“What do you mean?” I demanded. “Based on the conversation we just had, we have great chemistry.”
“You’re a firefighter,” Zoey said, and even though I wanted to correct her, I chickened out and didn’t. “And from what I’ve heard, they tend to be public heroes and complete jerks at home.”
“Is that a fair assessment to make?” I asked.
Zoey chuckled. “Probably not… but I just… I don’t know—”
“You need time to think about it?” I asked.
Zoey looked surprised. “You’d give me time to think about it?”
“Of course,” I said. “And if you’re still thinking about me two weeks from now… you can come back here, and we’ll set up a dinner date. How does that sound?”
I could see that she liked the idea. She also seemed to like the idea that I was persistent without being pushy. I was giving her a way out, but I was also making it clear that I was interested.
“Well…”
“Go on,” I said. “What do you have to lose?”
She smiled. “Ok…”
“Let’s shake on it.”
Zoey laughed and extended her hand out to mine.
6
Zoey
“So… how are things going?” Leah asked.
In answer, I let out a long and noisy sigh of frustration.
“Wow… that great huh?”
I missed Leah a lot. She and I had been best friends since primary school, but college had taken us in different directions. Now she was studying IT in Washington State, and I didn’t get to see her as often as I would have liked.
“I told you I was kicked out of my dorm, didn’t I?”
“I got that message,” Leah replied. “Didn’t you explain that you had nothing to do with the party or the pot?”
“I tried,” I said. “But apparently Sandra went in there and swore up and down that I knew everything and that I was involved in every party. I was just trying to palm off the blame by saying I didn’t know about it.”
“What a bitch!” Leah said, in obvious outrage.
“I know… I can’t believe she did that. I honestly didn’t think she would stoop that low,” I said.
“But she got kicked out of the dorms too, right?” Leah asked.
“She did,” I nodded. “But that’s small consolation. She’ll find another place to stay easily enough. She has a dozen different boyfriends to choose from. I, on the other hand, have limited options.”
Leah laughed. “What about your mom’s place?”
“She has a new boyfriend,” I said. “His name is Cliff… and he seems alright for now, but I just feel uncomfortable staying there for too long.”
“Wait… so you’re not staying at you mom’s currently?”
“No, I’m at Seth’s for the moment,” I admitted.