Our Little.... "Brady Bunch"

This isn't so easy...

This isn’t so easy...

    When I wake up I hear the others moving around downstairs.

    I shut my eyes and roll over with a groan, picking up my phone in the process, finding that I have two missed calls..

      “Hey Kris, just wanted to call and see if you were okay, you have me worried…”

      I pause and then listen to the second one.

      “Hey… don’t really know what that voicemail was about… something about purple flying monkey’s? Are you okay?”

      Purple flying monkey’s? I get dressed in jeans and a white blouse before grabbing my wallet and purse and heading downstairs.

      “Where are you going?” Alex asks me.

      “To get a job.” I tell him as I walk by.

      “Why do you need a job?”

      “So I can stay away from here.” I tell him and slam the door.

z         

      When I come back I have two jobs, one waitressing in a coffee shop in the day from 6am-1pm and then one in a gas station from 2pm-1am. I start tomorrow.

      I stopped by the library and got me my own books to read on my free time, that’s where I am now, in my room, door locked, on my bed reading.

      They come and knock on the door but I ignore them and continue to read, finally Alex comes and slides his credit card through the door and comes to sit on my bed. No others follow.

      “Did you get anything?” he asks.

      “Yep, waitressing from 6am-1pm and then gas station clerk from 2pm-1am.” I tell him.

      “That’s a lot of work.”

      “It will keep my busy.” I tell him.

      He nods silently and then gestures to my book. “Watcha reading?” he asks.

      I lift the cover so he can read it and he nods.

      “Good book.”

      “Yepp.”

      He gets up from the bed and walks to the door.

      “I’m really sorry about what happened the other day.”

      “I’m not.”

z         

      As I walk out of the restaurant after my first day I sigh heavily and walk quickly to my car. I have one hour to get ready for my other job and I hurry and drive home. I get ready and walk out into the hall and linger by Cole’s door.

      “O, Kristen… your home….” Peter says.

      “Yea..?”

      “I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.” he tells me.

      “Why?”

      “Well, maybe you should see.” He says while he opens the door and throws it open to reveal Cole and a girl on his bed, in the middle of a steamy make out. My mouth drops open and I hurry away, Cole calling after me. Peter pulls me back and presses my lips to his just as Cole walks out of the room. Anger fills his face and when I stumble back he grabs Peter by the collar and punches him in the face.

      Peter smiles. “It was so worth it. Showing her, kissing her, all sooo worth it.” he says before striding smugly away and I hurry past him and out the door.

z         

            I go to work at the gas station with all this on my mind. I ring up the total and give out receipts but can’t seem to get the image out of my head.

            And trust me, it wasn’t the image I want. When I get home they are all in the living room and I am too tired to do anything but walk past them sluggishly.

      “Hey.” They call and I smile weakly and climb up the stairs. I don’t pick my foot high enough on the last one and I fall backwards down them and land on the wooden floor with a oof!  I lay there a second and then go to get up but arms go around me.

      “I can get her.” Alex says.

            “I got it.” Cole tells me as he lifts me up from the ground.

            “I can walk.” I tell him but find my arms going around his neck and my face snuggling into his neck. What was wrong with me? I just seen him with his girlfriend.

            “I gotcha.” He says into my ear.

            He carries me upstairs and I feel the soft mattress come underneath me.

            “I have to change.” I tell him getting up but he holds up a hand and grabs my pjs from the bottom of my bed and throws them to me. He turns around and I change and fall back onto the bed.

            “You don’t have to do this you know. Its okay that I seen you with your girlfriend. You seen me with Robert.” I tell him as I curl into my ball and he pulls the blankets up over me.

            “It’s not the same anymore.” he says softly.

            “Why?”

            “Never mind. Get some sleep.” He says turning to walk away but I grab his hand and pull him back to me.

            “Why?”

            “Because I don’t have a girlfriend and your taken.” He whispers looking into my eyes, his gaze no longer lazy but wide awake.

            “I didn’t mean to break you guys up..”

            “You didn’t. I did.” He whispers.

            “I’m sorry.” I whisper shutting my eyes.

            “For what?” he asks laughing softly.

            “For being taken.”