Finding Amity

Chapter 6

My alarm rang through the room, loud enough to wake up China. I groaned loudly, slamming my hand on my phone trying and failing to shut up the ringing.

"Amityyyyy!" Pippa growled. "TURN THAT SHIT OFF!"

"I'm trying!" I exclaimed in a hoarse voice, opening my eyes to unlock my phone and turn off the alarm.

It was Sunday, the last day I had to prepare before the start of the semester. I had plans for today, a shopping list on my phone awaiting to be slowly checked off. I needed notebooks and pens and pencils and there was a textbook at the university store I needed to buy and Cooper had insisted I buy a UO sweatshirt and take a photo in to commemorate the start of my college career.

As my heart pounded in my head, I wished I could just stay in bed until Monday came.

Alas, Cooper would not let me do so. My ringtone sounded from beside my head and I shot up and out of bed. I answered, barely making a coherent word as I grunted into the mobile.

"Hey, Ames! How was your first taste of college life?"

"Shut up!" I spat back, his peppiness making me want to punch a hole in the wall.

"Jeez! Someone's in a bad mood." He laughed. "Is it your roommate? You can ask to switch if she's really that bad."

"No, no. She's great." I assured him. "I just had a late night."

"Oooh, do we have a party animal on our hands?" Cooper continued. "As long as you were smart. Didn't get drunk or anything, did you?"

"Nothing like that. It was just a start of the year thing and I stayed too late." I don't know why I was lying.

Three standard drinks isn't a lot, plus frat parties are kind of a given when you start college, right?

"Well, I'll let you go. I know you have a lot of shopping to do. Talk to you later."

With that, I hung up the phone and threw it onto my bed. Since we were close to the bathrooms, I could strip and throw on a robe and not have to pass anyone on the way to the showers. I quickly scrubbed at my face, washing off the light makeup that had smudged while I slept, and shampooing my hair.

Once I got back to the room, I blow-dried my hair and dressed in a black sweater and blue denim bermuda shorts.

I knew the bus schedules like the back of my hand. I spent the last week studying them because even though I have a car, I refuse to go for my licence test. So my baby, my red VW beetle, was in Carrie's garage in California, collecting dust and breaking my heart.

The bus pulled up to the nearest mall fifteen minutes later, and I scurried in to try and make this shopping trip as quick as possible. I bought my things and started to beeline for the exit when something caught my eye.

In the store window of a kids toy store, a brightly coloured poster read "Now hiring".

I never needed a job. Carrie took care of everything and last December I turned 18 and had access to my parents life savings. Only, it was to be used strictly for university.

Maybe this would make me feel more like an adult. I've never worked a day in my life. I have plenty of gaps in my timetable. It couldn't hurt.

I sped over to a printing shop and created a resume using a template on one of their computers, printing it out and heading back to the toy shop.

The register was being manned by an acne-ridded boy with a scruffy goatee. I walked up and smiled - he did not reciprocate.

"Hi, I'd like to speak to the manager." I smiled. I hoped this was what you did when applying for a job. The poster didn't have any instructions.

"You got a problem or somethin'?" He drained.

"I'd like to hand in my CV?" I asked.

"CV?"

"The sign in the window says you're hiring." I explained.

"Oh, you mean resume." He nodded. "I'll go get Todd."

He left through a door behind the register. If he could get a job here, surely I qualified. A buff man with kind blue eyes walked out, a smile plastered on his face.

"I'm Todd, welcome to Toy-Land."

"Hi, Todd," I beamed, really laying it on thick here. "My name is Amity. I saw the poster in the window and wanted to give you my resume." I handed him the piece of paper, praying I didn't miss a typo.

"Thank you, we will call you for an interview sometime in the next few weeks. Have a nice day."

"Oh, you too!" I smiled, turning and walking out of the store.

That can't be a good sign. Don't most retail jobs hire on the spot? Thats how my dad claimed he got his first job at a supermarket.

I tried not to let it bother me as I waited at the bus stop.

When I arrived back to my dorm, I walked into Pippa, surrounded by baking paper, a hot glue gun in hand.

"What are you doing?" I asked hesitantly.

"I'm TRYING to make a pair of flip-flops to wear in the shower." She sighed, wiping sweat off of her forehead. "But the stupid hot glue gun spits out the tiniest bit of glue then gives up."

"Forget I asked." I suggested, turning back to my bed. I climbed into the soft covers and relaxed, wishing I could just sleep for a couple days. Something about going to my first party, being reminded of that awkward night with my (for all intents and purposes) brother, and possibly being rejected for a job seemed to have sucked out all my energy.

Not to mention, every time I saw a tall boy in a leather jacket my mind jumped to thoughts about Isaac. I couldn't get it out of my head, the feeling of him looking at me and staring straight through to my core.

I rolled over to Pippa and asked, "Whats up with Isaac?"

"What do you mean?" She questioned quickly, suspicion residing in her voice.

"I don't know. Cruise just seemed to be a bit scared of him."

Cruise was so sunny and confident seemingly an alpha-male, I struggled to understand why he would be nervous around Isaac.

"Oh, he is!" Pippa exclaimed. "Almost every guy in Eugene is. He went to high school with Cruise and I. He got in fights constantly. He's the type of guy who thinks the world is out to get him."

That explains why he was so short with me at the party.

"You seemed to know him pretty well." I noted. "Did you guys ever date or anything?" I asked, trying not to sound to invested in the answer.

"Oh, god no." She laughed. "No, Isaac doesn't date. He fucks around, he leads girls on, he has this line- I've heard him use it a thousand times- "You're asking to get hurt". He says it to any girl that shows interest. Like he can't help himself but break hearts. It's so pathetic."

"Wait, so were you one of the girls?"

"No," She rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid enough for that. He was my neighbour growing up. We took baths together as babies. It's like you and that guy, uh, Cooper. We're practically related, except I hate Isaac." Clearly desperate to change the subject, Pippa turned off the hot glue gun and stood up. "Want to go to dinner? I know this great sushi place nearby."

"Uh, sure. I'll go brush my teeth." I answered before leaving the room.

I couldn't see Isaac as a player. He was mean and rude and socially inept but something about him made me think he was... misunderstood. Cooper always said I tend to see the good in people and ignore the red flags.