CHAPTER TEN
I’ve ridden in many taxis, but relying on them as my sole transportation over the last week has been interesting. Each one smells different, most of them not the good kind of smell. Another whiff of body odor hits me, a storm front blown back by the taxi’s heater. I release another deep breath through my mouth. I’d rather not swallow any of the dirty germs from the air, but anything’s better than more of the pungent stench eating away at my nose.
The phone in my hand vibrates distracting me from my breathing pattern. A gag boils up and I’m forced to close my mouth quickly covering it and the bottom of my nose with my hand. The rose scented perfume I applied this morning does little to block out the powerful air.
Ryland:You don’t need to worry about DashD97531 anymore. I took care of him last night. You want to finish the cave this morning?
I smile, but keep my mouth open and breathing on point. Seven o’clock came way too early this morning after being at Ryland’s until midnight last night. I didn’t fall asleep until after one, lost in replays of our second kiss. More of a peck, but I swear my lips tingled for an hour later.
I mentally slap myself for smiling over the memory. I’ve never felt such mushy girly thoughts about a guy before and I refuse to start them with Ryland now. He’ll leave soon and I’ll be left trying to find someone to fill the void. Someone who creates the same feelings in me. Someone I’m sure doesn’t exist. Still the boy makes me swoon.Shut up, Marissa.
Me:Sorry. Today’s girls’ brunch at Cosmo’s. Boys not allowed.
It’s not entirely true, more than once the guys have been there for a while with us, but I need time where Ryland isn’t up in my space. When he’s in the room it's hard to watch him and not have dreamy thoughts. It’s rather annoying.
Ryland:Do you need a ride?
His return text vibrates my phone fast and I get a kind of sick perverse pleasure from knowing he must have waited for me to respond.
Me:No, I’m in a taxi now.
I’ve gotten better at the whole crutch thing, so this morning I’m testing it out with only one. It’s already been easier to get in and out of the cab than when I had two. I've been on the sidewalk in front of Cosmo’s for less than two seconds when my phone vibrates with a call from Ryland.
“Hey,” I answer and try to juggle holding the phone, my purse and the crutch. It’s still a difficult task but at least it's possible, unlike if I had two.
The caller pants over the line and I almost hang up before Ryland speaks. “You took a cab? I turned back from my run to give you a ride.”
“Oh…” I give up on my attempt to walk and hold the phone, stopping to stand outside the large open window in front of Cosmo’s Comics. "Don’t worry about it. We get here at nine. I’m already almost ten minutes late.”
“Well next week I’ll finish up earlier and get you there on time.” His breathing returns to a slower pace as his words make mine pick up. My heart jackhammers behind my ribs.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.Yes, he’s basically guaranteed he’d be here another week, that’s nothing to get this excited over. What would my sister Julie say?… Oh right, she’d probably tell me to jump that. Julie may be seven years older than me, but she’s never worked hard at being a good influence.
“Marissa, are you still there?”
Crap. Too lost in my Ryland daydream, I’m unsure what I missed of the conversation. “Yeah, sorry. I’m here and trying to walk in."
“Oh okay.” Yet again I get too much joy from the disappointment I’m positive his words contain. “Have fun with your brunch and be careful with your ankle. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Good—” I’m cut short by the loss of Ryland’s call. Either he lost signal at the exact perfect moment or he didn’t wait around to hear me say good-bye. Men.
The door to Cosmo’s opens and I shuffle my way into the traditional comic book store while Aspen waits for me away from the cool air outside.
“I wondered how long you’d stand out there,” she says leading us to the three puffy orange couches at the back of the store where we meet every Sunday. She's in jeans and a large thick sweater with a flannel shirt underneath, the collar folded over the top. It had to come from Finn’s closet. The only thing Finn owns more of than button-down flannel is comic book t-shirts. When did she start wearing his clothes?
Like every Sunday, morning Cosmo’s is mostly empty. Our group of four is the main source of income for these early hours. We walk by the service counter and Jason, the store owner, waves from his spot behind the checkout desk to our left. I wave back and catch the bottom of my crutch on a white leg from the tall boxes he uses to display the sale comics. I tumble forward a step, but thankfully don’t bite it on the grey store carpeting.
A true best friend, Aspen stops walking long enough to laugh at me. “I’ve never seen you so clumsy, Marissa. You’ll end up taking out your other ankle if you're not careful.”
“Hey!” I glare at her in our playful way. “I’m doing much better, thank you. There’s a learning curve. You’d be a disaster on crutches. Finn would have to carry you everywhere.” I laugh and swing my small blue purse in her direction, wobbling a little.
“True.” She looks to the ceiling in thought and I nod back at her. Sophomore year of college we took a computer class together and Aspen fell walking up the stairs. Up the stairs. I love the woman like a sister, but I’d never walk on ice near her or ever let her hold a baby… or a puppy… anything precious really.
When I finally make it to the back of the store and plop myself on one of the comfortable orange couches next to Amanda, I stretch my legs out in front of me, too short to reach the heavy coffee table placed in the middle of the couches.
Amanda with her cute blonde pixie cut tilts her head toward me from her side of the couch we’re sharing. “You look tired.”
Exactly what a woman always longs to hear. “Late night. Brunch should start at eleven.”
