Page 67 of Out of Bounds

I frowned, sliding my hand along the side of the drawer. "I need wood glue, Zariah. I don’t have wood glue."

"Ryan, you have things to do. Let's skedaddle," Kassie said. In reality, she was telling me that I needed to get out of her dorm.

Walking back to the wall, I counted the holes and the random, protruding nails. "Miles, have you done drywall before?"

"Yeah."

"Are you free Sunday?"

"Ryan." Kassie stood in front of me and fished out her phone. "Look."

I ignored her, still counting the holes in the wall.

"I have this whole plan for fixing this place," she insisted. "I just got paid, and I had to pay off some credit card bills, but I’m getting paid next Thursday and—"

"Art girl,” I interrupted, “have you used joint compound before?"

"Joint what?"

"How many ice machines have you fixed?"

"None, but—"

"Do you know what you need to buy to repair those drawers?"

A flush crept up her neck. "I—uh—no, but—"

"Thank you. Your help isn’t needed." I stepped away from my stunned girlfriend and spoke into the phone. "Miles, what time can you make it on Sunday? I won’t lie to you. This’ll take a couple of Sundays."

"Cleo has an early-morning meeting," Miles replied.

"Good, I’ll call King. We fixed up his mom’s shed together."

Turning back, I could clearly see Kassie trying to work through this new project of figuring out how to stop me. But that wasn’t happening. They could keep all the art crap, I didn’t care, but the exposed wires, damaged appliances, and fucked-up shit couldn’t hang around any longer. Without a doubt, I knew I was coming back to this dorm. I wouldn’t do it, grimacing the entire time and carefully stepping around to avoid getting electrocuted.

"Do you want to see the shower?" Zariah asked from the counter and Kassie whipped back so fast, her braids flew behind her.

"No, he doesnot."

"Ryan, you need to see the shower."

"You’re dead to me." Kassie scowled at her roommate.

"I’ll get over it. I want the shower fixed."

I glanced between both of the girls. "Whataboutthe shower?"

"Nope." Kassie shook her head. She tossed her sketchbook to the kitchen counter and backed up to the door that led to the only bathroom in their hazard of a living space. "This is where I draw the line."

"What’s in there, art girl?"

"Not a thing. It’s an empty room."

"He wants to do free labor," Zariah huffed. "Let the man!"

"Kassie, what’s wrong with theshower?"

I walked over to the door and pushed it open behind her. There wasn’t even a door handle. Kassie couldn’t hope to keep me out of it. I nudged her aside and stepped into a bathroom filled with art and glitter and stickers, but it was the fucking shower that made my mouth fall open.

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