I haven’t kept up with too many people from my high school years, but those I have seen, much like myself, look about the same. I never would have recognized Kas from her high school days from her demeanor alone. Yes, she looks different as well, but she’s keeping eye contact, speaking easily, and has an air of confidence that was never present before.
“So, you’re done here?” Kas asks.
“Yeah, I’m heading out.” I still feel shitty for how she took my remark. I’m sure she’s heard it all before. People who go through such a drastic transition probably hear such things all the time, and I don’t want to be that guy—the one who suddenly finds the girl attractive because she’s lost weight and cleared up her acne. “Do you have a ride home?”
“I’m walking,” she says. “The bus stops at the top of the hill. It’s not far.”
“Where do you live?” I ask before I realize how creepy the question sounds. “I mean, if we’re going the same direction, I can walk with you, if you like. Get wet together, at least.” I look away quickly, wondering why I’m suddenly hit with verbal diarrhea, but I don’t have time to psychoanalyze myself right at this moment. “I just mean, it’s kind of nasty out there, and there’s no telling how long the bus will take. We could share an Uber or something.”
“Um…sure.” She glances at the bookshelf and then back to me. “I need a few more minutes though. Is that okay?”
“No problem at all. I’ll wait for you on the bench near the door.”
“Cool. I won’t be long.” She goes back to the books as if I’m no longer there.
I lick my lips and keep her in my peripheral vision as I move out of the aisle between the shelves, focusing on the smooth flesh of her neck and upper arms. I wish I could see more of her skin. I wish I could mark her skin. Yeah, she’d look really good in jute.
I close my eyes and consider willing the thoughts away, but they’re really pleasant thoughts. I let my mind wander a bit more until I start to get hard. I take a cleansing breath and start walking toward the door, pulling out my phone as I go.
I find the Uber app easily enough, but I haven’t used it in forever, and it doesn’t appear to be working.
Outside, a flash of lightning illuminates the parking lot.
“Holy shit!” My eyes bug out as I take a step back.
“What is it?” Kas comes out from between the rows and tilts her head.
“Look outside!”
“It’s too dark. I can’t see anything.”
“Wait for the lightning.”
Mother Nature doesn’t make us wait long.
“Oh my God!” Kas’s eyes go wide. “The whole parking lot is flooded!”
“It has to be a good foot deep out there. Is there a back door?”
“Yes,” Kas says, “but the pond is up to the back of the building. It might not be any better.”
We make our way to the back only to find the water is even higher. The pond has overflowed its banks, and water is seeping in under the door. Another lightning flash illuminates the flooded road.
“Well, you work here, right?” I ask as we walk back to the front door. “Is there another way out?”
“I…I don’t know. I don’t think so.” Kas looks around the room like she’s expecting a secret door to appear. “I think we should call someone.”
“My buddy has a raised Jeep,” I tell her. “It should be able to get through the water. He’s working, but maybe he can escape for a few minutes to rescue us.”
I pull up my contacts and hit Ivan’s phone number. All I get is a weird, buzzing sound.
“Is your phone working?” I ask.
“I think so.” Kas pulls her phone out and looks at the screen. “Well, maybe not. It says ‘no service.’”
“Mine, too.”
“I guess the storm is blocking the signal.” Kas glances toward the windows near the doors. “Maybe the signal is better outside.”