She lowers the mug before answering me. “It’s a compliment,” she chuckles.
I scoff. “Some compliment. Besides, I’m not even sure if I like him that way. And after last night’s behavior, I like him even less.”
“John clearly likes you, but since you’re not dating, he feels insecure and will become jealous of any other man. Don’t discount him after one mistake.”
That’s what Patsy said. Have the two of them been talking behind my back?
“Fine.” I pout. “I’ll give him another chance.”
At ten minutes past six, the buzzer sounds.
I amble my way over to the door to answer it. “Hello?” I call.
“I’m here,” Patsy sings.
“Come on up.”
I leave the door unlatched and continue helping Alice get the refreshments ready. As I retrieve a bottle of Coke from the fridge, she pours the last of the popcorn into a mammoth-sized bowl and starts eating it.
“What if we run out?” Alice asks, tossing another piece of popcorn into her mouth.
“We will if you keep eating it now.”
A wide grin spreads across her face. “But it’s so good.”
I giggle and set the bottle on the floor by the sofa. I expect Alice to set the bowl next to it. Yet she continues to carry it around with her like a prized possession. Even as I return to the kitchen to retrieve three glasses, the soft sounds of Alice’s crunching continue to saturate my ears.
“Hi,” a gentle voice calls from the front door.
I peer around the open cupboard and discover Patsy peeping through the crack of the front door.
“Hey, you made it,” I say, abandoning the glasses and skip to Patsy, tugging the door open. Once she’s inside, I embrace her. “Come and meet Alice.”
Alice stands a foot behind us, still with the bowl of popcorn nestled in her arms. “Hi,” she mumbles through a mouthful of popcorn. “Is it cold out?”
“Freezing,” Patsy remarks.
She’s adorned in her thick, mauve winter coat and a cream scarf wrapped around her neck.
“I love your hair,” Alice says, reaching out to cradle one of Patsy’s curled locks.
“Thank you. I’m surprised the curls have remained intact since last night. You and Eva look adorable in your pigtails.”
Alice thought it would be amusing to plait our hair today and crowned me Pippi Longstockings ever since.
As Patsy turns to admire my hair, I shroud it with the hood of my midnight-blue hoodie.
“Aww, don’t be embarrassed,” Patsy exclaims.
The buzzer sounds a second time.
“This should be the pizza guy,” I say, rushing towards the front door.
His voice crackles through the speaker. “Pizza’s here.”
“I’ll be right down,” I say.
I grab the twenty-dollar bill resting on the breakfast bar and rush out the door. As I skip down the stairs, I remember the ridiculous pigtails in my hair and tuck them in my hood.
The young guy, bedecked in a fiery red jacket and matching baseball cap, is gazing elsewhere when I open the door to greet him. He appears reluctant to be out in the cold, though I can’t blame him. It’s freezing, just as Patsy had said. His cheeks are but a few shades lighter than his clothing.
The moment the transaction is complete, he hunches his shoulders as he shuffles back to his car.
Despite wearing no coat or shoes, I remain standing by the open door. A flurry of snowflakes swirls in graceful spirals, creating a magical scene to our dank street. Hopefully, the snow will stick, allowing Alice and I to enjoy walking through it later.
A harsh wind blows, causing the flurries of snowflakes to shroud me. The chill bites at my bare hands, nose, and cheeks, and I close the door, preventing any more cold from entering. I can enjoy the snow from the comfort and warmth of my apartment.
By the time I return upstairs, Alice and Patsy have settled down in front of the TV with their legs crossed and the bowl of popcorn between them, chatting. Patsy’s coat rests on the sofa, revealing her attire of jeans and a black, knitted sweater. They take great handfuls of popcorn, eating bite after bite, even while they talk.
“Do you two want this pizza or are you full of popcorn?” I ask as I cross the threshold and push the door closed with my foot.
“Nope, still plenty of room for pizza,” Alice says, pushing the bowl to one side.
