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The minute we reached the clearing, Casper struggled against the leash until I let him loose and he charged off. The picnic area was pretty crowded this time of day, and beyond the large clearing I could see North Main Street where the main parking lot was. Usually Casper had the good sense to stay close to me, and that gave me enough breadth to really relax while he played with whichever children were willing to give him the time of day. I found a shaded spot near a tree, sat down and pulled my knees to my chest. Days like these made me feel alive, and with the crowd around me enjoying the summer afternoon, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander.
I must have dozed off for quite a while. When I finally opened my eyes, the sun had begun to set and the skies had turned a brilliant orange. Casper was dozing off beside me, and he quickly perked his ears and looked at me when I shifted positions and stretched.
“You were supposed to wake me up,” I told him, ruffling his fur before reattaching the leash. He got up even more reluctantly than I did, and with little protest let me lead him back to the path home. I looked at my watch, cursed and picked up the pace. If I didn’t get a move on, I’d never get any writing done today.
Working at home had become harder and harder, and despite the workstation I had set up for exactly that purpose, I had recently found myself becoming distracted by the smallest things. For the past week, I had begun the routine of writing at a small café near the diner, close enough to pop in if needed, but far enough not to be called upon for every little thing. The only problem was the café had a habit of attracting an evening crowd, especially college students, which meant I never really got anything done anyway.
Looking at my watch again, I realized that if I got moving now, I might only be able to get a couple of hours in.
Better than nothing. You’re never good at tackling work when it’s piled up.
I rushed up the stairs, quickly grabbed
my laptop and headphones, made sure Casper had his food and water, then raced back out.
I bumped into Heath Collins just as I was exiting the complex.
“Whoa, there, missy,” Heath chuckled, catching me before I dropped the one most important piece of technology I owned. “What’s the rush?”
“Sorry,” I mumbled, smiling and embarrassed. “In a bit of a hurry.”
And when it came to Heath Collins, being in a hurry was always the best option. To say I couldn’t stand the guy was an understatement, and the fact that his family owned the apartment building where I was now living made avoiding him even more difficult. Not to mention he was at Garth’s side most of the time anyway. They had been best friends since kindergarten. Thick as thieves, those two. Sometimes I wondered if the next time Garth decided to fuck me in public, if he might bring Heath along with him.
“Where to?” Heath asked, blocking my way.
I smiled at him and tried to keep my tone as polite as possible, a weak attempt at hiding my discomfort towards him. “I’ve got a lot of work to do, and I’m late,” I said quickly. “Sorry again, and thanks for saving my laptop.” I pushed past him, even though he left very little room for me to maneuver, and my thigh accidentally brushed against his crotch.
Oh God, the asshole actually has a boner!
“See you around,” Heath called after me.
I didn’t reply, made straight for my car, and quickly got in. Only after I had pulled out of the parking lot did I let out the shudder I had been keeping in. I cringed at just the thought of Heath using me as his masturbation fantasy.
I made a mental note to talk to Garth about it when I saw him, not that it would do any good.
Chapter 5: Alex
“What do you think?”
Of all the places in the house that had special meaning to me, the attic was on the top of that list. When I had turned thirteen, my parents had finally agreed to let me move into it, and since then it has always been my getaway. I remembered the day my mother died, and how I had spent almost a whole month locked up in here, with my dad leaving me awkwardly made sandwiches at the door. It had been a difficult time for the both of us, and I never really got over it.
Losing Janice a few years after Kelly was born had just made that even worse.
“It’s okay,” Kelly said. “I guess.”
“You guess?” I chuckled. “Sweetheart, this is the best room in the entire house. It’s got everything. Privacy, your own bathroom, and look here.” I pulled up one of the windows and pointed to the large ledge outside. “If you promise not to jump off, this place was great for reading.”
Kelly raised an eyebrow at me.
“Fine, for spending time on your phone,” I said.
“Does the Wifi reach here?” Kelly asked, dumping her backpack on the floor and eyeing the room with scrutiny.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “We’ll have to ask Sam about that.”
“If there’s no internet, I’m moving to another room,” Kelly warned.
I shrugged and shook my head. “Suit yourself,” I said. “Just remember, the bathroom downstairs has no lock, and your grandfather could walk in on you by accident.”
