Barrett

 

I’m doing homework when my light flicks on and off. I look up to see Randy standing in my doorway looking concerned.

“What’s up?”

“P here.”

“What?” I look down at my phone to make sure I haven’t missed a text. Nope, nothing there.

“She’s been crying, B,” he says, looking over his shoulder to make sure she didn’t follow. I don’t allow him time to add anything else, I’m up off the bed and out the door. I find her in the living room pacing back and forth. I lead her to the couch and have her sit, then I kneel in front of her. Randy was right, she has been crying, but she isn’t now. Her face is blotchy and red, and based on her swollen eyes, she’s been crying most of the day.

“Wrong what?”

“Your hand better!” I look down at my hand and realize this is the first time she’s seen me since I got the splint off.

“Yes. Matter not. Happened?”

“Nothing. Stupid, really. Bad day me…”

“You not tell me something. What?”

“Randy, you might as well come in here for this,” she yells over her shoulder and my uncle comes in from the kitchen.

“I had horrible day at work and then a really bad call from my mom. God, I can’t believe this is happening.” She puts her head in her hands for a moment, then glances up, looking embarrassed. “You know I don’t get along with my parents very well, right?” She’s never really said much, but what she has said basically implied as much, so I nod. Randy just looks over at me and shrugs. “Well, my mom has been calling for the last few weeks about coming home for the holidays. Honestly, I really don’t want to go, so I kept making excuses to stay here. Well, Thanksgiving wasn’t hard to get out of because I only have a few days off, and then I have my internship, but she knew I had a few weeks at Christmas, so she expected me to go.”

Between her rambling, trying to talk and sign at the same time, and wiping her tears every few minutes, I’m really struggling to figure out what she is saying, but Randy seems to be listening intently so I figure he can fill me in later.

“I told her I wanted to stay here for Christmas to be with both of you…which I do,” she is quick to add, then she looks down for a minute and into my eyes. “I know it’s your first Christmas without your brother, I wanted to be here in case you needed me.” I squeeze my eyes tight for a moment. I hadn’t even thought about the holidays to be honest, the reminder hurts more than I thought.

“That was very thoughtful of you, Presley, but we don’t want to create any problems with your parents. Barrett and I will understand if you have to go.” Randy looks at me and I nod.

“I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just going to come out with it. I explained to my mom, and instead of her understanding…well, she kinda booked us first class tickets and is expecting us to go to Hartford for Christmas. All of us.” Randy looks taken aback, and I know I’m missing too much of this.

“Wait.” I turn to Randy. “Explain please.”

“P want stay here Christmas. P mom want her go home Christmas. P say want stay with us. P mom buy ticket for three us fly H A R T F O R D.” Wow, I’m not even sure how to process this, but apparently I’m not the only one, so I take a minute to rein everything in.

“First,” I tick off on my fingers. “Wonderful job explain, R. Second, I need think.” I sit down next to Presley and run it over in my head. Part of me is relieved at the idea of not being here for Christmas. It just would not be the same without Codi. This way I might be able to escape some of those memories. Also, don’t know how they will hit me, and the last thing I want to do is have a breakdown in front of her family. I have been curious about her family and where she comes from, and I’ve never flown before, much less first class. I look over at Randy.

“What think you?” He rubs his chin for a minute.

“I’m with you. You go, I go. You stay, I stay.” I wasn’t expecting any less from him, so I toss him a smile, then look over at Presley.

“You want us go?” She laughs without humor.

“No, don’t want you go. Don’t want go me. My family…not nice. Rich S N O B S.” I place my hand on hers, stopping her.

“Not matter. They want you come. Love you enough invite two men don’t know, pay fly us. No family perfect, P. Your family want you. If I one more day with my family, I cherish it. Don’t know when yours gone. We go H A R T F O R D.”

“You’ll go? You want go?” She looks completely confused, and it’s kind of adorable. Randy must think so too, because he chuckles and we both sign “Yes.”

 

 

I didn’t think going to Hartford for Christmas was going to be that big of a deal, but the closer we get to leaving, the more of a mess Presley is becoming. I didn’t think she even had it in her to get worked up, but she has been chewing her nails to the quick, pacing back and forth, and telling me the same things over and over again. To be honest, it’s starting to rub off on me and my nerves are at an all-time high. A girl has never taken me home to meet her parents before. Then again, we haven’t even defined our relationship. She’s in college and I’m only in high school still, so I feel weird asking her to be my girlfriend…I’m not even sure if she’d want to, but we are more than just friends, so it’s a weird ground to tread anyway without adding meeting the parents on top.

