Drunk Dial(5)
“Yeah, well, luckily there’s the bus.”
“Are you ever gonna learn?”
This was a sore spot, something that embarrassed me, and I really didn’t want to talk about it. “I don’t know.”
“It’s only going to be harder the longer you put it off, you know.”
“Yeah, I’m quite aware of that as I’m currently waiting in the rain for the bus.”
“Well, shit, this makes me want to teach you how to fucking drive.”
“No, that won’t be happening. Anyway, I have to go. I—”
“Can I call you later?” he interrupted.
“Why?”
“I feel like we haven’t finished talking about what happened. You know…when you left.”
“You mean when I got kicked out.”
“No, when—”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Clearly, it matters to you if after thirteen years you’re still thinking about it, enough to call me before anyone else in the world when you were drunk. I feel like we need to maybe…clear some things up. How about this? I’ll drunk dial you later.”
I stayed silent as the bus came to a screeching halt in front of me before the doors opened.
Scanning my pass, I said, “You’re gonna get drunk and call me?”
“Sure, why not? An eye for an eye. What time will you be home?”
Grabbing a seat, I asked, “Aren’t drunk dials supposed to be acts of spontaneity?”
“Would you rather me surprise you at an inopportune moment?”
He had a point. At least this way, I would be prepared.
“I’ll be home around eleven my time.”
“Okay…I’ll be calling you.” He snickered. “And I’ll be drunk.”
I laughed as I looked around to see if anyone was observing my giddy behavior. “Okay.”
“Be prepared, Rana.”
Lilith was tapping her foot as she waited on her front porch for me. “You’re late.”
Nothing like getting reprimanded by the kid you’re supposed to be setting a good example for.
“I know. I’m sorry. The bus always goes slower in the rain.”
“Do you need an umbrella?”
“If you have an extra?”
She ran back inside and grabbed me a little, cheap one that I knew wouldn’t last in this wind.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Froyo?”
“I thought you stopped eating sugar.”
She was like a bossy old lady sometimes.
“I did. They have the sugar-free one. That vanilla flavor.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Okay.”
When we arrived at the frozen yogurt place, we each grabbed one of the neon green cups and filled them with as much yogurt and toppings as we could fit. I preferred a mixture of chocolate and nuts while Lilith always went for gummy worms and Cap’n Crunch cereal.
Getting a load of my mountain of candy-covered yogurt, she busted my balls. “Nice sugar-free diet?”
“You got me.” I winked.
We took a seat at the bright, orange-colored table that was slightly sticky from the previous customer.
Lilith and I ate in silence until she finally spoke.
“Why do you come see me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why do you show up every week? My mom says they don’t pay you.”
“It makes me feel good to be around you, makes me feel like I’m contributing to this world by being a role model for you when I didn’t really have one myself growing up.”
“But you seem sad some of the time.”
“Yeah, well, maybe that’s my mood when I arrive sometimes, but I always leave happier after I’ve hung out with you. How about that?”
She reached over and grabbed a piece of Kit Kat from my cup. “Okay. I believe you.”
I finished before she did, so I alternated between watching her eat and looking out the window toward the parking lot. The phone conversation with Landon started to replay in my head, and I must have been smiling to myself when Lilith interrupted my thoughts.
“Earth to Rana. Why are you laughing?”
“I am?”
“Yes. You were just staring out the window and laughing. You looked silly.”
“Well…” I sighed. “Today was kind of a funny day.”
“Why?”
“Someone from the past called me, and he made me laugh.”
“And you were thinking about it just now?”
“Yes.”
“Was he your boyfriend?”
“Definitely not, no.”
“Who, then?”
Hesitating, I had to think about how to sum up Landon for her.
“He’s someone I used to know when I was a little older than you. We’d hang out—kind of like you do with your friend, Jasper.”