“Hey, all I want is a yes or no and you can come in.”
“Let go of my arm, Guy.” I put enough strength into my voice that he blinked and released me. And suddenly he was all smiles.
“I was messing around, Jolene. I told you before you could always come over.” He backed up and gestured for me to enter his apartment. “I’ll even make you breakfast, and I don’t usually do that for girls unless I also bought them dinner.”
I made a face, which made Guy laugh.
“Again, I was kidding.”
“Then maybe you need to watch more comedies because...” I shook my head. “Not funny.”
Guy smiled and ducked his head. “I don’t know if I’d call it a comedy, but I did get a screener for Wes Anderson’s latest. Didn’t you say you like his hyper-stylized approach to storytelling?”
I frowned, but not in the slightly offended way I had a second ago. That was exactly what I’d said about Wes Anderson. “You remembered that?”
“Sure.” Guy lifted his gaze to mine. “You have great insight when it comes to films. You impressed me the first time we met, and I’m guessing you’re going to keep impressing me, well, if...” He turned sideways, giving me ample room to walk past him into his apartment.
I bit the inside of my cheek.
Guy held up his hands. “Look, no pressure. I’d love to know what you think of it, but if you’d rather wait, maybe go see it in the theater with...” His eyes flicked toward Adam’s door as his voice trailed off.
My throat went tight. Watching movies with Adam might not be an option anymore.
And Guy was offering me exactly what I’d asked for.
I followed him into his apartment.
Adam:
Hey.
Jolene:
Hey.
Adam:
It’s so weird being here and not seeing you.
Jolene:
I’ve been working so I guess I didn’t think about it.
Adam:
It’ll be weird when you think about it. Trust me.
Jolene:
Okay.
Adam:
How’s the application going so far?
Jolene:
I need to do more work on the film I made you.
Adam:
It’s perfect.
Jolene:
The version I gave you was a rough cut. Trust me.
Adam:
How about the essay? Want me to look at any changes?
Jolene:
You already helped me a lot. I think I’m good with finishing it on my own.
Adam:
What about your letter? That movie critic seemed like kind of a jerk.
Jolene:
That’s basically a defining trait for movie critics.
Adam:
So you’ll try to talk to him?
Jolene:
I already did.
Adam:
You did? When?
Jolene:
Earlier today.
Adam:
And you asked him about writing you a letter?
Jolene:
Yeah, and he was cool about it. He needs to make sure I’m serious, so he wants to test my knowledge of cinema first. Stuff like that.
Adam:
Seriously, he’s giving you homework?
Jolene:
It’s not homework. He wants me to watch movies.
Adam:
Okay, but if he tries to make you watch Citizen Kane, lie and say you already saw it.
Jolene:
Citizen Kane is like the most famous movie ever made.
Adam:
It’s also the dullest. I had to watch it in school once.
Jolene:
I’ll watch whatever he wants. I need that letter.
Adam:
Fine, but I’m not letting you suffer through Citizen Kane alone. I’ll watch it with you.
Jolene:
You’re offering to watch the dullest movie ever made with me?
Adam:
So you have seen it!
Jolene:
When exactly do you plan to watch it with me?
Adam:
Maybe I can climb onto your balcony one night after my dad goes to sleep.
Jolene:
Adam. The balcony is covered in like three inches of ice. You’ll die. I’ll feel bad. And I’ll still have to watch Citizen Kane.
Adam:
It’s not three inches of ice.
Jolene:
Oh yeah? Go look.
Adam:
It’s two inches tops.
Jolene:
And you can insist on that fact the whole time you are screaming and plummeting to your death.
Adam:
I’d risk it for you.
Jolene:
Duly noted, but so far he hasn’t said anything about Citizen Kane.
Adam:
I think I might be able to get away for a little while tomorrow. Maybe an hour.
Jolene:
I really need to keep working on my application, but I’ll let you know.
Adam:
Okay.
Jolene:
Bye.
Adam:
Bye.
Jolene
I dashed out of my apartment early on Sunday morning to avoid having to say anything to Shelly and practically ran into Adam.
“Oof,” he said, his arms coming up around me to balance both of us. “You always come barreling out of your door like that?”
“I guess you wouldn’t know, since you always make me come to you.”
Adam dropped his arms and moved back, his neck going blotchy red.
I made a sound in the back of my throat and my stomach knotted. “I didn’t mean that. I’ve been dealing with Shelly, and... I’m sorry, okay?”
He looked slightly mollified when I mentioned Shelly. He knew that few things could set me off like an interaction with her. But I’d still been way harsher to him than he ever deserved.