Calling California

by J. P. Grider

  7

  Griffin

  "Oh my God, Joe, seriously, she's like so fucking hot, you wouldn't believe it."

  "So hot I wouldn't believe it? I doubt that, rich boy," Joe says from beneath a ninety-seven Honda Accord.

  "Fuck you." I laugh while searching the Internet for replacement rubber fillers for my '69 Hursts Olds 442. "She is."

  "Okay, lover boy, so make a move. You've never had a problem landing a girl. Shit, you have them falling at your feet every day."

  I place the order for the rubber fillers and then start searching for the correct hoses and belts for the air conditioning system. "Well that's just it. I think she has a hang up about money and people with money. I'm not sure I'm her type."

  Joey rolls out from beneath the Honda. "You're everyone's type, and besides, you're not like a regular rich guy. You're just you. I've never seen you flaunt your money or anything." Joey stands and pours himself a cup of two-hour old coffee. "And who the hell wouldn't like a rich guy? Shit, if I were gay, I'd date you!" Joey cracks himself up and sits across the desk from me.

  "I don't know. It's just a vibe I'm getting." Mindlessly tapping the edge of my laptop, I look at Joey. "She never said she didn't like rich guys, but I know she doesn't come from money, and I think she feels bitter about it."

  "Well that's her problem then. You can have any girl you want. You get any girl you want. Why bother with a bitter bitch?"

  "She's not a bitter bitch, Joe." Clicking the buy link for the hoses I need, I enter my credit details and close my laptop. "She's just led a different life than I have."

  "Yeah, like the rest of the world struggling to survive." He kicks his dirty boots up on the desk and gets comfortable.

  "Right. So you should understand her."

  Shaking his head, he says, "Yeah, but I'm not the one who wants to get in her pants."

  "Shut up." Stuffing my laptop in my backpack, I say goodbye to Joey.

  "You're not sticking around the garage today?"

  "Nah. I don't have the parts to finish the engine. But don't worry, soon I'll be here every day. I'm starting on the body soon, so I'll be keeping my baby here."

  "So you'll be taking the old bimmer out now?" Joey asks, referring to my old yellow 2002 BMW.

  "Yup. I think it's jealous I've been cheating on it with the Olds." I laugh, knowing I sound terribly corny.

  "You're sick, Griff." Joey chuckles, then lays down on the creeper. Before rolling back underneath the Honda, he shouts, "See ya later, guy."

  "Later."

  On my way back to the house, my phone chimes. Pressing the speaker button, I answer, "Holly?"

  "Hey, Griff. Busy?"

  "Driving right now. What's up?"

  "Braden, Rose, and I are going to the mall. Wanna come?"

  I roll my eyes, even though she can't see me. "Now why would I want to do that?"

  "Because you love us. And you love being with us."

  "Yeah. Right." I kid, because I really do like being with my friends.

  "C'mon, jerk. We're gonna get something to eat."

  "Then why do we have to go to the mall if you're just getting something to eat?"

  "Because Rose and I want to go to Coach. They have some new fall bags, and we want one."

  Shaking my head, I say, "Why the fuck you need another purse?"

  "Oh, Griffin. You just don't get girls, do you?"

  "Guess not. When you going?" I figure I have nothing better to do until tonight anyway.

  "We'll pick you up in an hour. Will you be home by then?"

  "Yeah. Pulling in the driveway now."

  Shit. Why'd I agree to go to the mall? I hate the mall. Too bad I never got Cali's number. Now that's who I'd rather spend time with today.

  8

  Cali

  "Thanks for waiting for me to get out of work, Tab." I shut the passenger side door of Tabitha's silver Honda Civic and pull my seatbelt on.

  "Don't I always?"

  "Yeah." It's true. Every Saturday afternoon, all summer long, as long as Millicent was able to come take care of my father, Tabitha and I would take a ride down the shore after I got out of work. Or if it was raining, we'd go to the mall. Since today is drizzly, we're going to the mall.

