Page 10 (1/1)

I’ve never had my employment thrown back in my face quite like that, and I know I should be offended, but her backlash only er rule her demeanor

"You," I say, and she furrows her brow, her eyes zeroing in on ot Just…you You’re…I don’t know You"

I click twice to unlockfor hers, but soon realize she didn’t drive here She walked And it’s dark outside, the sidewalks empty

"You want a ride home?" I ask

"I have a boyfriend!" She alether with every bit of control I have as I try not to laugh

"Wow," I mouth I can see her start to feel embarrassed "I’m sorry That’s…I know I’veher eyes a little She’s covering, and I’ to let her

"I justanywhere far--alone," I say, pushing the passenger door a little wider

"It’s not far," she says, her face looking off to the side, her lips hanging open, her breath held along with her thoughts "But…a ride would be nice I’h I’ll drop you off," I say, pushing the door all the way open now She slides in, her bag and purse on her lap My car has one of those automatic seatbelts; it’s old, and I’e lets it fold over her before unraveling it froh the closed door s her shoulders; I jog over to ine

"Your seatbelts are stupid," she says, her laain It’s funny that those words come out of the same mouth that speaks perfect Spanish

"So, why do you know Spanish so well?" I ask, doingthe short ride

"My dad speaks it He’s a lawyer, and he’s done a lot of foreign contracts He was learning the language when my sister and I were kids So, for a year, he h school a piece of cake I tested out for full credit here," she says

"That’s so cool I would give anything to have that luxury I think the only thing I could test out of would be wrestling And that’s not going to happen," I say Her eyes widen when I , and I answer the question before she asks "I’ I had a chance…to wrestle in college But, it just wasn’t the right fit I want to focus on co, and sports take up too much time"

Her enthusiasm wilts so fast, I’d swear she punched et her arm out from that pile of stuff in her lap

"You have a sister?" I ask She was already looking out her hen I spoke, but so makes her focus away from me even more

"I do," she says, her voice softer "We’re twins"

"Woins Did you do that thing in grade school where you switch places with each other and trick your teachers?" I ask, and she pulls her things in close to her body, bracing her hand on the door

"It’s right there You can just drop htly-lit brick house, the bushes out front cut in perfect squares, outlining a long, green lawn I sloe approach the front ay She smiles with a closed mouth as she turns to face me "Cass and I are fraternal That wouldn’t work, we’re too…different"

She reaches for the handle, pushing the door open and stepping out quickly She turns on her heels at the curb, her hand stretched out, but barely touching the door

"Thanks for the crash course," I say, realizing the knots in one

"Thanks for all the sandwiches," she says, flingingthe sway of her ass, and even though she was doing her best to insult me just then, she lifted the back of her shirt just now, and she knows exactly whata perv, I push the car into drive and head hohts off before I hit the driveway so I don’t wake up the house I tiptoe inside, turn the locks, and cli from underneath my mother’s door All these years, and she still has to wait up for me to make sure I made it home safely