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Stuart wasn’t judging me. Just making an observation. It still stung a little.
“Thanks, I think,” I responded with a hint of doubt.
“You’re welcome,” Stuart said, oblivious because Brooklyn was all he could ever concentrate on. His head moved towards her neck again, but she pushed him off.
“Not now, Stuart.” She said, her index finger up in warning. “I will cut you off.”
“No!” He said, his voice full of dread. “I’ll behave. I swear.”
Now that was power, I decided, as I watched them. They were an odd couple, but beautiful together. Brooklyn was no-nonsense and logical, while Stuart was romantic and dreamy. They rubbed off on each other, in a good way, that made them work.
“So, it looks like Kenny is the main contender?” I asked and looked down at the very tiny list.
“Looks like it,” Brooklyn groused.
“Fuck, this is sad.” I put my hands over my face, scrubbed at my tired eyes, and thought of something else. “Who’s asking for the date?”
“You are, who else?” Brooklyn frowned at me with her expressive eyebrows now pulled together. “We can’t ask them for you. That would just seem creepy.”
“Maybe so.” I wasn’t sure I agreed but couldn’t really protest. She was right, I had to ask.
“Fine, do you have Kenny’s number?” We all tended to share numbers when we were in classes together, most of us anyway, and I knew Brooklyn must have his.
“Yeah, here.” She took out her phone and texted me Kenny’s phone number. “Tell me what he says.”
“I’ll do it later. I can’t face it right now.” Just the thought of asking him if he’d like to go out, much less hookup, made my stomach tighten up with dread.
“He’ll say yes, I’m sure he will.” Brooklyn gave me that smile that would light up the darkest places, and for a moment, I felt better.
Amanda had really done her best to make sure I knew I was nothing, and sometimes, I forgot she was wrong. When Brooklyn smiled at me, though, I knew I mattered to someone. There was my mom, of course, but she had to accept me and love me. Brook loved me and respected me because she wanted to.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I threaded my arm through hers and put my head on her shoulder. “You make everything better do you know that?”
“That’s my job, Nic, to make sure you know you’re loved.” She put her head down on mine and took a deep breath. “We found an apartment in Charlotte, by the way.”
“Did you?” I sat back +up before Stuart could start to protest my nearness to his woman and looked at her with surprised happiness. “That’s great.”
“It is, but if you’re taking that job in Atlanta…,” her voice trailed off and she looked out at the dark street in front of our dorm. “Maybe we should look down there. I can work at any hospital, you know?”
“Maybe so, but Charlotte has one of the best pediatric hospitals in the country. That’s your dream job. You take that, Honey, and don’t worry about me. I can always take the bus up to Charlotte on the weekends.”
“I know, but I’d really love it…,” Again, she didn’t finish. She knew the arguments for and against our separate lives after school.
“I’ve got an offer from a firm in Mooresville. It’s not as much money, but it’s a new company and I have the opportunity to grow with them. I’m thinking about taking that instead.”
“That’s great!” Brooklyn’s sadness disappeared, and her smile grew again. “We could meet for dinner, have drinks, and oh, that would be perfect, Nic!”
Her arms went around my neck and I laughed with her. That kind of made my mind up for me. The way her smile came back told me what I needed to do. I mattered to her, and she mattered to me, so I’d take less money to have her smile like that any time.
“It means I’d still be living with my mom for a while, but I can deal with it.” I wanted my own place, but rent in the area was high, whether I looked in Hickory or Mooresville. Or even Charlotte.
“Can you stop interfering with my girlfriend now?” Stuart asked, his voice droll but amused. “It’s my turn to interfere with her.”
I laughed as they drifted back together, something they did automatically. I doubted they even noticed it now. My best friend and the love of her life left after that, back to the small apartment Stuart rented a few blocks away. She’d be back in the morning, so I’d get the dorm to myself. I spent the night tossing and turning, as I tried to pluck up the courage to text Kenny. Alone in the darkness, I couldn’t pretend anymore. Kenny wouldn’t be interested in me, I thought. I’m too boring, in every way.