After sitting beside Patsy, I rest the pizza box in front of us and unveil my hair from the hood. Neither of the girls acknowledges my presence as they continue conversing.
“He’s amazing,” Patsy exclaims.
“Oh, I want to meet him,” Alice gushes.
I narrow my eyes. “Who are you talking about?”
“John,” Patsy replies.
Oh, great. A subject I wanted to avoid tonight.
I bite on the inside of my cheek.
“He’ll adore you. Not as much as Eva though.” Patsy grins at me.
I shrink inside my hoodie.
“Did you know this, Eva?” Alice asks.
“It was a little noticeable,” I say, staring down at my fingers that comfort one another.
Patsy bursts into laughter. “You mean extremely noticeable. The only problem is, Eva doesn’t seem interested.”
“Why not?” Alice asks.
A nervous smile materializes on my lips, though I refuse to look at either of them. “I need to know him a little better first.”
“You could if you date him,” Patsy counters.
All too soon, Alice is pushing the argument. “Come on Eva. It’s about time you got over Clyde.”
Oh, she’s got to be kidding me.
After hiding my hands within the sleeves of my hoodie, I cover my face.
“Who’s Clyde?” Patsy asks.
“Some guy Eva dated for a while.”
In a desperate attempt to abolish this humiliating conversation, I lower my hands and open the box, releasing the warm smell of melted cheese and baked bread.
“The pizza’s getting cold. Let’s eat,” I say, gathering a slice for myself.
However, they seem content deliberating my love life, regardless of my harrowed attempts to evade the subject.
“He dumped Eva, and she’s been wallowing in self-pity ever since,” Alice continues, talking about me like I’m not even in the room.
“Alice!” I squeal, channeling my frustration through my eyes at her.
She trains all her attention on me as she wears a patronizing expression. “Well, if it’s not him, then what’s your problem? You’ve been acting so strange lately,” Alice challenges.
Instead of answering her, I take another bite of pizza. Of course, Clyde has no bearing on my behavior. Angelo, however, dominates every fiber of my being. But I’m not about to admit this to Alice or Patsy.
“Give John a chance,” Alice continues. “You never know. He could be the one.”
I swallow my mouthful and retort with, “Since it's my birthday and I’m allowed one wish, I wish for the two of you to drop this.”
“It’s your birthday?” Patsy asks. “Why the big secret?”
My eyes widen as my mouth hangs agape.
“Well…” I begin, desperate to conjure up a plausible reason, only to discover there isn’t one.
I look at Alice and silently plead for her support.
“Eva has never celebrated her birthday ever since her parents died,” she says, gathering one of my hands and giving it a little squeeze for emphasis.
“Oh, Eva. I’m so sorry. I had no idea. When did your parents die?” Patsy says sympathetically.
“When I was seven.”
“That’s terrible.” She rests a hand on my shoulder.
I lower my head. “Yeah, I try not to talk about it.”
“We can talk about something else if you want.”
“Yeah, I would like that.”
The three of us remain silent for a while. Who would have known we would have
nothing to talk about other than John or Clyde?
“How about watching the movie?” I say, obliterating the awkward silence.
Both Alice and Patsy agree.
On the way home from work, Alice rented a movie for tonight’s entertainment. Ordinarily, Alice would have preferred something mushy, but to my delight, she chose my favorite genre: horror.
Mingled with the sounds of screaming is the gentle sounds of chewing as we continue to eat the pizza and popcorn.
Though my stare remains locked on the screen, the image of Angelo sneaks into my mind. Despite knowing how wrong we were for our almost kiss, it’s the forlorn expression he wore following my rejection that haunts me. Even the way we parted, the way he held me differed from before. All the pain and sorrow he felt emanated from him to soak into me.
Maybe I should message him. But what would I say? “Sorry for being a bitch last night, but I’m hopelessly in love with you and you’re dating my best friend.”
Maybe not.
My phone chimes, interrupting my thoughts.
“Whoever it is, tell them to message you later. We’re watching a movie,” Alice says.
