Page 26 of Escaping Our Reality

“Sounds about right.”

He opens his mouth, but is interrupted by the jarring ring of my cell phone.

Guess his sarcastic but spot-on reply will have to wait.

Chapter 11

CRUTCH

Sighing, she politely excuses herself, turning around to answer her phone. The tension in her shoulders is palpable. Based on that alone, I can already tell I don’t like this Hudson douche.

I shouldn’t eavesdrop on her side of the conversation. So, of course, I do.

“No, Hudson, I’m not coming to the movies tonight.”

…

“That’s not what I said. I said I would come if nothing else came up. Something else came up.”

…

“I’m doing homework. Reading and working on the theme paper.”

…

“I’m not at home.”

…

“I’m not alone.”

…

“Who am I with?”

She halfway turns, watching my movements out of the corner of her eye. Here it comes. The moment when a girl likethislies about being with a guy likeme. It’s part of the reason I never sleep with a girl who actually knows me, knows where I come from, knows who my family is. It’s easier to be with a girl who only knows me as some guy she goes to college with. Some guy she met at the grocery store. Some guy she ran into at the mall, buying jeans.

Then, I can pretend. Pretend I’m someone normal. Pretend I’m some upper-middle-class college student. Worry free and living the young adult dream.

A girl likethisnever has to lie about a guy likethat.

But Lulu isn’t a ‘girl like this’. I knew that the second my eyes cruised over that delicious backside of hers on the deck of my brother’s mobile home. Even though I wanted to pretend she wasn’t any different from the rich girls I typically screw, deep down, I knew she was.

“I’m with a friend, Hudson.”

Her words strike me to my core. Like a bolt of lightning.

Spinning away from me, she whisper-yells into the phone, rage growing with every question she answers. “Yes, a guy. And no, you don’t know him.”

…

“Why in the world do you wanna know his life story? He’s in college. He works at a body shop. He’s nice and kind and interesting. And he’s my friend. That’s all you need to know. And just so you know, I wasn’t even obligated to tell you that.” She sighs loudly. “Now, enjoy the movie. I’ll see you at school on Monday.”

She’s not ashamed of me.

I’m in trouble with this one. I know I am.

“Sorry about that.” Walking over to her backpack, she silences her phone and slides it into her bag. Sitting down, she covers herself with the blanket I put out for her.

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