To See You Again Read Free

become new people on the
other side." I know I sure won't.
    Raven sighs as she collects her hair into a ponytail
at the nape, twists it until it's tight, then releases it to uncoil rapidly across
her shoulders. She plays with her hair like this occasionally when she's
annoyed or frustrated and almost every time she has a problem she can't solve.
I wonder if that's what I am to her—non sequitur, incongruent, immaterial
even—the one person who doesn't fit. Raven likes it when things add up and go
together just as they are supposed to. I shove my hand in my hair and grimace
as the first strip mall comes into view.
    "Well, I think I'm going to go to a few of the
campus bars tonight. You, Mr. Antisocial Grump, can take it or leave it. No
doubt there would be something in it for you, though, if you decided to come
along. Plenty of easy bimbos hang out at the bars."
    Don't I know it .
    Raven loves to tease me about just about
everything, but in this way that doesn't make me feel judged. It's one of about
a million qualities I would list if I ever had the chance to tell her how I
feel. If I ever had the guts to tell her, that is. The past few months I've
curbed my habits significantly, in fact, it's been weeks since I've hooked up
at all, but if her earlier joke is any indication, I don't think she's noticed.
I fake offense to her comment, clutching my chest. "Woman, you wound me."
    She smirks. "Yeah right."
    "I'm capable of going out to the bars, socializing
and not picking up someone, you know," I say more seriously.
    "I think your definition of socialization is a
little different than the rest of the world," she deadpans.
    "And I think your definition of "fun" could use a
revision." I glance over at her, but her expression is serious. She parks her
car near her apartment, where I've been crashing for the past couple of weeks
since my roommate and I got evicted (long story), and turns toward me. Once her
eyes lock with mine it's as though the music in the car just stops, I can hear
nothing except my own heart accelerating as my breath gets caught in my lungs.
    "Collin, look, I know this stuff doesn't mean to
you what it does to me, but I'm a little nostalgic about the crappy bars on
campus and other things I know you deem as lame. That's OK. You don't have to
see things my way, but at least think about coming out with the group of us
tonight. You might shock yourself and have fun. There's so little time left
here." She places her hand on top of mine and smiles a tiny smile. I feel the
gentle pressure of it and I'm suddenly desperate for the comfort her touch
provides. I look away from her and she retracts her hand. This woman has no
idea the effect she has on me. Not a clue. I'm lucky I learned how to hide my
emotions at an early age, because if I had a ‘tell', it would be obvious by
now.
    She reaches into the backseat and grabs her purse
from behind us. "If you have to bed some bambi tonight, that's fine too." She lets
out an exaggerated sigh, resigned to my alleged bad boy ways. "Just go to her place; don't be bringing whatever it is you do to my couch, OK?"
    She pushes her door open and I follow suit. "Raven,
you're talking like I lack any self-control whatsoever. I can withstand a night
at one of the campus bars, and still manage to keep it in my pants. Geez." I'm
starting to feel a little pissed here.
    I shuffle up behind her as she ascends the stairs
to her apartment. What I'm not saying is I'd be happy to hang out with her
tonight, and I could even tolerate her friends, but not her boyfriend, Spencer.
I could easily fold that guy up and throw him in a trashcan. I know it and he
knows it.
    *** *** ***
     
    A few hours later, I'm sitting on the landing
outside of Raven's apartment waiting for the girls to finish getting ready. I
hit the steps as soon as the "primping" began. They all crowd around the
hallway mirror with all their hair junk and makeup. I have a stepsister, I get that
this is normal, but it still annoys me