About You

CHAPTER TWELVE

"I know, I know. But I really liked him." I tell my sister. She yells at me over the phone about the same breakup things, giving me the same advice, for the millionth time.

"I know. I'll delete the photos... I know, I'll forget about him." I repeat back to her. I even believe her when she tells me it's for the better. It has to be. Right?

"I love you, too," I tell her and finally hang up. A decide now is the perfect time to listen to angry breakup songs so I sit down and start to make myself a playlist. I'm in the middle of a Carrie Underwood hit when I hear Alex banging around in the kitchen. I can only assume she's talking to Jordan because of the way they can laugh and fight in the same breath.

I pause and go out into the kitchen to say hey, and find her on FaceTime with Jordan. They seem to be having a bet about whether or not Alex has certain spices in her kitchen supplies.

"Ha. See, Paisley. Right here."

"Hold it closer so I can see the label, crazy."

"I am! It's not my fault you can't just read it!"

"You're the one who claims to love cooking and never use it! Or cook for that matter!"

"I cook all the time! Just ask Tara." She moves out of the way and I see Jordan on her phone screen. I wave awkwardly.

"What?" I hesitate.

"You've seen me cook, right?"

I stop and think. Have I ever seen her cook since we've been here? Usually I catch Nate doing the dishes for her. But mostly take out containers.

The answer must be written on my face, because Jordan bursts out laughing. "Alex, you are so lying."

She quickly moves in front of the camera and looks at me again. I just mouth Sorry and shrug because I don't know what else to do.

"Well that's because I haven't had time yet. University classes are way more time consuming than just High School classes you know."

Don't Worry About It she mouths back to me and takes her phone back onto her room.

"What about those fancy cooking tools dad got you? Where are those?" I hear Jordan ask and they're at it again.

I sigh and open up the fridge. Standing there for a few moments, I decide to warm up some of my leftovers before going back into my own room.

I make it a point to finish my textbook notes before I let myself panic about this meeting with Evan. I'm refusing to call it a date, so meeting it is. He can be kind of sweet when he's not being a womanizer and high fiving everybody. I don't know what to think.

I brush out my hair and pull on my favourite shirt with flowers on it and throw on my jacket I wear basically every day at this point in the semester, I don't think I'm trying to impress anybody anymore.

My phone chimes, I'm here.
Shit. Do I tell Alex where I'm going? Do I just leave?

I hear her go into the bathroom and close the door. Now or never. I grab my phone and wallet and head downstairs.

....

Apparently here means something different to Evan. Because when I get downstairs, he's nowhere to be found. I pull out my phone at text him back.

Where??

I look around uneasily again. Other residents come and go, but no one that looks like Evan. A couple is making out on the couch in the corner and I cringe. My phone chimes again.