  "So, did that guy you were drooling over come into the bank today?" She messes with the radio station to find a good song.

  "Stop. He's come in once in the two years I've been working there."

  "Yeah, but now that he knows you work there, I bet he'll start coming in. I saw the way he was looking at you in class. Damn, girl. He is hot for you."

  "Stop, Tab. I think he has a girlfriend anyway." I don't want to talk about Griffin. It just reminds me that I probably ruined any chance with him because of how I acted yesterday.

  "What? That blonde chick? I think she likes him, not the other way around. Don’t you like him?"

  "I don't know him."

  "You had coffee with him."

  "Yeah, but...I don't think it went well."

  "Why? Because you got moody? You told me you got sad thinking about your dad. That doesn't mean the date went bad."

  "But he doesn't know I was sad. I just walked out on him. He probably thinks I'm a bitch or something."

  "I doubt that, Cal. You're like the sweetest girl I know."

  I play with the cuticle on my thumb. "I'm not that nice, Tab. You just refuse to see my bad side because you love me."

  "Of course." She laughs. "I'm hungry. You hungry?" She asks, making the turn into the mall parking lot.

  "Yes. I'm always hungry. But maybe we can just grab a burger at McDonald's. I have to pay too many bills this week for my mom."

  "I'll pay," she says in such a nonchalant manner, as if she doesn't know I hate taking hand-outs.

  "Tabitha. No." My voice is stern. She needs to know I'm serious.

  "Geez, Cal. I'm your friend. I don't have much money either, but I don't have the responsibilities you have. My parents aren't making me pay the household bills while I'm paying my student loans."

  I don't want to get defensive. I don't. She's my best friend, and I know what she's trying to say, but still, my family's financial situation is a touchy subject for me. "My parents don't make me pay the bills. We have no choice. My father's disability barely covers the rent and my mother pays everything else with her waitress tips. They don't make enough for me to just live with them for free..."

  "Cali. I know. I didn't mean that, I just meant...oh, shit, Cal. Just forget it. I'm sorry. We'll go get a burger or pizza. Is pizza good?"

  "Yeah. Pizza's better actually." And just like that I'm okay. I can never stay mad at Tabitha. Everyone else though, yeah, that's a different story.

  Walking in through the food court entrance, our first stop is the pizza counter. We both order a slice of pizza and a small lemonade each.

  "So how's your dad doing anyway?" Tabitha asks when we sit down to eat.

  "Not good." I don't want to cry. Not today. So I change the subject and ask her how things are with Tony.

  "They're good. The same. I don't see it getting too serious too soon, but we're having fun."

  "That's what counts, right?" I say before taking a bite of my pizza.

  "I'm so glad the two of you are talking again. It seemed like forever you were mad at him."

  After a sip of my lemonade, I respond to her ridiculous accusation. She's blaming me for Tony and my year-long stand-off? "He lied to me, Tab. He knew that Cory was cheating on me and he said nothing. I remember specifically asking him what Cory was hiding. He said he had no idea."

  "Whoa. I know. I know. I'm just glad it's over and you guys are friends again. Chill, Cal."

  I laugh. Yes, it was ridiculous to hold a grudge against Tony when it was Cory who was cheating behind my back, but I trusted Tony. I considered him one of my best friends, and it hurt me more that he lied than that Cory cheated. But like Tabitha said, it's over. Tony and I worked it out. And now Tony and Tabitha are dating. "You see
ing Tony tonight?"

  "We didn't talk about it. Why, wanna catch a movie or something?"

  "No." I have no money for that. "I was just wondering if you were going out with him tonight?"

  "Probably play it by ear. You have plans?"

  The last bite of my pizza in my mouth, I shake my head instead of speaking.

  "Then let's do something. Even if Tony wants to hang, we'll hang together."

  "We'll see." Standing to get rid of my empty plate and cup, I ask Tabitha, "So where to next?"

  "I want a new candle for my room. Yankee Candle?"

  "Fine with me."