We got in a fight yesterday over her wanting to buy Randy and I a bunch of new clothes. I was offended that she was embarrassed by our appearance, but she made up some crap excuse about how cold it is in Hartford and how we will need a winter wardrobe if we go this time of year. I downright refused and told her to make a list of what we needed and I’d get it myself. Now that I’m no longer paying for rent and food and everything, I’m not as desperate financially anymore. The little minx tried to go behind my back and get our sizes from Randy, who had the same reaction I did.

When I caught her sneaking through the clothes in my closet, I told her we weren’t going and she burst into tears. She apologized for being crazy and said the idea of going home just has her tied in knots. I can’t imagine what her parents must be like to cause this reaction in her, but it has my own stomach tied pretty tight. Tears don’t affect me like a lot of guys. I’ve seen my fair share of girls use them to get guys to do what they want, so they usually end up just pissing me off. Randy, however, is affected by tears, which is why we’re standing in the middle of some fancy store being fitted for clothes we could never afford in two lifetimes over. She promised it would just be one outfit for Christmas dinner, and then winter clothes, but I’m pretty sure I could put a down payment on a house with the total cost.

I’m just about to go to bed when my phone vibrates.

Presley: You up?

I ignore it because I don’t feel like dealing with her drama anymore tonight.

Presley: I’m sorry for being a crazy lady. I promise I’ll go back to normal soon.

Presley: Please answer me, I can’t go to bed with you mad.

Presley: Are you seriously ignoring me, Barrett? I know you aren’t asleep yet, your light is still on.

That has me throwing back the covers and looking out the window. I don’t see anything, though.

Barrett: Where are you?

Presley: On your porch.

Barrett: Go home, Presley. I exhausted, can’t fight.

Presley: I won’t stay, but I wanted to drop something off I got for you.

Barrett: Seriously, Presley? I not damn charity case. When you learn I can buy my stuff? Take care myself for years without help!

Presley: You can be such an asshole, Barrett! Geez, I brought you a burrito from the taco truck as an apology. Forget it!

I read and re-read the text about four times. She’s right, I am an asshole. I jump out of bed and open the door to see a small brown bag lying on the porch. I look around and see her jumping in her car. I run over and catch her just before she shuts the door. I grab it to keep her from shutting it and she sends me a glare that has me wanting to step back. She has tears in her eyes, but she’s too mad to let me see them fall.

“Let go.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Idiot you.”

“True. Still can’t hate me, you.”

My statement has her seething, but I can see in her eyes that she knows I’m right. She looks so cute sitting there with fire in her eyes, trying to hate me but failing. She brought me a burrito from a place she refuses to go because she was sorry. I’m not used to people putting me first and it’s a humbling experience.

She tries to yank the door closed but I hold steady. She opens her mouth to yell at me and I’m not sure what comes over me, but I crouch down and kiss her. She squeaks out her surprise, at least I think she squeaked. She could have been yelling for all I know, but she kisses me back. It’s not a soft, sweet kiss like I was expecting. No, she’s still pissed as hell at me. She kisses me back with passion and anger, and when she bites my lip, I unclip her seat belt and haul her out of her car in a second flat. She gasps her surprise when I sit her on top of her cold hood, but doesn’t complain or pull back.

I’ve been almost worried to start anything physical with her because I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to the connection we’ve had so far. As she’s already stated, I’m an idiot, because this kiss has blown our previous connection out of the water. I can tell when her anger fades and can feel her tension melt away. I decide it’s probably a good time to end the kiss before it gets out of hand, and hopefully she’s cooled down enough not to stab me. I break the kiss, but then lean down and place a soft one behind her ear. She yelps and I laugh.

I probably shouldn’t ask and ruin the moment but I just have to know.

“Think about germs you?” I can tell before she even opens her mouth what the answer is. The shock and realization in her eyes has me trying to hold back my laughter.

“I am now, thanks.” I can’t help the chuckle that escapes. She playfully hits my arm and then her face softens.

“Sorry, crazy me.”

“Sorry, ass me.” She smiles at my response. “You buy me germ burrito.” That has her full on laughing.

“Don’t come crying when you get H E P A T I T I S.” Now I’m the one that’s laughing.

“Thank you.”

“Welcome. You sure not kiss like high school boy.”

I just wiggle my eyebrows at her and help her down off her car.

“Kiss wrong boys. Told you.”

“You good man B. Thank you go home with me.”

“Welcome. Now leave before drag you inside.” I’m only half joking, but I give her a kiss on the forehead and hold open her door for her. I watch as she drives down the street and disappears. I almost forgot about my burrito until I nearly step on it. I pick it up and take it inside to warm it. What a way to end the night. If all our fights end like this, it might just be worth it.