He held up a wad of twenties, made eye contact with the waitress and dropped it on the table. The urgency that he whisked me across the parking lot with made me laugh and even if I wasn’t sure what kind of mood my roommates were in, my cheeks still hurt from smiling, by the time we arrived.
“This is the spot, huh?” Anthony asked, while staring up at the three-story building.
“Yeah, but… it isn’t all one place. We’re just on the top floor,” I quietly explained, before taking a deep breath.
The nerves I’d kept at bay were slowly creeping up on me. What if Tindra was in one of her moods? Etta and I were thick as thieves as long as Tindra wasn’t part of the equation.
Etta was the first real friend I ever made in Springfield. She was how I got into the apartment to begin with. Etta and Tindra were an item once upon a time. She put in a good word, and we’d been paying for it ever since.
I’d never glanced at Etta with anything but the sincerest of friendship in mind, but you couldn’t tell Tindra that.
I placed my key in the exterior door. It was the quickest way up, even if it was a hassle. The key I’d been given was bent when I received it and Tindra refused to get me a fully functioning copy. So, we were stuck there wrestling with it, until Etta happened past with a laundry basket on her hip.
“Girl, what in the world.” She laughed, popping the door open.
She took a long look at Anthony and then cut me a knowing glance, “Tin-Tin is out to dinner and movie with her mother.”
“Great.” I was flooded with instant relief, and took Anthony’s hand, leading him in and locking the door behind us.
He started after Etta, but I tugged his hand and saluted the stairs.
“Top floor,” I reminded him.
“Oh.” He held a finger out toward Etta.
“She’s doing laundry. There is a communal laundry area in the basement.”
“Oh.” He followed me up the never-ending stairs until we arrived at the apartment’s front door. Thankfully, that key was normal.
Carly’s heels clicked across the kitchen as she came to investigate.
“Hey, how was waffles?”
“Great,” Anthony and I both answered, before he shot me a look. “You didn’t even eat waffles.”
I rolled my eyes while Carly chuckled and started back through the kitchen before I could introduce her. She was awkward most days, so I didn’t take offense to it.
“Come on.” I smiled, before stealing him away to my room.
It was small, all things considered, but I thought the dorm-style window gave it an attic charm.
“This is you?”
I suddenly felt inadequate, even if there was no judgement in his tone, “I–yeah.”
He pulled me toward him, taking his time as he nuzzled my nose with his and slowly conquered my lips, before whispering against them, “Why do you say it like that?”
“Like what?” I guiltily smiled.
I didn’t own anything except work stuff and a bed. I turned the radio on just so our voices didn’t carry.
“I don’t know, it’s the same bashful way you get about your chest. Which I’ve learned is your insecurity peeking out at me. What are you insecure about the room for?”
I think I blushed clean to my toes at such a raw view of myself. I crossed my armsover my chest, only for him to uncross them and jerk me toward him.
“Don’t do that, you’re beautiful and perfect.” He let his arms drape over either shoulder and kissed the top of my head, his hand slid down my cheek and he tipped my face up. “I hope you don’t think I’m some wealthy college boy like the ones you dance for. I can spoil you, but it isn’t what I’m used to.”
I pressed him back onto the bed and straddled his lap, “Tell me what you are used to.”
