Page 14 of Bound by Destiny
Hearing her school woes is enjoyable. I never went to college, but never intended to in the first place. It was never in the plan for me. So hearing her problems is fun.
“I’m passing that fucking class with an A if it kills me,” she proclaims. I’m learning that she has a very stubborn streak, reminding me of her father, GT. She seems like a go big or go home type of gal, and I agree. What’s the point of doing something if you don’t go all the way?
Her personality though, seems to have a mix of GT and Angel’s. I’m hoping the best of both of them because GT has a fuck of a temper on him and no one needs to have that carried on. He’s gotten better over the years, but it wasn’t until Deke came home that we saw the most change. Angel just loves everyone. Her heart is so damn big she’d fit the state of Georgia in it if they all became brothers in the club.
“You never know. Maybe you want to teach it to other people sometime,” I say, shoveling a forkful in my mouth. Emery gives methe look. All women have perfected it. I swear, girls are taught it at birth and pull it every chance they get. It’s theare you fucking stupidlook. You know what I’m talking about because you’ve seen it.
“Right. That is not on the top of my to-do list. Getting an A, yes. Forgetting it the moment the class is over—double yes.”
Wiping my mouth, I set the napkin down as she takes a bite. “You’ll get an A. You’re determined.” She smiles at me, and it’s like a burst of light exploding around me.
She looks down at her plate for a moment, suddenly lost in her thoughts. I’m learning that Emery is a thinker, not a reactor. She takes these brief moments to mull over a situation then she’ll say or do what she intends. It’s admirable. Most people just react and suffer whatever consequences come their way. A smart person thinks and weighs the options first.
“I know. Just sucks. It’s like you learn something just so you can forget it. It’s stupid. They should be teaching me things I’ll need to know in life.”
“What like how to clean a gun? Somethin’ tells me you already know how to do that.”
She laughs, covering her mouth that she just stuck a huge bite of food inside. “Yep. Knew that when I was five.”
“No doubt.”
“Whatever. There’s nothing I can do about it except kick its ass and get an A. So that’s what I’ll do.” Tenacious. That’s exactly what Emery is, and I have zero doubt she’ll do it.
“Have you declared a major?”
“Yep, financial management. I love numbers and figuring out budgets. I’ve had a strict one for a very long time. I’ve helped my mom and dad get sorted. For me, it’s fun.”
“Impressive.” I am completely impressed with her chosen profession.
She shrugs. “I’ll be in a job. What about you? What’s going on in your life?”
I chew and swallow before speaking. “Not much. Just club, work, and sleep. Seems to be my routine.”
“What about siblings or parents?”
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t appreciate the prying into my life, asking questions that they have no business asking in the first place. Long ago I learned to close myself off and it’s carried me this far in life. But Emery is different. The way she sets her elbows on the table, leaning in to take in my every word. The way her eyes encourage me to talk. She’s giving me comfort, and I enjoy it.
“I have a sister who’s younger than me, twenty-one.”
She starts to chuckle.
“What?”
“You do realize that I’m twenty-one, right?”
“Didn’t know that exactly, but so what.”
A feeling starts rumbling in my chest, and I wonder where she’s going with this line of questioning.
Her head shakes back and forth as she gets up from the table with her clean plate. “Not a thing. Tell me about your sister.” She says this walking into the kitchen with her back turned to me. It’s almost like she’s hiding something and keeping it locked down by not giving me her full attention. I don’t like that much. I’d rather have her green eyes on me.
I follow her into the kitchen with my plate. She takes it and sticks it into the sink basin.
“She has shit taste in men,” I start and see her shoulders relax just a bit so I continue. “She’s always going for the losers she has to take care of. They don’t have a job, so she feels like she needs to support them. They don’t have a car, she lends them hers. They don’t have a place to stay, so they move in with her. All of it is a crock of shit.”
Emery starts the water and puts some detergent in, then starts to wash the dishes. “Why is that?”
I shrug, grabbing a towel off of the stove and dry as she sets them into the strainer. “No clue. Our folks are still together after thirty-five years. So she shouldn’t have any daddy issues.”
