“Bro.”
“What?”
“She probably thinks you don’t like her! You turned her down and bailed on her, then disappeared. Of course she’s out hooking up with other people. She thinks it meant nothing to you! Hell, she may have hooked up in front of you just to spite you,” he pointed out.
“Fuck.” My mind flashed back to high school, when I’d pushed her away, too. She probably thought I was a real piece of shit.
“Yeah, fuck. You need to take her out for coffee or something and talk about it. Tell her why you did what you did. Tell her you like her.”
“Is that what you do? I don’t know how to date people, Colt. I’m a wham-bam kinda guy. Most girls know that though.”
“Well, now she thinks you wham-bammed her and she doesn’t want to be your friend anymore,” he said. “You need to fix it. I’m into her roommate. I don’t need to be taking sides out here.”
“I knew it!” I said, grateful for the topic change. “I thought you two hooked up.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, she’s pretty fun. Fuckin’ rocket, too. Jesus.”
“Happy for you, man.”
Later, I sat alone trying to figure out how to get Kitty back in my life. I worked myself into a headache wondering if I even hadany business trying to have a relationship with anyone. Thoughts of my dad and his rage issues haunted me. Could I even be a good partner for Kitty?
But I remembered that Maman had faith in me and Kitty. She knew us both well and still thought we needed each other. Maman knew me better than Papa did, and I’d spent far more time with her than with Papa. I was my mother’s son, not my father’s. At least that’s what I hoped.
I texted Kitty to try and make it right.
I miss u. Can we talk?
KITTY BIRD
Ok. When?
U free now? I’ll take u for coffee
Can’t now. Kinda busy this week
I tried again and again with her, Kitty never offering another alternative. Finally, I had to force the issue.
Chapter 13
Kitty
The Chainsaw Chatterbugs show was a mess. Brian insisted on rhyming everything he said. That was funny for about one scene, but then he wouldn’t give it up. Nothing worse than a selfish player in your group, especially when they’re not evenfunny. It’s hard to “yes and” shitty choices. Plus, I’d been in something of an on-and-off shitty mood since my accidental orgasm with Guy. He kept trying to talk to me, and I was sure it was just going to be to friend zone me and remind me why I wasn’t like that to him.
I didn’t need that slap in the face. He’d already dealt me one by just leaving in the morning and not waking me up to say goodbye. And turning down my offer to get him off. And not kissing me after the deed was done. My stomach turned every time I thought about it.
So I avoided him like the plague to avoid that conversation. I didn’t want to be mad at Guy. We’d just started hanging out again. But if he was going to play me, his longest friend, then yeah, I was mad. I focused my anger on disliking certain members of my improv group.
“Can you believe Brian?” I asked Cassie after the show. “So annoying, right?”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, Kitty. You kinda left him hanging.”
I screwed up my face. Something wasn’t adding up. Cassie was almost always game to talk a little well-deserved shit after shows. “You fucking him or something? You always talk shit about Brian.”
Cassie’s face instantly went red. “Oh, shit, Cass! I wasn’t serious! I, uh, I’m sorry. Uh, how’s it going with him?”
Her face softened, the embarrassed red going to a more enamored pink. “He’s pretty sweet. Enthusiastic.”
“I guess you can say that for him.”