I fully intend to until I discover who sent the text.
Happy birthday, angel.
A smile graces my lips from his simple message. I try to camouflage it by stuffing popcorn in my mouth, but it’s too late, Alice has already seen it.
“Who was it?” she asks.
I’m grateful for the darkness that envelopes me as a blush rises to my cheeks. But she’ll know I’m lying the moment I open my mouth. It’s better for me to come clean since I’m hiding so much betrayal already. “Angelo wished me a happy birthday,” I tell her.
The same smile that spontaneously arose to my lips now dresses hers. “Aww, how sweet.”
“Oh, so you tell him but not me?” Patsy exclaims.
“I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. He has all of my information for work, including my date of birth.” I say.
She nods, accepting my answer, before returning her attention to the movie.
Once Alice gives me minimal privacy, I return to the message and my thoughts.
How did he remember today was my birthday? He had my application form over three months ago. And how is it that he seems to know when I’m thinking about him? Do we have a connection?
No, I can’t think this way. Even if I wish it were true.
Thank you. Sorry about last night. Not a fan of birthdays.
Before I can put my phone away, it chimes once again and I’m unable to resist the urge to read the message.
If you promise to tell me all about your night, I'll forgive you. Enjoy your evening, Eva.
I stifle my rising giggle and tuck my phone away. Any more texting between me and Angelo is bound to get me in trouble.
The following day, I settle myself on the sofa, ready for an evening filled with TV. My phone rings.
“Hi, John,” I answer, curling my legs under me and playing with the threads of the ripped knee of my jeans.
“Hey, Eva. Do you have plans tonight?”
“Just having a quiet night in. Since Alice is at work, I get the remote all to myself.”
“A little bird told me it was your birthday yesterday, so Patsy and I would like to take you to the movies.”
I abandon the threads to pinch the bridge of my nose with my thumb and index finger and release a silent sigh. It's not the movies that bothers me; I'd love to spend time with my new friends. But the mention of my birthday irritates me.
“Sure, what time?” I ask.
“Seven sound okay to you? We're going to the dollar theater since we're both broke.”
My hand grazes down my face before returning to the threads of my jeans. “Sounds like me. I have a little cash in my purse, but I should have enough for a ticket.”
“Leave your money at home. This is our treat,” he tells me.
I chew on my lip. When will people get it? I don't like birthdays and I don't like gifts.
A heavy sigh escapes my lips as I recall Patsy's disappointment over the secrecy of my birthday.
“Okay, I'll meet you there,” I say reluctantly.
“You don't need a ride?”
“No, I'll be fine. It's only a twenty-minute walk from here.”
“Okay. Well, if you change your mind, call me,” he says.
Twenty minutes before seven, I shuffle to my room to get dressed for the movies. Even though it's winter, it's warm enough to wear my leather coat. After tugging the hood of my red hoodie free from my leather jacket, I don my scarf and gloves. I take a quick glance in the mirror to discover the haunted look within my eyes has returned.
Over the past few months, since meeting Angelo, I’ve discovered I don’t need makeup to disguise it anymore. However, my latest indiscretions must be the cause of its return.
I liberate my hair from the hairband and allow it to cascade around my face, hoping the shiny waves of auburn will distract attention from my eyes.
The moment I step outside the building, I'm filled with disappointment when I find that all the snow from yesterday has melted, leaving the street just as dingy as before. But the disappointment melts as quickly as the snow once I set my feet on the path towards the cinema.
A new thought materializes to bring forth an amused grin to my lips: John's driving. In less than twenty minutes, I'll be at the movie theater. Had he picked me up, it would probably take at least half an hour to get there.
I wonder if they'll be there when I arrive.
Within ten minutes, I approach the bar at the end of the street. Ordinarily, I take no notice of it or the cars parked outside, but tonight, my feet slow their pace, allowing me to ogle at each of the muscle cars.
