“You are never picking the movie again. That was beyond depressing,” Brit groaned as we exited the theater. She was bundled up in her oversized green army jacket, purple hair tucked under a black wool hat.
“I didn’t pick it. We both did.”
“I only said yes because you had said no to everything else. But seriously… she spends years chasing him around the world only to see him married to someone else and then— she dies!” Brit looked outraged. “People go to the movies to escape reality. That made me want to slit my wrists.”
“Ugh!” I groaned. “I said we could stay in and watch something on Netflix.”
“No, I needed a day away from the sisters. I wanted you all to myself and if that meant watching a movie that defined depression, so be it.”
I stopped and eyed Brit skeptically. “You and David drinking the same Kool-Aid?”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing… He’s just been super attentive lately.” I stopped in front of my white Infiniti and dug through my purse to find my car keys.
Brit giggled. “Since when is having an attentive boyfriend a bad thing?”
“It’s not, I’m just not used to it.” Finding my keys in the corner of my bag, I pulled them out and beeped the car.
“You’re too hard on him. David is amazing, you know how lucky you are.” Brit opened the door and got in to the passenger’s seat. I walked around to the driver’s seat and got in, closing the door behind me. Already I felt warmer.
“I am in no way complaining. Just curious. Like the other night, when you guys played at the Draught, he took off his guitar and sat out three songs just to sit with me.”
Brit did not seem concerned. “I think that’s nice. He knows you’re there to see him, so he took a moment to see you.”
“I guess you’re right, it’s just… he owns that stage.”
“Gee, thanks.” Brit twisted her mouth into a pout. She was the female vocals in David’s band.
“You know what I mean. When he’s playing with his band, he's in his element. So to see him put that to the side, even for a few minutes…”
“I still don’t see that as a reason to be concerned.” Brit’s gaze wandered over to her chipped black nail polish. “Did you ask him what’s up?”
“He insists it’s nothing. I dunno… maybe he realized it’s my last semester, and I'll be moving to New York if I get into Juilliard.”
Brit nodded.
“But, I sort of thought, maybe he’d come with me… Is that being selfish?”
Brit took a deep breath. “I think you need to talk to him. Like really talk.”
“You’re right. I mean, if I am leaving then that gives us over six months to start a game plan, right? And it’s not like New York is that far from Pennsylvania if he chose to stay… We’ll figure it out.”
“You’ll figure it out,” Brit repeated with a nod. She removed her hat and ran her hand through her bright purple hair, giving it a shake, then started staring at the pieces intently, looking for split ends. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she knew something, but even if she did it was clear she didn’t want to talk about it. Instead, I turned on the radio and we both sang Imagine Dragons at the top of our lungs.
Wanting some piece of mind, I called David when I was back in my bedroom.
“Would you believe I was just about to call you?” David said, excitement in his voice.
“Hey, you. What’s going on?” I asked as I balanced the phone between my ear and shoulder so I could change out of my jeans and into a pair of sweats.
“What would you say to a night on the town? Fancy dinner… a little champagne…”
I furrowed my brow. Dinner? Champagne? This really did not sound like David. Why was he suddenly trying to be someone he wasn’t? “It’s Monday,” I said with hesitation. Not that I had an early day tomorrow…
“Who says a couple could only have a nice evening on a Saturday?”
“How about I come over and we rent a movie?” Anything had to be better than the flick Brit and I had watched this afternoon.
He laughed. “You know, most girls would be thrilled at the idea of a night out with their man.”
“I am. You just caught me off guard” I sat on my bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I was a mess. “I just got in from hanging with Brit, and I’m already in sweats and about to toss my hair into a ponytail.”
“Kristen.” He said my name low, his voice like velvet on the other end, and I instinctively pressed the phone closer to my ear. “I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear that blue dress I like.”
“The blue dress?” I only owned one blue dress. Had he lost his mind? “David! That’s a summer dress! No way. It’s January, I’d freeze my ass off.”
“Good, then I can have fun later warming up that little ass I adore. C’mon, amuse me, love.”
At the sound of the word love, I felt every part of me melt. David knew his accent was a weapon against my heart.
“Fine! But no bike! I’m not wearing a foot of fabric and riding on the back of your motorcycle. I’ll drive, and therefore I’ll pick you up.” Damsel in distress my ass.
“If you insist. I’ll be ready at seven. See you later, kitten.”