Very Bad Things

She grunted and barreled at me again, looking a lot like those over-the-top wrestlers you see on television. When she made contact this time, I rushed her with my shoulders. She yelled and flailed her arms wildly as we both hit the pool water with a loud splash!

Sebastian was the first person I saw when I came up out of the water.

He scowled but reached in and pulled me out of the pool. Water was dripping everywhere, and I couldn’t help but get him wet as he held me.

“Are you drunk?” he asked me, a frown on his face.

“Most likely,” I sighed, wringing the water from my ruined hairstyle.

“What the hell?” he said, looking upset.

I shivered from the suddenly cool air. “PMS? Which I like to call Psychotic Mood Shift. It sounds scarier.”

He shook his head. “Come on, let’s get you out of here before anything else happens,” he said, taking my hand and leading me back around the side of the house where all the cars were parked. I decided right then to not tell him about Matt. I didn’t know how far Matt would have gone out there, but I didn’t want to create trouble for Sebastian when he was a brand new student and had to play on the football team where Matt was the quarterback.

“What about Mila?” I asked, stopping him so I could take off my wet shoes.

He blew out a breath, like he was fed-up. “Already rounded her up. She’s meeting us at the car.”

I eyed him carefully. “You’re angry. Why?”

“First it was Cuba, then you and Matt, then the fight with Emma! What’s next?” he said.

“So?”

“So! I worry about you. You’re a magnet for trouble. You have been since the day I met you.”

Tears threatened, but I swallowed them down. “Well, don’t worry about me, okay. I live in a twenty million dollar mansion alone!”

He raised his brows, and I felt guilty for yelling at him. He’d come to mean something to me, and I didn’t want to screw that up. “Just be my friend,” I implored. “I only have a few, and I can’t lose you, too.”

“I’ll always be your friend,” he whispered, gently easing me into a hug, like I was fragile. I guess I was. I pressed my nose to his chest and inhaled, hoping he smelled like butterscotch, but he didn’t. And at the thought of Leo, I grew sad, letting our last conversation play back in my head.

I changed the topic. “So how embarrassed should I be? Did I win?” I joked.

He thought about it. “It was slightly comical. I’ve seen worst in a Girls Gone Wild video. But my money was on you,” he said, tweaking my nose.

“Thanks for bailing me out,” I said, as we came upon Mila standing by his car. She was drenched in beer but gave me a sparkling smile.

“You kicked ass, Nora,” she squealed and hopped around, obviously still reeling from the excitement. I didn’t agree with her, but smiled anyway, not wanting to dampen her spirits.

Sebastian tossed her the keys. “You drive. I’m gonna sit back here with Nora,” he said. He opened the back door, let me in and then slid in beside me, our wet clothes sticking to the blue leather interior. Mila started the car and turned up Pink in the CD player as we headed back to Club Vita.

“Leo told me about your list,” he said, picking up my cold hands and rubbing them with his. “And maybe it’s none of my business, but I like you, and I can’t keep my mouth shut about this. I don’t want you to waste your time on loser guys like Cuba or Matt. You’re only going to cause yourself more heartache if you fuck around with them. Save yourself for the one person who will treasure you. And there is someone out there for you, I know it. Someone who will steal your heart and love you right back. Only you.”

I sighed at the thought of someone who would choose me. “You think there’s a guy who will love me?” I smirked at him. “I’ve got some problems, and you’ve only seen the tip of the ice-berg. My crazy goes deep.”

“You’re not crazy; you’re going through some emotional shit. And yes, there is someone out there for you,” he murmured and squeezed my hands.

I scoffed. “You make love sound so easy.”

“When it’s real, it is.”

“Didn’t realize you were such a philosopher.”

“Leo’s young, but he’s a great dad,” he said with a smile.

I nodded. “Okay, let me ask you this: do you believe in love at first sight and soulmates?” I asked, needing another person’s input on what had been brewing in my head since I’d seen Leo at the movies.

“Nah . . . maybe . . . I don’t know. It’s kinda scary to think you only have one person out there who’s your perfect fit. I mean, what if they’re married already or gay or pick their nose in public?”

“Ew, Sebastian!”

“Or, or, wait for it: what if they have a job shoveling elephant dung or what if they’re European and don’t believe in bathing?”

I laughed.

“Or, what if they lived in Antarctica? No way could I live in an igloo. I like my sunshine and Cowboys too much,” he said.

I piped up. “Oh, oh, I got one. What if your soulmate was a Redskins fan?”

Sebastian made a gagging sound and grabbed his chest. “You’re breaking my heart.”

We sat there for a minute, both of us lost in thought, until he said, “Maybe it’s possible. I think my parents had it. What about you?”