Page 4 of Run, Run, Roommates
“I think you need to leave it.”
I press my hands together. “Please. I cannot live with myself if I leave it. I’ll be sleepless tonight, worrying that she’ll call in and report it and then I’ll get fired. You know I cannot lose this job.”
Eva sighs. “If you would sign up for Sugary again, you wouldn’t be so strapped.”
“I know,” I admit. I haven’t told Eva the real reason why I don’t want to get back onto the so-called dating app. “This is my Christmas wish to you.”
That gets a smile out of her. “I thought your Christmas wish was to lose your ‘virginity’?” She even does the air quotes. Eva is the only person in my life who knows that pesky little fact about me, and she’s made it clear that having p-in-v sex is a bigger milestone in my head than it is in real life.
I waggle a finger at her. “That one I do not want your help with.”
“Fine,” she says, and then she holds the large tray out to me. “But you didn’t deny it. We’ll circle back to that later. For now, you hold this. Block the view the best you can.”
“Got it.”
I dutifully follow her out to the table. Eva pulls me close to her, the tray clutched to my other side, and beelines right for the woman.
Quick as a cat when we get there, Eva bends down and snatches up the purse. I’m too busy blocking the view to see if she is able to retrieve the arancini.
“Miss,” she says. “Your purse fell off the back here.” Eva puts the purse right back where she found it.
“Oh. Thank you.”
Eva smiles and makes a show of checking on the rest of the table. We retreat back to the station and Eva holds out her hand. Inside is a mushed rice ball.
Thank you baby Jesus in a manger.
The rest of the night passes in a whirlwind. The holidays are bananas. Even on a Thursday night at midnight, our restaurant is still bustling. I’ve already been tipped hundreds of dollars, and our largest party—the one with the arancini purse lady—hasn’t even left yet.
Now, though, the kitchen is closing up and our manager, Alice, is subtly telling the rowdy group of dentists—and assistants and office staff—that they have to move on.
Eva is counting her cash and checking her receipts so she can close up and leave. I offered to finish with the big table so she can meet her date from Sugary.
The thought makes my stomach dip in an uncomfortable way. But Eva assures me this guy is legit—hasn’t even tried to sleep with her yet.
In fact, she proudly showed off the manicure he paid for before their last date. Next week he’s taking her to some charity event. Tonight they’re meeting for drinks, and she has a change of clothes in her locker.
“Where is he taking you tonight?” I ask.
“Nix’s,” she says. “Wanna come? You could meet us when you get off and I bet my date would pay for your drinks.”
I haven’t even heard of it and assuming some guy would pay for my drinks feels cringy. I only moved to the city about two years ago, and I don’t have the spare money to go out to the kinds of places Eva’s dates take her. Not when every dollar I earn goes to paying off my debt instead of outrageously expensive cocktails since I don’t have a sugar daddy.
“No thanks,” I say quickly. “But I hope you have a great time.”
She sighs, pretending to be put out to tease me. “At least you’re coming to my Christmas party.”
“Yeah, sorry Marco’s not going to come.”
“The grinch who hates Christmas probably isn’t the best person to have at a Christmas party anyway.” Eva’s smile softens it. She likes my roommate, just not this side of him.
“Stop it,” I chide. “His brother died around the holidays. He never mentions his parents, he’s not religious. There are plenty of aspects of Christmas not to like.”
Last year, when we were fairly new roommates, I’d tried to innocently ask Marco what he wanted for Christmas. I was going to get him a gift, but I wasn’t sure what, because what do you get the guy who has everything?
He’d looked me dead in the eye and said he doesn’t celebrate because last time he’d had a Christmas tree, his brother was hit by a car carrying it home.
Eva winces. “That’s terrible. But you love Christmas,” Eva says. “And so do I. We’ll just have to enjoy the season without Marco.”
