“I have to go,” I stated, hurriedly glancing at my watch. It was a little after six, and if I was going to have time to eat dinner and then make it to work for my shift, I needed to leave right then.
As I stuffed my notebook back into my bag, I felt Robert’s eyes on me. I paused, looking up to find his full concentration focused on me.
“Are you in a rush?”
Despite the past hour of getting along, my snarky attitude reared its ugly head. “Unlike some people, I’m on a schedule.”
“I was two minutes late,” he reminded me as he stood, placing his belongings back into his bag.
I didn’t say anything as I passed through the door that he held open. I moved past him, and within a half a second I felt his presence at my backside. I carried myself down the steps and out the library’s main doorway before he spoke another word.
“You want to grab something to eat?”
Pausing, I turned in his direction so quickly that he nearly walked into me. I took a step back.
“I can’t,” I responded.
“Why not?” His eyes narrowed and I had half a mind to tell him I didn’t owe him an explanation but something told me that wouldn’t go over too well. So I opted for the truth. “I have to get to work.”
I waited to see what type of reaction that would garner.
His eyebrows lifted. “Work?”
“Yes, like a job. Something real people do to earn money.”
“Real people? What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
“Everyday, normal individuals. As in those of us not born with the silver spoon in our mouths.” For some reason I wanted to piss him off.
However, I only pissed myself off when instead of reacting angrily, he chuckled. A deep sound that came up from the pit of his stomach. The hairs on my arms rose. I took another step back, hating how I wanted to move closer instead.
“You really don’t like people with money.”
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe I just don’t like you.”
“Princess, we both know that’s not true.”
I grunted, frustrated. “And what is with the princess thing? My name is Deborah. Do I need to spell it out for you again?”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ve got it memorized … princess.”
Frustrated, I stomped my foot. He obviously wasn’t listening. “I need to go.”
“Do you need a ride?”
I stopped again. “What?”
“You said you needed to get to work. Do you need a ride?”
I shook my head. “I have a car.” It was beat-up and old but it worked.
He nodded, and his lips parted to say something else, but he was stopped by someone calling his name behind him.
We both pivoted in the direction of the male voice. At first I thought it was one of Robert’s friends. But as the young guy moved closer, I couldn’t place him. I also realized two things; this guy was drunk or at least on his way to being drunk as evidenced by his wobbly stride, and two, he had to be related to Robert. He had the same dark hair and eyes, tall stature, and as he moved closer the freckles that Robert had on his cheeks, this guy did as well.
“Jason, what the hell are you doing here?” Robert’s voice was low, agitated.
The new guy, Jason, glanced at me and smiled, looking between the two of us. “Am I interrupting something?”
