LOSING IT ALL //HAYLEY PARKER

16

~LOSING IT ALL~

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16| THE APARTMENT COMPLEX
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Guys be serious, Coors light or Budweiser?

I TYPE AND SEND TO THE group chat as I stand impatiently in front of a department store. Jennifer peeps into my phone over my shoulder. "Have they made up their minds yet?" She quips, falling into step beside me.

"Nope." I say, popping the 'p' to show my irritation to the matter. "Worst still, Newt keeps insisting on Amster."

Jennifer whistles softly, then sighs. "One reason why I hate doing the groceries." She explains, folding her arms across her formidable frontage. "Everyone tends to be indecisive."

"Including you." I retort, giving her a side eye. "Cornflakes or Cocoa puff?" She kiss her teeth and groans. "Buy both, problem solved."

I sigh, then take a moment to think about Jennifer's idea. "You know what," I say, stuffing my phone into my Tote bag. "Let's grab whatever interests us, Coors light or Budweiser, cornflakes or cocoa puff."

"All right." She concedes, nudging me triumphantly. Catching my cardigan and pullover reflection in the glass window, I make my way through the bustle of people dispersing along the sidewalk into the grocery store. A tiny bell twinkles merrily over our heads as we pass through the plastered door.

A compact older woman with a lined face, tightly waved gray hair and a ready smile is behind the counter humming softly to herself as she abstractedly counts some bills.

"I'll get a cart." Jennifer informs, stalking away with her hips over a short denim skirt and taller boots sashaying.

Clutching my bag to my chest I wander into the aisle, first grabbing some tampons and an avocado hair shampoo. My phone pings with an incoming message, and I shove my supplies into my armpit and reach into my bag for it.

Where are you?

Mr. Garrison has found a new
apartment for me. I was thinking of
checking it out with you.

Are you busy?
~Dale-fucking-Randall.

"Did I waste time?" Jennifer cackles, wheeling a red cart towards me. "Girl, there's this very hot dude over there, he tried hitting on me, but you know me, I like being direct, sooo, I asked him for his number."

"Good for you." I say, disposing the supplies into the cart, and abstractedly type on my phone.

Jenny and I are getting groceries right now.

But I don't mind coming to check the house
with you. I'll just ask her to get everything
before Mill comes to pick her up.

Where are you?

"Don't tell me you're going to ditch me because of him." Jennifer says accusingly, right after reading the chat.

I put on an innocent smile and stare pleadingly at her. "Just this one time." I cajole. "You know how he is, if he's asking for help, he really needs it."

Jennifer stares warily at me for a bout of time and then extends her hand. "Your ATM card." She deviously requests. I roll my eyes towards heaven and begrudgingly pull it out from my wallet. "Can you be kind enough not to finish my money?" I ask, stressed.

"Mmm, I don't make promises, but I'll try." She returns with an air of insouciance. With a low, resigned sigh, I slip the card into her proffered hand and start towards the exit. "Don't forget to get me some crackers." I say, exiting the store. The tiny bell twinkles overhead, again.

Outside, my phone jingles and Dale's unsmiling face pops up on my sun glinted screen. I quickly pick the call and press the phone to my left ear. "Hey." I say breathlessly, staring at the passing traffic.

"Where'd you say you were?" Dale's sonorous voice booms into my ear, and a troupe of goosebumps involuntarily breaks out across my skin. I swallow hard against my dry throat and quickly reply. "The grocery store. If you're still in school I'll just take a cab there."

"All right, I'll be waiting." And the line clicks off. Waving down a taxi, I tell the driver my destination and plop into the back seat. Indeed, Dale was waiting, cause as the taxi pull up in front of the university building, I see him leaning coolly on his Volkswagen, broad arms crossed, and legs crossed at the ankles. "Thank you." I say, paying off the cab fare and then watching the cab skid off down towards the exit.

"Where's this new place?" I ask, clattering over the cobblestones in my ankle boots towards him. The hem of his printed shirt above a white tee billows against the whistling wind. He squints at me for a second before walling off the Volkswagen.

"Around." He muse, opening the door. "Garrison said it's close enough to campus."

The evening sounds of campus fills the air. Cars occasionally passing, student's voices, and the howling of wind rustling through the trees in the vicinity. The ride is short and quiet, well except for a low podcast playing from the radio. Dale ease up on the curb beside a tall, apartment complex and I'm immediately charmed.

"Wow." I gawp, staring at the grayish blue building flickered with fluorescent lights, and with an impressive architectural flair. "This place will cost you a lot of money." I say truthfully.

"Unfortunately, yes." Dale replies with a nonchalant scoff. I stray my gaze away from the building and suspiciously glance his way. "Are you going to tell me what you parent's do, cause right now you're overly confident."

Dale throws me a fleeting look before pushing open the car door. "I think we should go up now, Mr. Garrison's waiting."

"Yes, of course." I respond sarcastically, gathering my bag and exiting the car.

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