Page 7 of Just Enough

I laughed. “Can you blame him? You make it obvious you’re trying to get in his pants. The one time I brought you over to his house, you stripped and climbed into his bed.”

“Heyyy, you can’t blame a girl. The question is why have you two not climbed into each other’s bed as close as you two are?”

My response came easy. “Because we’ve never been like that. That’s not us. He’s him and I’m me.”

“I bet it won’t stay that way when you’re living under the same roof!” She was having so much fun with this, I hated to burst her bubble.

“I don’t see him that way. Besides, Benjamin’s not really into sex and girls.” I opened my closet door and started tossing all my clothes onto my bed.

“He had sex with Kelly!”

“Yeah, because she was his girlfriend at the time.”

“Tiffany also said she slept with him.”

I scoffed. “Tiffany’s a liar.” I studied my room. “I have to go. I need to hurry.”

“Call me later.”

“I will.” I hung up.

I didn’t have a suitcase, so I was forced to run back downstairs and get a few black garbage bags. I bagged up some of my clothes, my straightener because my curls were beastly, and all my toiletries. I placed my reading tablet in my purse along with my chargers and adapters. My phone…wallet… I started mentally checking off things I needed while knowing I could leave the rest behind.

I was more worried about calling and letting my boss know I was quitting Crash’s than telling my parents. As I hauled the bags down one at a time to the front door, Dad sat on the recliner sipping on a cold one when he said, “Where ya going?”

“To college with Benjamin,” was my answer.

He replied easily with, “Isn’t he going out of state?”

“Yeah, we are.” I smiled, shaking and suddenly excited at what I was about to do.

“Huh, well, that’s good.”

I rolled my eyes still smiling and walked outside with my first bag. I didn’t tell him I changed my mind, but I’d surprise him after I loaded my things in his truck and sent him a text to walk outside. I had it all planned.

I was lost in my own head, so I didn’t notice Faith until she was right beside me when I lifted the bag up to toss it over into the truck. I came to a pause and met her steely expression as she glanced at me head to toe. Her Korean heritage gave her an amazing complexion. You’d never know she had an nineteen-year-old son. We were about the same height, but while I was full of curves, she was skinny and more put together than I would ever be. “What are you doing?” she asked me.

“Um,” was all I could think to say. Benjamin probably hadn’t told her that he wanted me to go with him.

“Benny’s leaving, what I’m wondering is why you’re tossing a garbage bag over into his truck?” She didn’t wait for me to respond. She smirked, one of pity and ridicule. “Don’t tell me you think you’re going with him?” Her eyes darkened. “Like I’d let that happen. Hanging out with you has ruined his image enough.”

I wish I could have shrunk into my own skin. I wanted nothing more than to end this confrontation and run back inside, but if I did, then she’d know how much she got to me. Truthfully, I already knew how much better her son was than me. She didn’t have to tell me that.

Knowing my face was red and I could do nothing about it, I tightened my grip on the bag and looked down. “I’m going to college with him.”

“I know your type.” She yanked the bag out of my grip, and it was left there between us as she scorned me. “You think you’re going to get him away from me and have him all to yourself where you can get pregnant and tie him down.”

Now I did look up. “Mrs. Helen, Benjamin’s my best friend. It’s never been like that for us. Besides, I’m not whatever you think I am!”

She huffed. “Oh, I know exactly who you are. Staying out all hours of the night and coming home with a different boy every night, making my Benny come get you every time you called!” I didn’t go out every night nor was I with different guys. I had three boyfriends, yes, they’d all been assholes… I guess compared to herBennyI was a bad apple.

I wouldn’t cry. I wouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed. I made mistakes, but I hadn’t dated anyone since Josh last year. I learned.

Still, I kept my eyes lowered for fear of crying.

“Emily!” I had to look up when Benjamin called for me. He was smiling ear to ear as he carried a bag over his shoulder and stepped off the porch. He looked at his mom and me and his smile faltered. “What are you doing out here, Mom?” he asked her.

“Just waiting to watch you leave.”

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