“So, why does she want to live here?”With the spiders?
“Because she lives alone. She doesn’t like it.”
Probably because she couldn’t find someone to bunk with her. “So, now what?”
Patsy has all the answers. “Nothing. We’ll tell her you can’t find a new place.”
I look down at Cooke, who seems concerned. “Fine.” I sigh in relief. My shoulders don’t feel as tense either. I can barely afford this place, and it’s cheap. Well, maybe with my new job…. I just need to make it one more week, then maybe….
I watch the ladies file out, saying good night as they go. A couple of them say goodbye to Cooke too.
“That was interesting,” Cooke says with furrowed brows. “Do you believe your mates?”
“I do.” I don’t have any reason not to. “I’ve gotten to know them some over the past few weeks, and I really like them. I believe they’re sincere. It sounds like Susanna and Patsy are in a tough spot.”
“What will you do about this Kara? She’s a right cow, she is.”
That makes me laugh. I love those British euphemisms. “She is that.” I sigh. “I had to deal with a girl just like her in high school. I found it easier to ignore her rather than engage. I could never win.”
“I think it’s bollocks that your other mates won’t stand up for you.”
“It’s not their job. I’m a grown-up, Cooke.” Well, most of the time. “There will always be Karas in the world.” I need to learn how to deal with them effectively. “It’ll be fine.”
“Bollocks,” he grumbles. “You weren’t taking the piss about the gift card? She took it from you?”
“She did, but I took it right back. You know….” I look up at the ceiling and see one of my eight-legged friends skittering across the tile. He’s small, so I decide not to freak out.
“You know what?” Cooke asks.
“Maybe if I tried to be her friend….” Maybe she’s just misunderstood. It’s possible that the death of her sister has really made her that way.
“Love….”
“I mean, maybe she’s lonely.” I know what that feels like. It feels like shit.
“If she is, it sounds like she did it on her own.”
“Maybe.” I need to think about this.
Cooke and I end our video chat, and I get ready for bed. As soon as I lay my head on my pillow, I do my best to put myself in Kara’s shoes. I ponder the issue for so long, I fall asleep with the light on and a plan to take the high road. I’m going to be the better person. Maybe then she’ll see I’m not the enemy. We could be… not friends. No. But we could tolerate one another. And that’s good enough for me.
It’s decided. The next time I see her, I’m going to make an effort to turn things around.
Chapter Seventeen
Idon’t have to wait long, because the next morning, Kara is standing in the kitchen with the rest of the girls to go for our walk. Before I speak, I think back to the night before. You know, when I decided to take the high road. Stepping up to Kara, I smile as much as possible this early in the morning. “Kara?”
She turns her head and scowls. “Yeah?”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” she snaps.
Wow, she’s not making this easy. “I think we got off on the wrong foot.” Her fault, totally.
“How so?” She’s now turned to face me, her hands on her tiny waist.
“Um.” Shit. How so? “We just did.”
