We both say, “Rent an apartment with me!” at the same time, and we dissolve into a fit of giggles. “No way. I’ve been planning on asking you that for weeks now!” Madison exclaims as she takes one of my pillows and playfully hits my head with it.
“Great minds think alike. I’ve been planning to ask you too. So save up this summer, girl. We’re gonna need it.”
“Yeah, rent isn’t cheap around here, that’s for sure. I was looking at two-bedroom apartments, and wow. Even five to ten minutes away from campus were still pricey.”
I shake my head. “Well, it is California. I’ll definitely be driving my car back, though, so if we need to find someplace a little farther out to save on rent money, I’m down for that.”
“Or we could ask a few others to live with us?” Madison claps her hands in excitement.
My stomach turns. I’m not so sure how I feel about living with more than one person. More people means more messes and more drama.
But then again, it could be a much cheaper rent.
“Like who?” I ask.
“Of course, only cool people. We aren’t about to live with strangers! I was thinking maybe Lennox and Everleigh. Or even Maia.”
I feel better now that Madison said no strangers. “Hmm, yeah, maybe it could work. We should talk to them when we meet up for dinner later.”
“Oh my God, our own place! Think about how we could decorate, maybe even get a kitten, have dinner parties…” Madison goes on and on as she jumps up and spins around the room again. She’s clapping her hands together, her face lit up. “Mason is gonna be so jealous.”
I laugh. “Aw, why? He should rent with Asher or something.”
“He needs to live in the dorms for one more year. Athletic scholarship requirements or something.” She makes a teasing face.
“You’re more than ready to ditch dorm living, huh?”
“Are you crazy, Lo? I was ready the second day we lived here!”
We laugh together, and I help Madison finish packing. She’s leaving right after finals tomorrow. It’ll be weird having the room to myself, but I’m also secretly looking forward to the alone time.
A quiet walk on the beach or a coffee and book session at the cafe. Or maybe a hike on one of the many trails Mason and Madison showed me. I should clear my mind and focus on the summer ahead.
Maybe I’ll apply for a job and have an interview scheduled before I even make it home.
Anything to keep me from wondering about the boy living only a few streets over.
ChapterEight
Tyler
I finally found my passion. I should’ve listened to myself a long time ago when I first realized how much I loved it.
Sometimes shit is right in front of your face, and you don’t realize it until something happens that makes you see it.
When I got home, my damn car wouldn’t start. And I’m piss-poor broke, so the only option was to figure shit out for myself. For some reason, my brain can remember stuff unique to different makes and models. Maybe this is where I was supposed to land?
YouTube videos taught me a lot of shit, and the rest was with the help of a local auto shop and lots of Google searches.
As soon as I got my car running again, I enrolled in a technical school for a mechanic program. It didn’t start until January, but I needed money and a job now. I couldn’t stand sitting around the house with nothing to do, especially since it was only November. Luckily, I found a shop willing to take me on as an apprentice. They’d allow me to work part-time when I’m in classes too.
Finally. Something to strive for. A career, a passion, a dream to follow. I can make something of myself and get out of this town. Not that I know where to go. But I’ll figure it out.
My father was home from rehab, arriving a few days after me. But he didn’t look any better. He looked like absolute shit and barely got to work on time. I know he’s struggling, but I just can’t bring myself to care. He barely speaks to me. Hell, he barely looks at me. We’re like two passing ships, strangers who live together, our worlds spinning in different directions.
So I focused on myself. What else could I do?
All of my energy, all of my emotions, my negative thoughts, my discarded feelings. All of it pushed me forward.