Oswald barks out a laugh. “Calling me out on my doors?” He continues to chuckle but pulls his phone out of his pocket. “Pick up some WD-40,” he says slowly as he types. “I told Memphis.”
“Don’t tell him I said it.” I gasp, appalled.
“Why not? It’s funny as hell.”
“Just don’t, please.” I don’t want to admit I’m afraid it will make him think poorly of me out loud—well, more than he might already. I shouldn’t have said anything.
Oswald’s phone buzzes, and he looks down. “He said he would pick some up. He wants to know where I am.” Oswald looks over at me with his thumbs poised to type.
“Are you not supposed to be with me or something?” I question, wondering why he would tell me that.
“No, I’m just usually at his place when I’m not at practice or school…or eating,” he adds as an afterthought.
“Oh, did you want to invite him?” I feel weird offering, so then I add, “Or I can drop you at his place.”
“You don’t mind?” Oswald is watching me.
“No, it’s fine. Where does he live?”
“I mean, you don’t mind if he comes over too? It would be nice to get him out of the house. All he does is work.”
“Sure, that’s fine.” I tell him my address then instruct, “The driveway is off Granger, around the side of the house.” I can’t believe I’m doing this. What am I going to do with them at my house?
“Shit.” Oswald lets his hands fall to his lap as I’m turning onto Granger. “I didn’t tell him I was with you, I just sent the address and Bates is with him.”
“Bates?” I turn into my driveway and hit the button to open the detached garage.
Oswald looks right and left, taking in the house and garden. “Yeah, Bates, a friend.” He sounds distracted.
“Um…”
“He’s not… He’s a good guy, I promise. I’ll text him back and tell them not to come though.” he says quickly, already holding his phone.
“No, it’s okay.” I pull into the garage and park, then hit the button to turn off the car.
“No, I get it. You don’t know us, and I just invited them over. That’s… There’s only one of you and you’re a girl,” he continues, saying all the things I should be thinking, but I’m really not. “I swear I didn’t plan this. I’m not a creep,” he defends.
“I don’t think you planned it.” I open my car door. “And it’s fine. They can stay if they want, but fair warning, I’m not a good host.”
“A good host?” He climbs out of the car and grabs both of our bags, pulling them between the seats.
“I might have some popcorn and cereal, but not much else.” I unlock the backdoor and turn off the alarm. Oswald makes a point of spinning around so he can’t see what I’m doing. Hopefully, that means my trust in him isn’t misplaced. Still, I plan on keeping my phone in my pocket just in case. I’m learning to live a little, not trying to get killed.
“Holy shit.” Oswald spins around, taking in my kitchen. I love the white tile mixed with black cabinets and commercial appliances. I hope he likes it too. “This is really your house?” His eyes scan me up and down, but it’s as if he’s looking for something he didn’t see before. It’s the first time he’s ever made me uncomfortable, like he’s trying to see how he didn’t notice I had a lot of money before now.
My arms tighten to my body and my back stiffens. I can just imagine what he’s thinking of me, I’ve heard it all before—trust fund baby, rich bitch—and that was from kids who came from families nearly as wealthy as my own. Maybe I shouldn’t have invited him after all.
“It is.” I nod my head, waiting to hear what he has to say.
Memphis
“I thought Oz would be here.”Bates is bent over with his head in my small fridge.
“So did I. He doesn’t have practice today. He’s probably eating. Wait, he’s texting me now.”
Oz:We need WD-40.
What the hell?