  The aroma inside the Yankee Candle store is delicious. Vanilla sugar cookie mixed with cinnamon, pumpkin, and caramel floats through the air, treating my nose to a sweet treat and prompting me to make a mental note to make some more cookie batter when I get home. "This place is the best," I tell Tabitha as she searches for a candle.

  "Mmm. Smells awesome, doesn't it?"

  After Tabitha leaves with her salted caramel candle, we head toward Victoria Secret so she can buy some lotion.

  "Hey, California!" I hear up ahead.

  Oh my God. It's Griffin. Suddenly I'm nervous as hell. As he saunters toward me, I plaster on a smile, because I'm all too aware that I ran out on him yesterday. "Hi," is my lame attempt at greeting him.

  His smile ignites little pulses of electricity throughout my entire body. "Hey. You doing all right?" he asks, his tone genuine but apprehensive.

  Settling in around him are two girls, one red-head, one auburn, and a tall, dark-haired, muscular guy.

  "So who's this?" The hot-looking guy asks Griffin.

  Without losing eye contact with me, Griffin says, "This here is California." His smile never fades, but his eyes begin to frown. I think he's waiting for something from me. But I'm not sure what.

  Instead of figuring it out, I turn to Tabitha and say, "Tabitha, you remember Griffin, from class." Turning back to Griffin, I say, "Griffin, Tabitha."

  Griffin proceeds to introduce his friends. Rose has the most beautiful red hair I've ever seen, Holly is the auburnish brown-haired girl, and Braden is the guy. They seem friendly enough when they ask if we want to join them for lunch at Red Robin.

  "That sounds fun," Tabitha, always willing to donate her time to having fun, says to them.

  "Uh, no," I say to Tabitha. "Remember, I have to be home."

  From the annoyed look on her face, I know she knows why I am declining their invitation, but I also know she won't give me away. "That's right. I forgot. Maybe next time?"

  "Yeah, sure," one of them says.

  "We're having a party at the house tonight," Griffin tells me, "if you guys wanna come."

  Tabitha looks to me and I shrug.

  "That'd be great," she says, and like a dork, I say nothing.

  My mind is racing with thoughts of running out on Griffin yesterday, thoughts of having no money and really wanting to go to Red Robin with them, and thoughts of how gorgeous Griffin is, that I can't even form a coherent sentence.

  Griffin inches closer to me and speaks quietly. "So will you come tonight? To the party?"

  I really want to. And since I ran out on him yesterday for something stupid, I figure maybe I can rectify that by saying yes. "Yeah. As long as Tabitha wants to."

  "Whether Tabitha comes or not, I'd really love it if you could be there." The smile is back in his eyes.

  Leaning in even closer to him, I whisper in his ear, "Neither of those girls behind you are your girlfriend then?"

  He leans his head back in soft laugher. "No. We're all just friends."

  "Good," I say without thinking, causing myself to blush.

  "Yeah. Good," Griffin repeats. Though his friends are telling him they are in a hurry to eat, by the way Griffin is just looking into my eyes, he apparently is in no hurry at all.

  "C'mon, Griff." Braden nudges Griffin's arm.

  Still staring into my eyes, Griffin sighs. "My address is 469 Van Dyke. Big stone front porch.” He pauses to grace me with a smile.”See ya tonight, California."

  "See ya tonight, Griffin."

  A school girl with her first crush has nothing on the way I'm feeling right now.

  "Wow. I guess he really likes you, Cal," Tabitha points out. "I mean, did you see the way he kept looking at you? He couldn't take his eyes off you."

  The warmth beneath my cheeks grows hotter, and I can't wipe the smile off my face if I tried. "I hope he likes me," I say more to myself than to Tabitha.

  "What are you going to wear?" she asks, picking up one tube of Victoria Secret lotion after another.

  "I don't know. It's a college party. I don't have to get dressed up, do I?" I spray the Party in Paradise sample body mist on my wrist and inhale. "Oh my God, I have to have this. Smell." Poor Tabitha gets my wrist stuck up her nose.

