"You can look him up."
"Holiday?"
"Christmas, I'm a sucker for the lights."
"Dream car?"
"G-wagon." Damn, I am actually impressed she even knows anything at all about cars.
She rolls her eyes. "So expensive. Don't think my job is going to allow that quite yet." I laugh at her.
"You mean, unemployed and college dropouts don't get those?"
She playfully slaps my arm.
"I have a job, for now." She looks down at her feet, gliding through the sand.
"You could just quit and go to school here or Savannah. I have a place there." Did I just nonchalantly ask her to move in?
She is completely silent. I'm half surprised she hasn't taken off running. I realize I am walking a fine line with her. I know she's been hurt and is still hurting. I don't want her to think I'm going to take advantage of that.
"I could help you find a place, I mean." Backtracking my words.
"That's really nice of you, but why do you care? I'm just some random girl who came to town and just happens to be your neighbor for a couple weeks." She's right. I have no right to interfere with her life. I bury the sickening feeling that stirs in the bottom of my gut when I think about this being temporary.
"I'm not sure. Would you prefer I didn't give a shit?" I bark back at her realizing how hateful that sounds.
"Do you have any more reasonable questions?" She looks back at me.
"What do you want to do when you are all grown up?"
She laughs,"Iamall grown up!"
Hardly, but I won't argue with her on that one.
"You are only a few years older than my brother."
"What is he like?" She stops walking and plops down into the sand.
"He is reckless and stupid. I did the best I could, but he has a big heart." Brutal honesty.
"Sounds a lot like you." She scoffs.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you recklessly showed up at the house uninvited, took a stranger on a date, but cared enough to keep saving me from myself. I'd say you have a pretty big heart." Well, I guess I have been pretty mushy when it comes to her. I suppose my "I don't do relationships" isn’t gonna work with this one, when my brain tells me I’m not worth loving.
I guess I don't respond fast enough.
"I think I'd like to study photography." She lets go of my hand, like she thinks it sounds unrealistic.
"I have always enjoyed taking pictures. Not just of people, of places, of things, just anything. I always thought it would be amazing to travel around the world taking pictures."
My heart feels like it is completely bursting out of my chest at this point. I know why I am so quickly and undeniably attracted to Blake. She reminds me of mom. When I see her so upset, I see mom crying, upset over something dad did. I am drawn to making sure she is ok helping her like I didn't, like Icouldn’thelp mom. I guess that is pretty fucked up.
CHAPTER 16
BLAKELY