Page 7 of Someone Like You

“Great. Just fill this out and bring it back up when you’re done.” She pushed a clipboard with paperwork over to me, where a blue pen dangled from a dirty piece of string attached to the clip.

“Thanks,” I muttered, grabbing it and turning to find a seat. There were six to choose from, and I sat in the one closest to the door and farthest from her. It was cracked and peeling, and one piece was as hard as wood and poked into my ass.

I filled the paperwork out as the sounds of machinery came from somewhere beyond Bri. I found myself trying to catch glimpses of the mechanic through the small window in the door separating the space, but couldn’t see anything. When I was done, I brought it back up to Bri. She popped her gum at me in thanks. I refrained from flipping her off and sat my ass back down in the least comfortable seat in the world.

An hour later, after I’d played Candy Crush until my eyes started crossing, the door to the back room smacked open.

“The Kia’s done, you can—Isaac.” My name was said with a kind of horrified shock that drifted into wonder at the end.

I looked up, saw Brody, and got to my feet. “No,” I said.

He put his hands up and took a step back. His eyes caught on every piece of me, roaming almost hungrily down my body and over my face. I hated the heat that coursed through me underhis attention. I hated the sudden pulsing of my blood roaring through my veins, hated the way the world seemed to narrow down to just him.

I wished I’d never offered him that money. That I’d never let myself get caught in the web of those eyes.

And still, I found myself looking at his cheek, staring at the four lines that had almost completely vanished. Guilt ate away at the lining of my stomach, like I’d chugged a barrel of acid.

“Hey. Look, I’m just gonna stay right here. Okay?”

Bri seemed entirely disinterested in what was happening around her. She just looked at me, looked at Brody, then ignored us, doing something on her phone.

“I just want to get my car fixed,” I said, and I could hear the pathetic plea in my voice.

“That’s fine. I can do that.” He leaned down to murmur in Bri’s ear, and she grabbed something and handed it to him. “The silver Camry?” I nodded. “What’s wrong with it?”

“I don’t know, it makes a rattling sound when I drive it.”

“Gotcha. I’ll take it for a quick drive and then look under the hood. I’ll let you know if I find anything.” I could see the questions burning behind his eyes, the words he wanted to say but held back. And I could feel my own questions forming, could feel my own words bubbling up from the murky depths, could feel my mouth open as they tried to push their way out?—

Brody was gone, the back door swinging to a slow stop. Bri was staring at me, jaw working as she chewed her gum, eyes gleaming with something that looked a lot like delight.

“Shut up,” I said.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Your eyes did.”

“Eyes don’t talk. Not where I’m from, at least.”Pop. “Where are you from?”

“Your mom,” I shot back, then screwed up my face when I realized what had just come out of my mouth. “Fucking—notyour mom,” I groaned.

“Glad you’re not fucking my mom, Yoda. Because that would be necrophilia.”

“Jesus fuckingChrist!” I cried, staring at her in horror.

“Yeah. That’s probably who she’s fucking.”

“Oh my god. Oh mygod. What iswrongwith you?”

“Dead mom. Lots of issues.” She shrugged.

“Clearly.”

“You’re one to talk. That was some performance, last time you were here.”Smack smack smack.

I stared at Bri, blinked, then went back to my chair by the door. What a weird girl.

“He’s sorry, you know.”

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