the apartment across the hall

28

The next morning Brooklyn was headed out the door on her way to school when she found a note at her door.

"Hey Brook,

I had fun yesterday, felt like old times. Have a good day, pay attention in anthropology, drive safe, blah blah.

See you soon - Bri."

She smiled down at the note and tucked it in her pocket as she headed out the door.

The drive to campus was short and filled with rock
music as usual.

She was walking to class alone, feeling engulfed in the beauty of the world, taking notice in the dying leaves on the trees and the clouds in the sky.

Her tranquility was interrupted when Reid spotted her and ran over.

"Hey babe." He slung his arm around her and kissed her.

"Babe?" She gave him a puzzled look with a hint of annoyance.

"Sorry, should I not have?"

Before she could answer, she was cut off by a large guy in a varsity jacket, the epitome of a jock.

"Washington! Is this the chick? Is this where you were all weekend? Nice bro!" He held his hand up to high five Reid.

"Chris read the fucking room." He laughed. "Brooklyn this is one of my roommates Chris."

"Nice to finally meet Washington's piece of ass." Chris said.

Reid playfully shoved him. "Fuck off." He said laughing.

"Catch you later man." Chris jogged away.

"Charming." She said sarcastically as she pushed through the door of her building leaving Reid outside.

She sat through her classes, the more she thought about her interaction with Reid the angrier she felt. When she was finished and on her way home she walked fast, hoping he wouldn't see her.

She thought she was safe when she made it to her car but there was a knock at her window. It was Reid and he was holding something. She rolled down her window.

"Brooklyn."

"What Reid?"

He looked down at a piece of paper and read the words. "I had fun yesterday, felt like old times."

Brooklyn sighed and rested her head on the steering wheel.

"You were with him yesterday? You were with me yesterday! Are you serious Brooklyn?"

"I don't know what to tell you Reid."

"Tell me why you were with him!"

"We had lunch okay! Look I don't even know why I'm explaining myself to you, you're not my boyfriend. I can hang out with whoever I want."

"I know I'm not your boyfriend but I thought we had something going on."

"I have to go." She rolled up her window and pulled out of the parking lot.

"No, I'm talking to you! Brooklyn!" He yelled as she drove away.

Brooklyn went to her apartment and sat her stuff down on the table, then walked over to Brian's apartment and knocked on the door.

"Hey Brook." He smiled as he opened the door.

"Hey Bri, thanks for the note this morning, it was sweet."

"Yeah of course."

"You want to come over?"

"Always." He followed her to her apartment.

They sat down on the couch and began talking about their day, until they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Brooklyn went over to open it and it was Reid.

"Hey, can we talk?" He asked.

"I'm busy."

"Brooklyn please. I'm sorry about this morning. Let's talk about this."

"I don't want to talk." She tried to close the door but Reid stopped it.

"Brooklyn listen to me please. You gotta talk to me."

"She doesn't have to do anything." Brian walked over to the door. "Get outta here blondie, and don't come back."

"Brooklyn?" Reid looked at her.

"You should leave." She said.

"Really? You can't-"

"Leave." Brian cut him off.

"Call me if you need to." Reid said to Brooklyn.

Brian rolled his eyes and shut the door. He turned to Brooklyn and asked, "What happened?"

"He was an asshole this morning. He was all over me, and his jock friend called me his piece of ass. Then he found your note, started getting possessive."

"Fuck, Brook I never want to hear about someone else touching you or talking about you that way. He's lucky I don't go after him and his friend."

"It's okay, I handled it. It's over now, he's out of the picture."

"Good, he better be."

"He's out, you're in."

"Baby I was never out." He smirked.

"No... you weren't."

Brian went in to kiss her. Their lips met, a long overdue reunion.

Brooklyn pulled away and smiled. "I missed that."

"Me too, but you know what I really missed?" He moved his hand down.

"Uh-uh," she protested. "I'm gonna do what I should've done when we first met. If you want me you're gonna have to wait." She smiled.

"You are evil."