Page 18 of The Upside of Falling
“Come on, are you still salty about the other night?”
It’s been two days since the night we went to the party. Wednesday and Thursday were filled with Sheppard family Thanksgiving rituals, long meals, conversations with relatives about the Air Force Academy, and story after story of the many years Stryder’s family spent in the clouds, from his grandpa to his dad, to his uncles.
Unlike Stryder, who’s heard the same stories over and over again, I welcome them. They’re a distant reminder of what I’m striving for every day, the person I want to become.
But because we’ve been so busy, I haven’t spent much time with Stryder. Until now.
“I’m not fucking salty.”
“Really? Could have fooled me. Tell me about the friend you made at Tom’s party.”
“She’s not my friend,” I bite out, lifting up and down, my stomach starting to burn.
“That’s kind of dickish, man. She was just trying to get to know you.”
“And I told her not to waste her time. There’s no point in starting anything up with a girl when I have a few months left at the academy and an undetermined future. You know better than anyone that we have no idea what we’ll be doing after graduation. I don’t want to complicate that.”
“Dude, she’s just a girl. Have a little fun. You don’t have to date her, but you can sure as hell have a good time until we graduate.”
“She’s not that kind of girl.” I sit all the way up and wrap my arms around my legs. Staring at the floor, I say, “She’s the kind of girl that buries herself deep inside your bones, makes you ache for her touch, for the sound of her voice. She’s different, and I knew it the minute I looked her in the eyes.”
Silent, Stryder sips his coffee. “You’re such a damn romantic, man. No wonder all the female cadets are desperate for you to look their way.”
Rolling my eyes, I stand and head toward the bathroom to turn the shower on. “They’re not desperate.” Stryder gives me a pointed look. “Okay, maybe a little.” I inwardly roll my eyes. Stryder knows I avoid those girls as well.I refuse to jeopardize my future.
Chuckling, he turns in his seat, legs hanging over the arm of the chair. “Bowling tonight?”
I put a dollop of toothpaste on my toothbrush and stick my head out of the bathroom door. “So just like that, we’re done fighting?”
“You know I can’t have you mad at me forever, sweetheart.” Stryder holds his heart. “The quicker we can kiss and make up, the better. And for the record, I’m not quite sure why you were mad at me in the first place.”
I spit in the sink. “For taking me to the party.”
“Oh, well get the fuck over it because we’re going bowling tonight. Cosmic bowling.”
“What are we, twelve?”
“Only if we wear white shirts so the black lights reflect off us.”
I rinse my mouth and ask, “Hardie and Joey going to be there?”
“Yeah, of course. Think I just want to date it up with you by myself at cosmic bowling? Come on, dude. I like you, but not that much.”
Leaning past the wall that separates the bathroom from the bedroom, I say, “I’m about to take a shower and you’re still here. You tell me how much you like me.”
Chuckling, Stryder stands. “Fuck off, man.”
* * *
“Why am I the only one who got the clown-looking bowling shoes?” Hardie asks, staring down at his multi-colored bowling shoes sporting hues of red and olive green.
Stryder and I both rented straight black bowling shoes that look more like Vans than anything.
“It’s because you have tiny-ass feet,” Stryder says, slapping Hardie on the back.
“Fuck you, I don’t have tiny feet. We wear the same size shoe, asshole.”
“Oh killer shoes, Bambi,” Joey says, sitting next to Hardie, a giant, teasing smile on her face.
