I see a note on the counter that reads,Had to go into the office. Should be home by noon. Call if you need anything. Mom.
I was hoping she could give me a ride to the hospital. I can take the bus but it takes forever with all the stops and the transfers. Eve has to work today so she can't take me.
Going to the fridge, I take out the orange juice and the last container of yogurt. We need to go grocery shopping. Mom could've gone on her lunch break yesterday but instead she went dress shopping for her date. She sent me a picture of the dress she bought. It was a dark blue evening gown that probably cost over a thousand dollars, paid for by her new boyfriend. As long as he keeps buying her stuff, she'll keep going out with him. Unfortunately, money is love to her.
Someone knocks on the door, startling me. Nobody ever knocks on the door, except for maintenance, but we didn't call them. The knocks continue. I run over to the door and look through the peephole.
It's Chad. What is HE doing here? And how did he get in? He has to call up here to get us to unlock the building door.
"Brook?" He knocks again. "Brook, it's Chad. Open up."
I back away from the door. If I'm quiet, maybe he'll think I'm not here and leave.
"Brook, I know you're there. I called your mom and she said you're home. Open the door. I just want to talk."
Why would my mom tell him I'm home? She knows I don't want to see him.
"Brook, please, I came all the way here. Just open the door."
Maybe something happened, something he needs to tell me in person. Maybe something happened to his parents. Our families have always been close. His mom and dad have been like second parents to me. I hope they're okay.
I open the door. Chad's standing there, looking just like I remembered; his blond hair parted on the side, his face pale with a hint of pink on his cheeks, those baby blue eyes. Eve was so right with her description of him. He looks like a little boy, not a man. He's wearing light tan dress pants with a blue button-up shirt that's been starched and pressed. It's Saturday but he looks like he's going to an office job.
"Chad, why are you here?"
"I needed to talk to you," he says, going past me into the apartment. I didn't even invite him in, but that's Chad. He does what he wants.
"What is it?" I say, closing the door. "Did something happen?"
He looks me up and down. I'm wearing the clothes I slept in, a white tank top and pink pajama shorts. I'm not wearing a bra but Chad's seen me naked plenty of times so being braless is no big deal.
"You're not dressed yet?" he asks.
"It's Saturday. Why would I be dressed?"
"It's after nine. I thought you'd be dressed by now. Did you just get up?" I hear the judgment in his tone. He doesn't approve of me sleeping in and feels the need to let me know.
"I wanted to sleep in," I tell him. "I do that now. I sleep in on the weekends."
"Waste of time, if you ask me. I've already been to the club for a tennis lesson, had breakfast, and met with my dad about some investments I'm considering."
"Good for you," I say, going to the couch to sit down. "Did you just come here to tell me that?"
He walks over to the couch, staring down at me, his hands on his hips. "Why are you acting like this?"
"Like what?"
"Rude. Disrespectful. I come all the way over here and you don't even act happy to see me. You didn't even offer me anything to drink. Did you forget how to have manners?"
"There's milk and orange juice in the fridge. Or you can take water from the sink. We don't have any of your fancy bottled waters. Sorry."
He stares at me. "This is worse than I thought."
"What do you mean?"
"You." He sits beside me. "You've totally changed. You're one of them now."
"THEM? Who's them?"