First in line is a beautiful ebony Charger with tinted windows and alloy wheels. Next to that, a sleek orange Camaro. One day, I vow to own a beautiful car myself.
Further along the line, my feet pause as my eyes gawk at the beautiful blue Shelby Mustang with white stripes, a car I have admired frequently.
I pull my scarf higher to bury my face from the chill while stuffing my gloved hands into my jacket pockets. The wind has increased since leaving the apartment and now howls around my ears, tousling my hair, yet I stand staring at the car.
Why would Angelo be in this part of the town?
I remove one glove and call Alice who answers after three rings. “Hey, babe, what's up?” she says.
I rake my hair from my face with my fingertips while maintaining my stare on the Shelby. “I'm heading to the movies to meet Patsy and John,” I tell her.
“Oh, nice. That should keep you out of trouble for a while.”
“If you're not busy, I thought you could join us.”
“Not tonight, sorry.”
“Are you at work still? Sounds like you have music playing in the background.”
“No, I'm out with a friend right now.”
Right. A friend. I know she's with Angelo. I'm looking at his car.
The clattering of glasses in the background and the sound of people talking filters through the phone.
“Are you at a bar or something?” I prod.
“Yes, the bar near my restaurant,” she says. “Gemma's having boyfriend problems and asked me to help her out. Not sure what I can do for her, but I guess she needs my support.”
Liar.
“Okay. Well, I'll see you later,” I say, trying to keep the disappointment from my voice.
“All right, babe. I shouldn't be out all night. Have fun at the movies.”
“Have fun with An—” I stop myself before finishing his name. “Your friend.”
After stashing my phone back into my pocket and adorning the glove, I continue to stare at Angelo's car a moment longer.
Only two nights ago, Angelo had me in his arms, ready to kiss me. Now, he's with Alice, probably kissing her.
Nausea penetrates my stomach, and I'd rather turn my feet and set course for home. But what would
I tell Patsy and John? If I went home, it wouldn't change anything. In fact, I'm sure it would only intensify my anguish if I sat alone with my thoughts.
I force my reluctant feet to turn from his car and continue their path towards the theater, pleading with the sorrow to stay hidden within the depths of my mind.
At least until I'm home.
“Hey, birthday girl,” John says as he approaches me with open arms.
I allow him to envelope me and wrap my arms tightly around his waist as I rest my cheek on his shoulder. My eyes slide closed, having exerted all my energy from imprisoning my depression.
Tonight, he wears a cologne that exudes from his gray winter coat. Of course, his fragrance is nothing like Angelo's, but I find the woodland scent pleasant.
I'm sure I've taken him by surprise with my affectionate greeting. I'm positive he appreciates it as his arms tighten around me.
If only our reasons for the embrace could match, rather than his devout affections for me and my heartache for Angelo.
“You know it's not my birthday anymore, right?” I mumble into his shoulder as the sorrow leaks.
He kisses the top of my head. “Yeah, I know, but I didn't find out until this morning and didn’t want to wait another year to say it.”
Once I reclaim a little energy and persuade my features to hide my anguish, I retract my arms from John, though he holds his in place a moment longer.
I find Patsy waiting patiently for her turn to embrace me. I ignore the exuberant grin plastered across her face. For now, I'll allow her to believe John has a chance with me. Who knows? Maybe he does. When he's not being possessive, he's a true gentleman.
After Alice's explanation of John's behavior, I allowed myself to believe it's somewhat endearing. Maybe it's time for me to accept John's attractions and give in to my own.
Inside the cinema, Patsy sits John between us. I know she’s scheming to play Cupid, though she doesn’t have to. I’ve already decided to do a little initiating of my own.
I shed my jacket and lay it on my lap, along with my winter accessories, and wait for the lights to dim before seeking John's hand. Maybe he’s anticipated my advances, as he rested his arm on the armrest with his palm facing up. For a moment, I contemplate my actions before gliding my fingertips along his skin, interlocking our fingers.
Twisted City: (Twisted City Book 1) Page 20