Maybe I can carry it all.
Nope. “Son of a–” Things kept falling out of my arms the more I piled on. I’d have to make two trips. “Fuck.”
Someone cleared their throat behind me. I hit my head on the roof of my car and pulled myself out from the backseat. I’d been so absorbed with my task that I hadn’t realized anyone was around…or that my ass was bent over, with my pink and white pajama shorts riding up.
Fantastic.
I turned around, subtly trying to pull my shorts down where they belonged, which was not in my ass crack where they currently were. Gabriel stood behind me, smirking.
My face grew hot. Of all the times to run into him... Awesome. “Sorry, I didn’t know anyone was there.”
He shrugged, the smirk still plastered on his face. “Don’t apologize. It was a great view.”
My face felt like it was about to burst into flames, and I looked away, hoping he couldn’t see. “So, um…how are your classes?”
“Fine. Yours?”
“They’re fine.” I picked up an armful of my stuff, dropping a few bits and pieces. “Crap.”
“Here, let me help.” He reached down and swooped up the rest of my things.
“Oh…thanks.” I shut my door with a swing of my hips and locked it with my key fob. “My dorm’s not too far away, if you don’t mind…”
He shook his head. “Not at all.”
We walked in silence as I tried to think of something to say. I couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t sound lame, so I kept my mouth shut. The seconds ticked by and the tension grew. It was moments away from becoming the most awkward situation ever, when he spoke.
“I, uh… I was gonna call you…”
Aaaand now it was the most awkward situation ever. He just had to mention the elephant in the room, didn’t he? Why couldn’t he be a gentleman and pretend it didn’t happen?
I winced at the reminder that no, he hadn’t called after I’d given him my number. He held my building’s door open for me, and I crossed over to the elevator, holding my elbow out to hit the “up” button.
I looked anywhere but at him. “It’s fine.”
The doors slid open and I brushed past him, sticking out my pinkie to press the button for the third floor. He walked in, the doors closing behind him.
“I really was gonna call. I just wanted to give you a chance to get settled first, that’s all.”
The elevator lurched as we ascended, and the beeping of passing floors filled the glaring silence. It dinged when we reached the third floor.
I took a deep breath as the doors opened. “It’s only been a week, so don’t worry. You didn’t break my heart or anything, I promise.” I glanced at him before walking out.
He jogged to catch up with me. “I wasn’t implying that I did, I just…know how girls can get. They read into things too much, and I didn’t want you to take it personally.”
I laughed. “Trust me, my list of shit that’s gone wrong this week doesn’t include missing a phone call from you, so consider your conscience clear.”
“I– That’s not what–” He fumbled over his words as I awkwardly gripped my doorknob and turned, pushing the door open.
I heard the shower running as I walked in and dropped my stuff on the sofa. Gabriel followed suit and dropped his load next to mine.
“That’s really not–” He shook his head, as if to clear it. “I think we got off on the wrong foot here,” he said as I walked him back to the hallway. “Maybe I can make it up to you over coffee?”
My head rested against the side of the door. “Can’t right now.”
“Some other time, then?”
I faked a smile. “You’ve got my number.”
Chapter Seven
That evening, I decided to do more digging into Emily’s past. It didn’t make sense that she’d actually gone to a human high school, and in Dallas, no less. We had no population in Dallas–or Texas, for that matter. It was too hot for us.
Another search for “Emily Hayes” turned up several profiles on a social networking site. I scrolled down until I saw a profile picture of Emily, and clicked on the link. Laid out before me was a treasure trove of information. Her name, date of birth, hometown, where she went to high school, her current school, her favorite bands, movies, TV shows, her friends, her family, correspondence with her friends and family, and pictures. So many pictures.
I really need to get on this Facebook thing.
The same couple kept popping up in various photos of Emily’s life, growing older as the years progressed. I studied the man and woman, tagged as Sophie and Richard Hayes, and frowned. My eyes scanned the couple once more, noting the tiny red veins in their eyes and the general plainness of their features. They had the same last name as Emily, but there’s no way they could be related. This couple was human.