Page 10 of Walk the Line

“I see. I see. I can do that.” There’s a pause but I know exactly what’s coming. “But when I think about it, a lot of things that are special cost money. And I’m not saying I want you to give me money or anything…but can you give me money, please?”

“What you gonna use it for?”

“The date with Savannah,” he says matter of factly.

“Which will be where?”

“Um…a restaurant.”

“What restaurant?”

“You know, that restaurant.”

“No, I don’t know that restaurant.”

I hear him shuffling around over the phone. “Bro, stop making me sweat, man. I actually am gonna use the money to take Savannah out, I just don’t know where yet. But obviously, when I know exactly how much I’m working with, I’ll know the levels I can take this to.”

“I’m quick to say,” Yeah, the funny thing is I know you have your own money.”

“Nah, I’m still shit at the saving thing, man.”

“You’re not, ‘cause I know dad lectures you about saving money all the time, and you would do it just so you don’t have to hear one of them again.” I try to spend as limited time as possible in my family home, but when I am there, I’m often hearing these conversations between the two of them myself.

“Listen, the last one has to be the last one,” Demetrius says. “I’m starting to save out of spite.”

“Where’s your money, then,” I ask.

“Saved,” he says, before throwing out his customary, “Listen, I’ll pay you back if you want me to.”

“You already know I’m never gonna accept that,” I say and continue with, “And you already knew I was gonna send you money after this call anyway. You just like to act like the idea came from you.”

“This is why it’s not good when people know you.”

“Stop being so predictable and you won’t have to worry about it.”

“You seen Coach yet?” he asks, a familiar curiosity in his tone.

“Don’t think he’s here yet.”

“Hm.”

This time, I’m grateful when the tapping sound from upstairs registers in my ears again.

But that only lasts for a minute.

What the fuck is she doing up there?

She has no business doing anything that’s causing that noise to filter into my room, especially when she knows my room is directly below hers.

I regret having this viewing on a day that was as hot as it was. Everything I encountered that day was in the midst of a very poor attention span courtesy of the heat, which is exactly why I didn’t register quickly enough that I was choosing the room directly below hers.

I tried to put this place out of my mind for the next two weeks and the reality only fully hit me after the awkward conversation we had on the day I moved in which ended in her retreating to her room.

And me hearing every single footstep the took.

And then many other sounds after that.

I didn’t say anything then. Or the day after. Or the week after.