The next two hours, we spend picking out a bookshelf and a few other things. And as I go to check out, Josie goes missing.
I search for her, using a singsong voice as I say her name. I find her in an aisle I wouldn’t have ever expected her to be in. The toy section, particularly standing in front of a shelf filled with stuffed animals.
There’s a faraway look on her face, like she’s lost in thought. I stand next to her, making sure the cart isn’t in the way.
“Do you want one?” I ask.
Josie jolts back as if she hadn’t realized I was standing next to her. She makes a psh sound. “No, these are for kids. Are you ready to go?”
She briskly walks away before I can answer.
44
JOSEFINE
“I’m so glad you came.”A dopey smile curls on Pen’s face.
Vi’s resembles hers because before we came to The Antisocial Bar, we pregamed. I didn’t as hard as the two of them, but I drank enough, so I feel a buzz coursing through my system.
“How could I say no? You guys wouldn’t stop blowing up my phone.” I’m half serious because it’s Monday and half teasing because I hate being home alone.
This past weekend Daniel was in Alabama playing against Auburn. He’s been gone since Thursday and should be back today, but it’s already past nine p.m. and I still haven’t heard from him.
Before then, on Tuesday, he had an away game. He left extremely early that morning but didn’t come home until Wednesday evening.
On top of hardly seeing him at home, I rarely see him in class because his practice time changed to the time we hike.
It’s been an adjustment, a weird one at that. Before Daniel, I could put up with the loneliness, but now it’s odd and I don’t like it. I don’t like missing him or wondering when he’s going to come home. Because in a few months, he’ll be gone.
I’ve physically accepted that, but mentally, I’m struggling.
That’s why I agreed to come out with the girls to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. That and they weren’t trying to go to a club. I don’t mind dressing up, but today I wanted to keep it casual. I’m wearing a cropped green shirt, and maybe I’m making a mistake, but decided to go braless because why the hell not? Paired with a dark denim mini skirt and my all-black Dr. Martens.
“Because you’re a horrible replier. If we don’t blow it up, you won’t respond until the next ten to twenty business days,” Vi points out.
“That’s not true,” I weakly defend. “I just have a lot going on.”
She arches a perfectly styled black brow and smiles slyly. “I’m sure you do.”
I take a sip of my beer, thankful that Pen doesn’t catch that. She’s too busy staring at her phone.
“I’ll be back. I gotta go to the restroom,” she announces, tucking her phone in her tiny purse.
“We’ll go with,” I say, but she’s shaking her head. “No, don’t. I won’t be gone long, and they’ll take our spot if we leave.”
We’re right next to the bar and because it’s packed with possibly every college student, there’s hardly any space or seats left.
“I’ll stay. You go with her,” I tell Vienna. Pen still insists, but I shake my head. “I’ll be okay here; I’ll save our spots. You shouldn’t go alone.”
“Okay, you’re right. We’ll be back,” she says and hooks her arm around Vi’s and then they’re off, the blind leading the blind because they’re a little tipsier than I thought.
I snicker at that before drawing my attention away from them to the TVs hung above the bar. One of them plays the highlights from yesterday’s game.
My heart thunders when Daniel appears on the screen. He’s quickly diving for the ball then jumping to his feet, throwing theball to the second baseman before he’s throwing it to Kai at first, getting both players from Auburn out.
The next highlight that plays is one of him stealing third base. He stands, and my favorite kind of smile curls on his lips as he points to the corner of his eyes. Flutters burst in my stomach the same way they did yesterday when I saw it and every other time, he’s on base.
Only on you,I think every single time.
