Dancing On Thin Ice // KTH

Chapter 54

"Okay... calm down... everything's fine... I'm fine." Carmela took a deep breath, pushing her hair back and clicked her seatbelt off.

She was parked in front of the address AJ had given her to leave his car at. The secretary had said it was probably his little brother's house. Hmm... that meant she'd have to see Jackson again. But now she knew that he wasn't as much of a gross guy she thought he was. Just stupid.

But he was still like all of the other boys she had affairs with... completely careless of her well-being.

Well...

Except for one boy.

Carmela stepped out of the car with the keys, swinging her bag over her shoulder. She walked stiffly across Jackson's driveway, her dry eyes throbbing inside her head.

Just then, the door of the sand-coloured house swung open and a buff young man with red hair and a small goatee walked out. He looked at Carmela with an alarmed face and rushed down the steps of his porch. Carmela stopped walking as he came up to her, scratching his neck awkwardly.

"Hey." His white teeth stretched into a nervous smile and his eyes darted everywhere but her face.

"Hey." She said, her voice raspy and dry.

"Uh... AJ told me you were coming. Hope the ride went okay."

"It was good. Thanks for the car." She dropped the keys in his hand and began to walk away but his voice sounded behind her.

"Carmela! Uh... I just wanna say, I'm sorry. You know... for--" He said but Carmela continued walking towards the street.

"It's fine. I know." She turned onto the sidewalk, looking for a bus stop. But he called again from his driveway. Ugh, can't you see I'm not in the mood to talk about anything right now?

"Well, can I give you a ride home?" 

"No, I'm gonna take the bus!" She called back and soon he disappeared behind her as she sped up the sidewalk. 

Her heart thudded inside her and she tried to forget about... him and everything that happened on that fucking little field trip. Who knew everything could go so unexpectedly wrong in one day? Now all Carmela wanted to do was go home and lock herself in her room. She didn't even feel like eating Aunt Kass's delicious tamales.

She checked her phone for the bus arrival time and found that she needed to wait 2 hours-- wait... 2 HOURS? WHAT THE HELL, NO! What was she supposed to do for the entire time?

"Shit." Carmela fought back her frustration, peering around the neighborhood.

Her body turned towards Jackson's house and she sighed. Guess she needed a ride after all. It was better than searching for a new bus or standing around for 2 damn hours. And this part of the city was really far from where she lived. She didn't want to call Jerome or Aunt Kass and make them drive all the way out here at 5 in the morning. Whatever.

She dragged herself back to Jackson's property and walked up the steps leading to the black front door. She mentally swore at her life before lifting a tired finger to the doorbell. He didn't answer right away and Carmela stretched her sore neck as she waited.

Then the door swung open and Jackson's confused smile popped up in front of her.

"Hey, what's up? Everything okay?" He asked. Carmela scratched her head and pointed behind her.

"I uh... yeah, I actually do need a ride."  She said, awkwardly shifting her feet.

"Oh! No problem, I got you." He grinned and backed inside his house. After a moment, he came out with the car keys in his hand and shut the front door behind him.