Page 21 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
Her alarm beeped and she sighed. “Time to go.”
“Could I give you my number? That way, if you have some time over the weekend, we can have that coffee. Or if you want someone to shoot pucks or lift weights with. We don’t have to talk. Sometimes it’s nice to be alone together.” Inwardly, I cringed at how desperate I sounded.
“Okay.” She handed me her phone, and I put my number in it, as she did a few stretches.
“If I don’t hear from you this weekend, I’ll see you next week?” I gave back her phone. “I… I’m not hitting on you. Promise. We could be lonely hockey players together during a long summer. We could hit some pucks, see some museums, try some food, and wander the city.”
Did she like country music?
She bit her lower lip. “That sounds fun. I’ve lived here for four years and have barely seen anything. See you later.”
Grabbing her stuff, she left, and I returned to my workout, hoping she’d text me.
Chapter Seven
Gwen
“It’s good, right?” I chewed on my lower lip as the landlord looked over my apartment. I needed every penny of my deposit back.
Thanks to Austin, I had barely anything to move out, just a couple of things I could salvage, some basics the guys had gotten me, and a few items I’d lifted from the campus lost and found.
“It looks good. I’m sorry I couldn't let you stay any longer. You were a good tenant, and I had no idea you didn’t know that he’d given notice. I figured you’d both graduated and were moving,” he told me.
“I appreciate you giving me the time you did.”
As soon as I’d left, Austin had texted the landlord and said we’d be out in a week. Knotwaffle. The landlord found someonealmost immediately and had already signed papers with them by the time I’d reached out.
After we finished the inspection, I grabbed my duffle bag, and a box, then went down the hall.
Mrs. Jenkins opened the door in her usual marabou robe. Today’s was black. “You have a safe place to go?”
“Yeah.”
“Did they catch him?” A cigarette dangled from her red lips.
“Not yet.” The police were basically like, “Um, we can’t find him”.
Austin had disappeared. He’d left the state. None of his friends knew where he was. He was barely searchable online anymore as Austin Blake and I didn’t know his real name.
Honestly, I’d decided that I didn’t need an apology and I could live without an explanation, or the money he owed me, if it meant I’d never see him again.
“Thanks for everything.” I waved. My heart broke and a tear rolled down my cheek as I left the building and walked to the subway station, like I was going to work and not leaving forever.
I hoped Austin’s dad ran a pig farm.
At least he hadn’t stuck me with many utility bills.
However, he’d done something much worse. Something that derailed my whole tentative plan I’d built this week.
I’d been feeling hopeful because the financial aid office and Coach Hirata at NYIT had helped me find a little extra money. One of my NYIT teammates had an open bed in a townhouse a bunch of them rented, too.
Sure, I’d be in a cramped place full of athletes, but it might be doable if I was frugal. I’d have to work my ass off this summer, and I’d have to work a lot during the year. At least my scholarship included a meal plan during the school year, and the team fed us a lot.
Everything looked like it would work out.
Until yesterday, when the business office dropped a bomb that left me bawling.
Austin’s bank had canceledevery single oneof the tuition payments he’d made. I didn’t know he could even do that. Now I owed themeverything.He had to do the one petty thing that would hurt me the most.
