Hoax (10 page)

             
“It doesn’t get any better, no matter how long you look at it.  Trust me.”

             
“No, you did a really clean job.”

             
“Yeah, more home management training.”

             
“You must’ve Aced it.  Ok, I’m gone for the day.  What time tomorrow?” He walked backwards towards the door as he said it. 

             
“Five?  That way we can drive to Ruston before it gets too late.”  He stopped at the door. Then he stalked towards me and my eyes widened.  There’s no telling what he was up to. He walked until his chest barely touched mine. 

             
“This time I’m going to keep you right next to me.  We don’t want you jumping into the next car, do we?”

             
I shook my head ‘no’ and he chuckled as he walked out.  I smacked myself in the forehead. 
Idiot.

             
I cleaned up the rest of the painting mess and showered.  I went back downstairs in my pajamas and made my own personal spinach and artichoke pizza.  I sat down to watch two ultra-cheesy scary movies on TV, one zombie and one exorcism.  I watched the exorcism one first, those usually freaked me out worse than zombies ever could.  I took a break in between movies to clean up the kitchen and grab some ice cream.  I turned on the zombie movie and got a text from Abel.

             
Abel: Zombie movie marathon on TV.

             
Me: Watching it.

             
Abel: Alone?

             
Me: Um, no, it’s orgy night. Duh.

             
Abel: That’s against the rules.  I’m telling.

             
Me: Kill Joy.

             
Abel: Call me later?

             
Me: Yeah

              I turned out most of the lights before settling back into the couch with my strawberry cheesecake ice cream.  The zombies were not scream worthy, maybe eye-roll worthy and the blood looked like fruit punch.  But still, it was better than anything else on.  I turned at the sound of something scratching at the window near the front of the house.  I put down my bowl and walked towards the front to see what made the sound.  I didn’t see anything out of the window, so I flipped off the dark night for scaring me and went back to the couch.  As I passed through the threshold I could see the backdoor now open.  I ran to shut it and lock it.

             
Ok, Corinne, you’ve been watching too many scary movies.  It was just the wind.  It’s supposed to rain tonight.  No big deal.  Quit freaking out.

             
Then I heard another noise outside and I really freaked out.  I got on the phone and called the police, feeling like such a goon for doing so but needing to feel safe at the same time.  I stayed on the phone with the dispatch lady until a squad car arrived in the driveway.  Officer Langley, that’s what his shirt said, searched the house and outside the house with the most enormous flashlight I’d ever seen.  He deemed the area clear and gave me his card in case I needed anything in the future.  I hoped I didn’t.  But I still was uneasy, so I called Abel.

             
“Hello?” He answered and it sounded like he may have been asleep. 

             
“Hey, you were asleep, I’m sorry.”  My voice sounded so much smaller than I wanted it to.  I didn’t want to scare him or have him running over here in the dead of night.

             
“No, I was waiting for you to call.”

             
I cleared my throat, still looking around for the invisible predator.

             
“Did you watch the whole zombie movie or did you get scared?” He had no freakin’ idea how close to the truth he was.  “Nah, I got scared by a noise outside and then I couldn’t watch anymore.  It must’ve been just a leaf or a branch or something.”

             
“Are you sure?  Do you want me to come look?” 
My hero.

             
“No, it’s fine.  Really, no big deal.” 

             
“Okay.”

             
We talked until I actually stopped getting responses from him.  He had fallen asleep on the phone and I could hear the deep breaths of slumber.  I hung up with a smile on my face.  No one could say he didn’t try.

Abel

              I bolted out of bed Saturday morning to find that I had a new appendage—my phone.  I peeled it from my face and then I groaned.  Please, please, please tell me that I didn’t fall asleep on the phone with her.  Tell me that I talked to her and just don’t remember it.  What kind of asshat falls asleep on the phone with a girl, and not just any girl, Corinne.

             
I dialed her number and she picked up on the first ring.

             
“Hello Sleeping Beauty.” I swiped my hand over my face in humilitation.

             
“I’m so sorry.” I just hope I didn’t snore. She giggled on the other line.

             
“It’s no big deal.  It was late and I know you were tired.” 

             
“Ugh…what time is it?” 

             
“Ummm,” She was probably looking at her phone “Noon”

             
“What? Crap, I have to get my hair cut and I have laundry to do,” 

             
“You’re cutting your hair?” She tried so hard to act as if it was just curiosity.  But I took another chance to bait her.

             
“Yeah, it’s hot outside.  I’m just gonna shave it off.”  I put my hand over the speaker to smother my snicker. 

             
“You’re screwin’ with me.”  She sounded irritated.

             
“No, I’m serious.  It’s just too hot.”

             
“You’re damned right it’s hot.” She had moved her mouth from the speaker but I could still hear her.

             
“What was that?” I couldn’t help myself.

             
“Nothing.  See you tonight.” All of the sudden she was in a hurry to get off of the phone.

             
“Ok, I’ll be over there at five.”

             
“Bye.” She hung up before me and decided right then and there.  No haircut for me today.

              With laundry done and calm about me, I showered and got ready for our date tonight.  And even though we had been together almost every single day of the summer, this new revelation was now an issue.  We both joked and made suggestive comments this week and there was no confusing that this date was almost like a first date in that it was no longer just dating.  Something else was at work here.  And I planned to get it straight tonight.

