Sawyer barked out a laugh before ringing me up. I handed over my card, and she swiped it through the machine before handing it back.
“Do you have plans later tonight? We should so hang out. I have something I gotta do, but after that, I’d love to get to know my new neighbor.”
“I don’t know,” I shrugged.
“You don’t know about hanging out, or that you aren’t doing something?”
“Doing something. I’m kinda trying to figure out what I should be doing.”
“Perfect! You can figure that out with me, then!”
“Maybe,” I said, giving her a tight smile. “Just knock on the door, I guess, when you get back.”
Would it be acceptable to not answer?
“Perfect!” she said, seeming content enough with that answer.
“See ya later, then,” I said before leaving.
Before I left the store, I could hear Mindy teasing her about her ways of approaching customers. It made me smile, since it didn’t seem as if Sawyer cared one bit. She seemed like she was the type who planned things at the last minute and didn’t care what anyone thought of her.
On the way back to my apartment building, my phone began to ring. I pulled it from my purse.
“Hey Zevon,” I answered, feeling bad that I hadn’t called him, or even texted, since I got here.
“Hey, pretty girl. How are you doing?”
“As well as expected. What about you?”
“Tired, but I’m hanging in there. So, meet any cute boys yet?” From his voice, it sounded like there was more going on than just being tired. He almost seemed like he was staving off a panic attack and was trying to keep it at bay like I had a number of times.
“What?” I spluttered, nearly tripping over my feet in the process.
“Or a girl?”
“No,” I laughed, appalled that he’d even ask. “You know what I’m doing.”
“I had to ask.” He didn’t seem too apologetic. “But how are you really doing on your own?”
“I’m doing all right, Zevon.” I smiled, touched he was worried. “I’ve been alone basically my entire life. I’m not going crazy, testing out everything the world has to offer over here.”
I was a responsible adult, had been for years.
“You should,” he coughed. “But I know you can handle being on your own. I still worry since we are all so far away.”
“I’m doing all right,” I repeated. “I’m trying to figure out who I am.”
“You’re Scarlett, the sad, pretty girl,” Zevon said. “But I understand what you’re doing. I hope it won’t take you too long to find what you’re looking for.”
Same here,I thought. I missed everyone, and it had only been a few days. I still couldn’t believe that Ace was wanting to send me farther away, into a different country. How would I have been able to deal with that? This, being where I was, was hard enough.
“How’s Sage?” I wanted the attention off me, knowing that if he pressed, I’d cave and tell him about my panic attack. I wasn’t in the mood to talk about it, least of all with him. Zevon would be the one who would certainly jump at any chance to come and try to make things right, even if I told him not to.
“Scared of everything,” he sighed. “I have no clue what I’m doing here with him.” As the words came through, I could hear more than his uncertainty and fear. “He…I guess he’s been trained like an animal. He’s only does what I tell him and nothing more. It’s like he forgot what a human is. Being one, I mean. I’m trying to do some research and figure out what to do to help, but I feel so fucking helpless. You had no problem.”
“You’ll figure out a way to communicate to his needs,” I said. “It took me a bit of time to get use to you, remember? And it’s been less than a week.”
“I know,” he sighed. “It’s just more than I thought it’d take. With you, I wasn’t so alone. Even though no one knew how to deal with how you were.”
