Page 52 of Maid in America

He held out a hand.

She shook it reluctantly. “Hi, Barrett.”

“No, dude, you don’t know my name isBarrettyet. We’re starting over.”

She chuckled. “Fine. Hi… there. I’m… Chastity Erikson. And you are?”

“Zeus.” He was serious, expression never wavering.

Chastity chuckled and rolled her eyes. “I guess I deserved that one.”

“It’s fine. Women have every right to be cautious.”

“Yeah, but I feel like most people are good. It’s just the assholes that get the spotlight usually.”

“Hmmm. True.”

There was a long silence between them. Finally, Chastity looked up at him, nervous.

“I’m bipolar,” she blurted.

She had no idea why she’d chosen then to say it. She just suddenly wanted to let him know. To warn him before he got too close.

Barrett just looked at her, stunned that something so deeply personal came out of her, seemingly out of nowhere.

“I mean,” she cleared her throat. “I know you’re being sweet and… you’re trying to spend time with me… and you’re doing these nice things, but before you think that this could be anything, I wanted to let you know.”

“You say that like I’m trying to pressure you into dating.” His tone was gentle. “Or like being bipolar is, like, somehow a deal-breaker.”

“Well,yeah.”

“Itisn’t.” He shrugged. “And for the record, I’m not trying to pressure you into dating. I just… like being around you. You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before.”

She didn’t say a word.

“You’re like this fast, beautiful, unbridled mare, unable to be broken by anyone. You’ve got this spirit that is…”

“Feral?”

“No.” He laughed. “Wild.Free.”

“So you think I’m ahorse?” she joked.

“I meant it as the highest possible compliment.” He stepped toward her, cupping her face in his hands softly, aching to kiss her again. Deeply. Passionately.

He wanted to lay her on the stained carpet and fuck every last ounce of sadness straight out of her gorgeous body.

“You are not a horse. You are Aphrodite… goddess of sex and fake numbers.”

Chastity laughed as a tear dribbled down her cheek. “You don’t have to stick around now that you know. Everyone thinks I’m some kind of ticking time bomb. Who knows. Maybe I am.”

“Give me more credit than that. One of my best friends in high school was bipolar. One of the nicest people I ever met. Sure, he had po-mouth. He was shit with money, and Goddamnwas he impulsive, but he was also the biggest Teddy bear you’d ever meet.”

“Are you guys still friends?” Chastity sniffled, sinking deeper into his cupped hands.

He stroked some rainbow-colored hair from her face, and his smile fell. She could tell from the pain in his expression that the friend in question was no longer alive.

“He would have probably really benefited from medication. Scientists didn’t really know then what they know now. Now, it can be managed. Now, doctors know ahelluvalot more about it.”

---