             
I drove over to her house and I expected the dressed up Corinne but what I got was even better.  She wore jeans, and if I didn’t know better I would think that they were painted on.  They weren’t tight per say, but they were made with her in mind.  As I forced my eyes upward I saw a “The Shining” t shirt complete with a sinister Jack Nicholson and it looked to be vintage.  Her hair was down in loose waves.  She was perfect. 

             
“Hi,” she said and suddenly she was shy. 

             
“Hey, get over here.”  She walked slowly towards me.  I opened my arms for her and she fell into them letting out a great sigh that blew across my neck.

             
“Are you okay?  We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

             
“No, it’s ok, I’m just tired.  I want to go.”  She reached up and pulled my hat off and ran her hand through my hair. I know some kind of groan escaped. “I thought you were cutting it all off.” She tried unsuccessfully to hide a smirk.

             
“Some chick told me that my hair was hot, soooo I decided to keep it.  Wanna keep the ladies happy.” She put my cap back on me, not very nicely. 

             
“I love your hair.”  She said surprising me and moved to lock the door to the house and stalled, contemplating who would drive.

             
“Just let me drive, you look whipped.”  She started to throw a tiny fit and I interrupted her, “It doesn’t matter as long as we’re together.”
Good Jesus, I’ve turned into a greeting card.

             
“Ok.”  Something was up with her.  She was usually bright and happy and energetic but today she was melancholy, maybe she was only tired.

             
We got in the truck and she sat in the middle again, a good sign.  But twenty minutes into the drive she fell asleep on my shoulder.  I wondered why she wasn’t sleeping at night.  I wondered if something was keeping her from sleeping.  We pulled into the restaurant I picked, since she was asleep.  I kissed her awake and she smiled, almost back to her old self.  “Sorry,” She smiled and gave me one more peck.

             
“It’s fine.  You can sleep on me anytime.”  I got out and held her hands as she slid out of the car.  I shut the door behind her but wouldn’t let her budge from where she was.

             
“So spill it.”  I tried to give her a firm look but she just rolled her eyes.

             
“I will tell you in the restaurant.  I need caffeine.”  It came out in a whine of sorts.

             
“Promise?” I tugged on her waist gently to make sure she knew that I was serious.  I wanted to know what was up with her.

             
“Yeah, promise.” 

             
We walked into Bernard’s, one of my favorite places to eat, and sat down.  She ordered a Coke before the waitress even had a chance to ask us for our drink orders.  I ordered the same and I nudged her under the table and she rolled her eyes a bit.

             
“Ok, so last night I heard this noise at the front window,” the waitress brought us our drinks and it made her pause. “I went to look out and didn’t see anything.  So then I go back into the living room and the back door was wide open.  I locked it and after that I heard a noise out back.  Sooo…I called the police and they sent an officer to look around and they found nothing.  But it kinda freaked me out so I didn’t sleep much. No big deal.”

             
I checked to make sure the table wasn’t pulsing with the strength of my beating heart.  I could’ve sworn the booth beneath me was thumping along with it too.  There could’ve been someone in her house and she didn’t even tell me?  I took a long pull on my Coke before I attempted to reply.

             
“Why didn’t you tell me? I am all of ten minutes away and you didn’t think to call me?”  There was an aggravation in my voice that I didn’t mean to relay but it was too late.

             
She scrunched up her face in confusion.  “Ok, first of all, I didn’t want to worry you and it wasn’t that big of a deal.  Second, I handled it.  I called the police, they looked around, there was nothing.  I’m not trying to be a wench or anything here, and I appreciate your worry, I do.  But I have taken care of myself for a long time.”

             
“Okay, fine, sorry.”  I opened the menu and shielded myself from her, mostly because she was right.  She could take care of herself.  And I was an ass for assuming anything less.  I was also an ass for thinking for a flat second that she needed me.  A girl like this doesn’t need anyone.  So, I could worry about her but she could take care of herself anyway?

             
The waitress came back and we both ordered and then we couldn’t use our menus as objects to hide behind anymore. 

             
“Look, I’m sorry.” We spoke at the same time. “I’m sorry.”

             
I reached across the table and she wove her fingers in mine.  “I know you can take care of yourself.  I do. But that’s not going to stop me from caring about you or being concerned when something is wrong with you.” I shrugged. 

             
She pressed her fingers to her lips as stopping them from moving before she was ready for them to speak.  She opened her mouth and of course our food came at that exact moment.  We both started eating and a few bites in she stopped and rubbed her feet against my legs under the table to get my attention—as if she didn’t have it every second we were together.

             
“My parents dropped me off at Wellsley three days after my sixth birthday.  Technically, I missed the deadline.  I had to be six by the end of May but my Dad threw a good sized check at the Headmaster so I could circumvent that little stipulation.  And by dropped me off, I mean gave me my little pink suitcase from the trunk of the car, watched me walk up to the school’s entrance and drove off before I even touched the handle.  My Mom never got out of the car.  So, I put on this big tough face and never looked back again.  I’ve never relied on anyone for anything with the exception of my parents paying for school.  I didn’t have parents who visited me on holidays and I stayed at the dorms and worked during Christmas vacation and Spring Break.  It’s not that I don’t want your help.  I’m just not sure I know how to accept it.  I certainly don’t know how to ask for it. Sorry, I’m rambling.”