Page 6 of Make It Without You

Kamryn: 100% sure. You live next door to James, right?

Me: Yeah.

Kamryn: That’s perfect. Their families usually hang out at James’s family's house anyways.

Me: Okay. Cool.

Kamryn: Pick you up around 530?

Me: Sounds good.

“Mom? Dad? I’m home!”I announce when I walk through the front door. They must be in their office or still at work because the house is dead quiet. I stand in the foyer longer than normal, waiting for any acknowledgment, when I realize that they must be at the office. My stomach growls in protest and I decide to feed myself before getting some homework done before the game.

As I walk towards the kitchen the smell of chocolate fills the air. That can only mean one thing. “Hi, Gloria.”

She pulls a baking sheet out of the oven and places it on the island behind her. “Hi, sweetheart. How has your first week of school been?”

I set my backpack on a barstool and slide onto an empty one next to it. “It was good. Busy. Exhausting. I don’t think I want to go back.” I say only half kidding.

School has only been in for a week and I’m loaded down with homework. They’re mainly worksheets and reading assignments, so I don’t mind that too much.

“Have you made any friends?” Her focus is on removing the chocolate chip cookies from the sheet and onto a cooling rack so she can’t see my smile.

“Yeah. A few.”

“That’s great. I always worry about you.”

Our eyes meet and a mutual look of adoration passes between us. “I know you do. Speaking of...where’s Mom and Dad?”

Gloria looks down in regret. “They had to fly back to New York for the weekend.”

“Oh,” I say, unable to hide my disappointment. “Work stuff. I get it.”

“Did you want me to make you some dinner?” Gloria asks and puts her hand on top of mine in a comforting gesture. It’s a gesture that usually soothes me but instead makes me want to cry.

I blink fast and swallow hard. “Please.”

“Of course, sweetheart.” Gloria busies herself with some dinner while I unpack my backpack to get some homework done. “Do you have plans tonight?”

“Yeah. I’m going to a football game with a friend.”

“A boy?”

She’s not completely wrong. “Not exactly.”

“Does it have something to do with the boy next door?”

Crap! How does she know everything? Even my own parents haven’t pointed that out. But that would also involve them being out of the office or in town when I get home from school. “What? Who? I mean...I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Mm-hmm,” Gloria says. She turns back to making dinner and I swear I see a smile lift her cheeks.

James

Ilike her. As a friend. We barely know each other, but at the same time, I feel like I’ve known her for forever.

It took more effort on my part to break out of my shell just to talk to her. Despite what people may think, I’m a pure introvert. So like I said, it was a lot of work on my part.

But she’s coming to the game tonight. I know this because Kamryn texted me. I think she knows I’m crushing on her.

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