In Fair Verona

XLII

"Think that maybe we should chat?" Isaac asks. We're both on the floor leaning against my dresser. His leaning on my shoulder.

"About what?" I'm currently reading a book by Henry Miller.

Tropic of Cancer.

He shrugs.

"Stuff."

"Books?"

"Nah."

"School?"

"Nah."

"Hm. A rant?"

"I do have a couple of those but not right now."

He sounds half asleep.

"Auguste."

"No? Why Auguste?"

"Because I hate lying."

"What do you mean?" He lifts his head up and faces me.

"Auguste knows," I say quietly.

"Knows what? What do you mean?"

I turn to face him and stare till he figured it out.

"Oh. Oh. He does...?"

"Yeah."

"What'd he say?"

"Well he really became chatty and had a hundred questions."

"Oh."

I can't read his face. I don't know how he feels about it.

"Well you have a girlfriend."

"Why must you keep switching the subject to that," I snarl.

"Because Casey! I don't think you realize what you're doing. This has gotta stop."

"I—"

Then Auguste opens my door.

"Hey maman said— oh hey," Auguste stands looking at the two of us on the floor.

It's painfully awkward.

"Am I like? Interrupting somet—"

"No," Isaac says, sounding very annoyed. "I've got to go."

He gets up, grabs his bag and walks past Auguste mumbling a goodbye as he does so.

"Uh..." Auguste stays standing in the doorway. "Maybe I'll talk to him. I haven't seen him in a bit."

Then he leaves, shutting the door behind him.

Stupid girlfriend.

Stupid me for getting a girlfriend and being to cowardly to break up with her. Then blaming her for everything.

What would happen if I wasn't dating Penny though? What would happen with Isaac and I?

On the floor my phone starts vibrating so I answer the call.

"Hey," I say.

"Hi." It's Penny.

"What's up?"

"Nothing much. We just haven't chatted in a bit."

"Guess not."

"I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"I was just thinking, why do you live here? Why did you move to live with your dad?"

"I had too."

"Why?"

I shift uncomfortably.

"I had no one to live with."