Don't Save My Life

Chapter 21

Emmet

I’d never had a chance to ever consider being in Willa’s bedroom. Let alone being in it with five other people. I recognized the Spanish girl Rickie, from around school. She and Willa had been hanging out for the last month, give or take a few weeks. Now Willa and she banished themselves to a lone corner mixing paint that would go on the windowsills.

Veronica was fighting of the multiple attacks of paint as the man she called Todd threatened her with fingers dripping light purple. He seemed to be the messiest one here and that was including Willa’s baby brother who kept dipping his hands in the pain tray and finger-painting the floor tarp.

Maybe I was ignorant in the art, but it was clear he was layering on the flirtation. I immediately recognized the smile that broke on her face that mirrored Willa’s. I would give anything if I could make Willa smile like that every day.

The feeling of an iron fist squeezed at my chest when Payton thrust paint roller into my stomach.

“Here.” He said, all while smiling. “Make yourself useful.”

I was about five seconds from showing him another use for the paint roller when Todd had appeared behind me. I hadn’t notice him migrate over here but now he was right behind me. Everyone was minding their business. Even Payton, who, just to spite me, had gone over with the girls. He hadn’t picked up a single paintbrush, instead he was impersonating someone, drawing giggles from Rickie. I could tell he was trying extra hard to get Willa’s attention, but her gaze was directly on Todd who stood in front of me. It wasn’t a glare, more like she was trying to hear. Maybe, wondering why he was talking to me.

“Hey, don’t I know you?”  He had a friendly young voice. It wasn’t very deep, but not super high pitched either.  It was more soothing to the ear, very calm, but tinged with unrequested authority.

I spoke unintentionally to the glob of liquid in his hair.

“Um, I don’t think so.” I leaned past him to see that Payton had accomplished his goal. He’d taken Willa’s paint brush and held it up high so that she was standing on tip toes to get it back. They were getting way too close to one another.

Todd leaned in my view.

 “No, no.” he squinted, turning his head to the side. In a sudden burst of recollection his snapped his fingers.  “Emmet Waleters right?”

“Um yeah, that’s me.” I answered, too preoccupied to repeat that I didn’t know him. “Excuse me for a moment.”

I pushed past him, my target locked. Payton was face away from me and I took the moment to swipe the paintbrush out of his hand. He spun around.

“Hey dude, what the hell is your problem?” he spat.

“I’m just helping Willa out.” I tried to give that same cocky smirk he was so good at. “Just playing around.”

Willa took the paintbrush from my hands and stepped between the two of us. I couldn’t tell if she noticed the tension, but she did have a way of melting it. If only for a moment.

“Thanks.” She smiled, looking at me then Payton. “How about you paint over here by me.”

I followed her hand motion until I was standing beside her, across from payton again. “You can protect me from the paintbrush thief.” She joked, throwing a playful look towards Payton before turning around and beginning to work on the wall.

Payton glared at me when she could no longer see and I grinned, retrieving my own brush and turning to work. On Willa’s left, Rickie talked to Payton as he threw glances my way every so often.

After a while, the tension between Skateboarder Ken and I faded into an invisible mist. We both knew it was there, but as long as we didn’t try too hard to stare at it in the face- or each other- there was no aggravation. Veronica  and Todd took Theo with them to go pick up a few boxes of pizza to reward us with. It was when they were gone that Willa sighed, retiring her paint roller into the tray and lowering herself to the ground. I sat next to her, doing the same.

                Payton was across the room. There was now a splattered poncho covering his skinny jeans and too small shirt. He wore headphones as he zoned in on what he was doing. Sanding the wood molding that would go at the foot of the walls. He worked intently and it was almost like seeing a whole new person. Give the man a piece of sandpaper and some wood and I was set!

                Meanwhile, Rickie was down the hall, cleaning herself up in the bathroom. After the pizza Payton and my invitation would “expire.” In the words of Willa’s mom. But Rickie was going to spend the night on account of her torturous living environment and the fact that she wouldn’t be able to impregnate Willa. Veronica didn’t bother to keep that little factoid to herself and for once Payton and I shared something in common, even if it was our blushing faces.

                Willa played with one of the pre-ripped strings of her black jeans.

“Tonight has been pretty cool huh?” she spoke to her pants leg, black hair cascading down on one side to cover her face.

 “I had a lot of fun.” I admitted, trying to think about all of the ups aside from the foul mess waiting in my car. “Your mom is really cool.”

She nodded and the smell of her strawberry shampoo bounced upward. “I know. She was never so lively when Dad was around.”

I paused, feeling like I needed to clean my ears. I’d never heard Willa speak about her dad. She was looking up at me now, those vibrant brown eyes confirming it. Since the day I’d first saw her again, I’d never seen those eyes look so alive. It scared me knowing that that tint of death would never fully leave her. That dark part that lurked beneath every smile or laugh, every word she’d say.

Before I could think about it, I’d taken her hand while her fingers were still working at the shredded denim.

I didn’t feel that static zap this time though. Instead, it just felt right. “If you ever need to talk about it, I’m right here.” I said quietly.

To my surprise, she nodded. “Thank you.”

We sat like that for a moment until, watching Payton work with his back to us and his music deafening him to the scene that was us. Finally, I heard Willa sigh and say.

“I think this has been the best night of my life.”

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Note from the author*

Hey guys, I know this chapter is sorta lame. There was actually something I added but I decided to make it a whole new chapter which will be chapter 22. Just a heads up, I'm sorry for the lack of oomph in this one ;( As always, please do not critique on grammar or spelling. This is my first draft and I will go back and fix things eventually.