Page 49 of Anyone But Her

"Cal, I appreciate the gesture but you should stay in Phoenix. I don't have a place for us to stay. I have to be out of here in a few days."

"What do you mean?"

"The house. I can't stay here. I have to be out by Sunday."

"What are you talking about? You live there. Of course you can stay there."

"It's not Albert's house anymore. It's his daughter's. And she doesn't want me living here."

"She told you that?"

"Yeah, when I called to tell her about Albert."

"She seriously kicked you out?"

"She wants to rent the place out until she sells it and apparently I don't meet her standards for a tenant so she wants me out by Sunday."

"That's fucked up."

"Like I said, it's her house now. She can do what she wants."

"Have you ever met this woman?"

"No. She hardly ever came to see Albert and when she did, I wasn't here."

"Have you talked to his son? He's gotta own half the house, right? Maybe he'd let you stay."

"I doubt it. He's just like his sister. They'll both want to make money off the house. They'll try to rent it for as much as they can, which is more than I can afford."

"So what are you going to do? Where are you going to live?"

"I haven't figured that out yet."

"Well, I'm still coming out there. If anything, I can help you move whatever stuff you have. Let me just pack a bag and I'll hit the road."

"What about school?"

"It's done. Finals were last week. Taylor's school isn't out for another week. We're going to pick her up next weekend."

Taylor.I still think about her. More than I should. We haven't talked for weeks but not because I didn't want to. She asked me to stop calling, and at first I didn't listen because I didn't think it's what she really wanted. But then she stopped answering my calls.

I miss talking to her. After spring break we talked every night and sometimes during the day. I was really getting to know her, and like her even more, but then she stopped talking to me. She sent me a text saying she didn't want to continue something that could never go anywhere.

"You still there?" Cal asks.

"Yeah. Sorry. I'm a little out of it right now."

"No problem. I totally get it. I'm gonna let you go so I can get on the road. I'll text when I'm almost there."

"Thanks, Cal. You're a good friend."

"You too, man. See ya soon."

We hang up and my mind goes to Taylor again. I'm tempted to call her and tell her what happened but decide not to. The next time Cal talks to her, he can tell her about Albert.

Taylor asked me to leave her alone and maybe she's right. Cal is one of the few friends I have and he's one of those friends who's there when times are tough. It's hard to find a friend like that and I don't want to risk losing him by dating his sister. But I still wish that I could. My feelings for her haven't changed. If anything, they've gotten stronger.

The rest of the day I spend packing and searching online for apartments but there's nothing around here I could afford. This city is just too expensive. If I had more time I might be able to find something but a few days isn't enough. Couldn't Sandra at least give me a week? I just lost Albert. I need time to grieve before getting kicked out on the street.

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