  "Smells like vanilla."

  "And peonies."

  "Then get it. You never buy anything for yourself, Cal. C'mon. Buy yourself something already."

  Spending twelve dollars on something that makes me smell good seems like such a waste of money, but it'd be nice to smell pretty in front of Griffin. It's not like I can afford a new outfit for tonight. Spraying the mist on my wrist again, I decide, yes. Today I will treat myself to something frivolous.

  9

  Griffin

  She walks through the crowd of wall-to-wall people, her eyes wide, her movements uneasy. Disquietude looks good on her. While large dark loops of hair tumble casually down past her shoulders, other curls sit high on her head, exposing the front of her neck and the bones that sit beneath it. With a soft smile on her face, she silently greets evident strangers while her eyes search for someone familiar. Though I could watch her all night, I need to free her from the sea of college students she's never met before and welcome her to my house. Her charcoal eyes stop searching when she sees me, and her nervous smile lifts into a genuine cheekbone to cheekbone grin.

  "Hey, California," I greet her with a kiss to the cheek and a quick tight hug. "Thank you for coming."

  Now her anxiety takes on a different note. She is blushing. "Thanks for inviting me."

  "Want a beer?" I ask, taking her hand and leading her into to the kitchen where it's only a little less crowded.

  "Thanks."

  Popping the lid off her beer, I ask why her friend didn't come.

  "She came," she says at the same time she takes the beer from me. "She just knows so many people that she left me the minute she walked in the door."

  "Nice friend."

  She chuckles, but says, "That's Tabitha. A social butterfly."

  "How does she know everyone but you don't?"

  Cali's dimple deepens with her smirk, "She's a junior. I took two years off, so this is my first year here. My first weekend actually, so..."

  "Why'd you take two years off?"

  Cali takes a long sip of her beer, swallows, then answers. "Had to save up enough money to pay. Financial aid didn't cover everything."

  "I hear ya."

  "Hey, Griff, who's the chick?" Hurley, one of my roommates, knocks into Cali with his whole body, and doesn't even realize it.

  "Lee. Get your drunk ass outta here."

  I take Cali's hand. "You wanna take a walk?"

  "Sure."

  As we head out the back door, Cali trips over the sneakers I left in the middle of the mudroom. “Ooh. You okay?” I ask her.

  She chuckles. “Yeah. I can be a klutz.” She bends over to pick up the sneakers and move them aside. “Wow,” she says, holding up one of my sneakers. “These are those expensive customized Nikes I saw online.” She’s inspecting it from front to back. “These are something like two-hundred dollars.” Cali sets the sneakers in the corner and takes my hand again. “Who the heck would waste their money on that?” she asks rhetorically.

  Thank God, because I don’t have the heart to tell her they’re mine.

  We get outside and continue up the walkway to the front
of the house.

  "Look at those stars," Cali remarks about the midnight blue sky and silvery stars.

  "I’m glad the sky cleared up tonight. It's so clear now. Isn't it beautiful?"

  "Gorgeous," Cali says, still hanging on to my hand.

  "You want to see something breathtaking?"

  Turning her head from the stars to look at me, she says, "Sure."

  "C'mon, I'll show you." I squeeze her hand and lead her down the block, then up the hill.

  "We're going up Tilt Street?"

  "Yeah. You live in this town, have you ever been up to the senior housing at the top of Central?"

  "Oh yeah. Well I'm usually driving down the hill, but yeah, I know where it is."

  "You've never walked up there and stood at the top?"

  She shakes her head and mutters, "No."

  "You gotta see it. It's gorgeous."

  Since the top of the hill is a half-mile up, I decide to find out a little more about the girl who's suddenly captured my heart. "So... Child Psychology. What made you decide to major in that?"

  "I'd love to work with kids who are troubled or sad or maybe need someone to talk to. I have my first psych class Monday morning. I can't wait. What about you? What made you decide you wanted to design cars?"

  "No changing the subject. We're talking about you. So you like to work with troubled children. Very commendable."