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“Nope. It’s been quiet.”
We all get out of the vehicle and head upstairs to the apartment. Rylan scopes out the apartment since he’s never spent any time there, then he picks up the boxes.
As the sound of a motorcycle makes the windows shake, we all look at each other. It sounds as if it stops right in front of my building. A few seconds after the rumble of the engine cuts off, then the sound of footsteps on the stairs begins.
“Did someone new move in next door?” Calista asks.
I shake my head, not sure what that racket is all about.
Rylan walks over to the window and looks down at the street. “Smokin’ Harley down there.”
A knock sounds on the door and Calista answers as though it’s still her place. My family is still so protective of me. A familiar-looking man wearing a T-shirt and jeans and tattoos all down his arms stands in the doorway, looking around the apartment as though he’s wondering if he’s in the right place.
Oh my god. It’s him.
“Hey, I’m Carey.” He holds out his hand to Calista. She glances at me for a second. “Are you Brinley?”
She shakes her head and points at me.
He smiles and holds out his hand to me as if we’re strangers. Does he not remember we met only two days ago? If not for my dad pulling me away, I would have given him my number. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“I thought it was Carrie with an i-e?” I say in a small voice.
“People get that wrong all the time. Ends in an e-y actually. Which room is mine?” He spots Rylan across the room and nods at him. “What’s up, man? Carey.”
He nods back. “Rylan.”
“Point the way, and I’ll be out of your hair,” Carey says.
Are we really pretending?
“Um. Just around the corner to the right is your room.”
He smiles and disappears down the hall.
I look at Calista with wide eyes.
“Nice guy. Let’s go.” Rylan comes to stand next to Calista.
Do I want them to leave? Especially when he doesn’t remember me? I doubt this is a twin situation like with my uncles.
“You can’t leave me here. She is a he!” I whisper-shout, admittedly panicking a bit. I figure there’s safety in numbers.
“Actually, he’s always been a he. Sounds like a mix-up with the paperwork,” Calista says, and I stick my tongue out at her. “We can stay a little longer, right, babe?”
Rylan groans. “Fine.” He drops the boxes and goes to sit on the couch.
“What do I do?” I bring my nails to my mouth.
We both look in the direction Carey went.
“I have no idea,” she says.
Ten minutes later and the three of us are still sitting on the couch, pretending to watch television. Well, Rylan probably really is watching the sports channel, but I wait for Carey to walk out of his room.
I have so many questions. First, why did the agency not think it was important to mention that it was a male and not a female who answered the ad? I think most people would assume it was a female when they say the name Carrie. And second, why did he act as if we’re strangers?
I’m not sure why, but I get up and take my wedding pictures out of the drawer I shoved them in and put them back on the shelves. I took them down to stop any questions from my new roommate, but tat boy, or Carey as I now know him, needs to know I’m not available like I suggested the other day.
