Page 25 of His Heart

“Fuck off,” he said. “I have two more weeks before I have to start cutting weight. I want a fucking pizza. With everything on it.”

I laughed. Charlie was a big guy and when he wanted to, he could out-eat anyone. “Can’t tonight. I’m taking Cami out.”

“You sure that’s a good idea?” he asked.

“Yeah, we haven’t done anything in a while,” I said. “Why?”

“Restaurants, people, germs,” he said.

“You just said we should go get pizza,” I said.

“I’d go get it and bring it back,” he said. “Come on, man, you were just in the hospital.”

“I can’t sit around here all the time,” I said. “I feel pretty good today. And it’s our anniversary. I want to take my girl out.”

Charlie scowled at me. “You’re too fucking stubborn sometimes, you know that, right?”

“I’ll be fine,” I said. “I wash my hands so often people think I have OCD. I’ll bring the stupid hand sanitizer.”

“Is Cami healthy?” he asked. “Because you know if she even has a cold, you can’t be swapping body fluids.”

“For fuck’s sake,” I said.

“I’m just making sure you’re not being stupid.”

I rolled my eyes. “Look, she’s fine. I’m fine. I had a good fucking day and I don’t need you playing nurse all of a sudden.”

He put his hands up, palms out. “Okay, okay. I’m just looking out for you, man.”

“Yeah, I know,” I said, but I was still irritated. “I’m gonna go lie down for an hour before I meet Cami.”

“All right.”

I went to my room and shut the door behind me. He had a point about going out in public. It was always a risk. But I went to classes every day, and I wasn’t about to give that up. I stayed home more than any guy I knew. It wouldn’t kill me to take my girlfriend out to dinner.

Okay, technically it could if I was exposed to something my body couldn’t fight off. But quarantining myself was no way to live. I was young. Maybe not as healthy as I could be, but I still wanted to live my life.

I lay down and texted Cami.

Me: Hey babe. I’ll meet you at 7. Does that still work?

Cami: Can we do earlier? 6?

Me: Sure. What sounds good?

Cami: Whatever is fine.

I rolled my eyes. Cami not having an opinion about where we went to dinner was about as likely as me being healthy enough to wrestle this year.

Me: You sure? We can go anywhere.

Cami: You pick.

Me: K, how about that pizza place?

Cami: You know I hate that place.

Me: You said anywhere.

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