartment.

"Hey, you forgot to lock your door." Julie followed him downstairs.

He snorted. "Nothin' to steal and nobody'd be stupid enough to try."
Unless they had a death wish.

As he strapped the bag to the back of the motorcycle, Julie struggled with her helmet. Robert corrected the problem and tightened her strap. He helped her onto the motorcycle, fastened his helmet and got on. "Ready?"

She squeezed his waist.

"Hang on tight," he yelled over the engine noise.

***

The Laundromat was empty. Along both walls were banks of large orange driers, down the centre aisle, placed back to back, were the washing machines. Some machines were missing lids and even more driers were missing doors. The air smelled of stale cigarette smoke and fabric softener, and the walls were faded from years of neglect. Graffiti advertised lover's initials and
For a good time call
. Julie pointed at Robert's name and cell phone number. He smiled and unloaded his duffel bag into a couple of machines.

He poured in soap, fed the machines quarters then sat next to Julie. "How was dance class?"

Julie perked up. "Tiring. We're doing exams in a few weeks."

"Ya got exams?"

"Yes. Dance school is just like real school."

He scratched his head. "What grade are ya in?"

"Advanced and I'm going to try the pre-professional exam. I wasn't going to, but I thought about what you said about going after my dream. So I'm going to try."

Robert grinned. He wanted to kiss her, but he didn't want to scare her away. Her kiss had been a timid surprise. His would be a passionate statement, but his gut told him she wasn't ready for that, yet.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes until Julie took a big courage building breath. "Is Lauren your girlfriend?"

"No, she's Mike's girl."

"Then why…?"
You big chicken. Just ask him.

"Why am I sleepin' with her?" He shifted in his seat to face her. "'Cause. I don't got an answer. Earlier ya started to say, Francine said…." He waved his hand, prompting her to continue.

Julie looked at the floor. "This is embarrassing, but it's the first time you've met the Shore stereotype. Francine said you have no morals. She said that your brains and heart are in your pants."

She peeked sideways at him. "All you care about is having a good time. If a girl doesn't give in and sleep with you, then you'll drop her and start dating someone else."

Unable to stop the words from pouring out, she continued, "But if a girl does sleep with you then you've got what you want from her and you drop her and start dating someone else." Her insides quivered. How angry would he get?

"She's partly right." Robert leaned back against the wall. "We got morals, but not lots of 'em. I think we like to party 'cause it makes us forget about what life is like here. I spend all day in Westland. It's quiet and I feel safe. Then I come back here. Good old North Shore, where my neighboor beats up his wife and kids, or some junkie ODs in my doorway."

He sighed. "If ya don't got enough money for food, then ya don't eat 'til payday. Lots of these people don't even got a payday. Factories are almost all closed. A lot of people eat in soup kitchens and sleep on park benches."

Crossing his arms, he faced her. "But the morals ain't so great in Westland either. Christopher might have raped ya if I hadn't shown up. I've done a lot of bad stuff, but I ain't never raped no one. There's this guy." He paused. "He likes to abuse his twelve-year-old daughter. Sure, we drink and do drugs, but it's to forget about people like him."

"But you slept with Trish, and she said you two haven't talked all week. You've been sleeping with Lauren. I'm not sure who you're cheating on – Trish or Lauren. If I were checking you out as a potential boyfriend and seeing the way you've treated those two girls, I'd say, forget him, he can't be trusted. He's Shore trash."

"Whose morals ya tryin' to ram down my throat?" His brow darkened. "Trish got what she wanted. I'm like a notch on her bedpost. She threw herself at me."

He stood and turned to face her. "We look at ya sweet smelling, hot Westland babes and fantasize about what sex would be like with ya. Ya know what? It ain't no different than with a Shore hooker. That's what Lauren is."

Julie held back her gasp.

Robert paced the floor. "She approaches some guy, does him, comes back here, buys some drugs and forgets about her life for a while. She hates herself. She and Mike were sort of a thing. He's…gone. Being his baby brother makes me a target. I'm as close to Mike as she can get right now. She's using sex for companionship. Morally my treatment of her is more righteous than the guys who do her in cars and cockroach infested motels."

Julie blinked.
Second time I've made him angry. Got to watch that temper
. "I'm sorry. I've no right to judge you. I don't understand what life is like here. But I can see Trish making you a notch on her bedpost. She didn't want you. You're…."

"Not good enough." His voice was low.

The washing machines stopped. The silence held their attention. Robert moved his clothes to the driers and slid quarters into the slots. By the time he returned to his seat, he'd calmed himself. Julie's eyes were wide with worry. He broke the silence. "What do ya want from life?"

Her racing pulse slowed. He wasn't angry. "I don't know what I want to be yet."

"I wanna work at the stables. It ain't gonna make me rich, but I like it. I love workin' with the animals." He tossed the last of his change into the pop machine. "Buy you a drink?"

"Diet whatever."

He handed her the can then popped his open. "What's your family like?"

"My father's a judge."

She waited until Robert stopped coughing. "Sorry." He cleared his throat. "Drink went down the wrong spot."
Shit. No way. Judge Anderson?

"I have a brother, Jason. He's thirteen. He's into boy things like bikes, cars and stuff. I have two sisters, Sheila and Ashley. Sheila's eight and a real pain, but I guess that's what a kid sister is supposed to be. When we're grown up, we'll probably be great friends. Ashley's the youngest. She's five."

Julie popped open her can and swallowed a mouthful of pop. "Mom's expecting a baby in December. She's great. She remembers what it was like being a teenager. Dad is pretty great too, but he sees lots of kids who have gotten into trouble, so he's kind of protective of us."

What fuckin' odds? Judge Anderson's daughter
. He chugged his drink. "Sounds like you've got a great family."

"I guess so. What about yours?" As soon as she asked, Julie regretted it. She sensed Robert tense.

"No known parents. Brother's a jerk. Doin' fine on my own. Thank ya very much."

"You don't like your brother, Mike, do you?"

"No. We ain't never been brothers. Mom was a hooker, so I ain't got any idea who my old man is. One day, she went to the store and forgot to come home." He crumpled his pop can as his fingers formed a fist. "We got moved in with an aunt. When I was eight, Mike moved out, and my aunt sent me to live with him. He didn't want me and I didn't wanna be there, but it was that or go into the system. I learned how to look after myself pretty quick."

Julie waited for him to continue, but he didn't. "I have the feeling there's more you aren't willing to tell me yet."

Robert smiled at the word
yet
. Was she telling him he hadn't scared her off – yet? The buzz of the driers interrupted their conversation. He grabbed his duffel bag and stuffed in his clothes.

When they arrived at his apartment, Julie handed Robert her helmet. "I'm tired. I guess I'll go home. I've got class tomorrow after school, but I'll be home by six. How about continuing this at my place?"

"You mean like home with Mom and Dad?"

Julie nodded.

"I've gotta work, but I guess I can go straight from there."

"Do you work every day?"

"Yea. I've gotta pay rent, buy food and feed quarters into washin' machines. I can be at your place 'bout seven?"

Julie unlocked her car and got in. She pulled Robert's map from her purse, turned it over and drew a map on the back. She handed it out the window. "See you tomorrow."

"Calculus, first period." Robert walked to the curb as she drove away.

"It's about time Miss Goody-Two Shoes left. Now you can have some fun with a real woman." Lauren's voice came from the shadow of his doorway.

"Lauren, how many times do I gotta say this? I don't like you. I'm tired of having sex with you. Go away." He heaved a tired and disgusted sigh.