Rose Bridges

Twenty six

Romero

When I started going to school here halfway through last here, I never imagined ever letting one of them in my house.

Or one of them wanting to come into my house.

I glance down to Carmen as we walk up to my front door, my hands in my pockets.

And yet here we are.

"Your family won't mind me being here right?" she suddenly asks. "Like I'm not intruding right?" Worry laces her voice.

I want to roll my eyes and somehow hug her at the same time.

Which may sound weird, but it's true. Her consideration for everything is something I didn't even know people could have.

Like when she asked me if she had permission to follow me up the stairs the last time she was at my house.

She just thinks about these such small actions that I wouldn't even think twice about.

It's amusing, but also kinda confusing to see.

I glance to her again as I grab my keys.

She looks so out of place as she stands in such a run down setting while wearing shiny black shoes and pearly earrings.

I try not to slyly smile at the drastic difference.

"I'm not going inside until you answer my question," she stares as the front door opens and I walk inside.

I hold the door open and watch her as she stands there with her arms crossed over her chest and her chin high.

I lift my eyebrow and my mouth goes ajar, giving her an are you serious right now look. She looks back at me with a yes I am indeed serious face.

I roll my eyes amused, but don't respond. Instead I just walk back outside and around her. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I guide her through the door.

She tries to resist but I've already closed the door behind us.

She huffs out a defeated breath and keeps her posture high and tall. "That wasn't very kind of you," she says with sarcastic tone.

"Never claimed to be kind, judge," I respond with equal sarcasm as I skim past her, meeting her eyes.

I hear her follow after me and up the stairs, not asking this time if she can follow me. "I want to be a lawyer, not a judge."

I smirk to myself as I continue down the thin hallway and into my room, dropping my bag on the floor once I get inside.

She stands in front of me as I sit on my bed and staring taking shit out of my backpack.

"A lawyer's job and a judge's job are very different. Lawyers argue a case and judges hear both sides and come to a ruling of their own," she explains seriously.

I squint and look up at her as I pull my notebooks out and toss them onto my desk. "Both work in a court room, no?" I respond with, knowing it'll push a little button.