Veer (Clayton Falls) Read Free Page B

we’ll go by the garage and check on your car.”
    “Sounds good.” I leaned over to hug Molly goodnight.
    “If you need anything, just ask.”
    “Thanks . I’m so tired I’ll probably just collapse.”
    “I bet. Sleep well.”
    I walked upstairs and got washed up in the small hall bathroom. It felt funny to be in the house where Molly grew u p. As close as Molly and I were in college , this was a piece of her I didn’t know much about . She was always a little closed up about her childhood .
    I pulled on my favorite summer PJs , avoiding looking directly at my scars out of habit. There was no reason to upset myself before bed. I’d resisted the urge to check Molly’s front door, but I decided to lock her bedroom door just in case. Satisfied no one could barge in without me knowing, I curled up under the covers of her old twin bed and tried to sleep.
    It was too dark. Weren’t the re any street lights ? I was used to the constant glow of the city . At home, if I left my blinds up even a smidge , I had a readymade night lig ht. I thought about turning on the lamp, but I decided to wait until Molly went to bed so she wouldn’t notice the light shining from under my door. I tried to keep my mind occupied, silently singing the lyrics to a song I’d heard on the radio at least a dozen times on my drive down.
    I heard Molly’s giggles as she came upstairs with Ben awhile later. I waited until I heard their door close before getting out of bed to turn on the lamp. It was only then, when the darkness had been extinguished and I lay awake in the privacy of the illuminated bed room , that I let myself feel the jealous y that had been under the surfac e all evening. I was happy for Molly , I really was—but I knew our friendship as I knew it was over. She had Ben now . S he didn’t need me the way she used to. And because of that, I wasn’t allowed to need her. I’d never felt that way when she’d been with Adam, her college boyfriend and fiancé, but then again , I don’t think he ever really completed her. I tried to push my selfish thoughts from my head and eventually drifted off to sleep.
    ***
    After breakfast, Molly and Ben drove me over to my new place for the summer. The pool house was really just one big room with a queen size d bed, a sitting area with a huge TV, and a small kitchen. A bathroom rounded off the place. The best part was that , being the pool house, it was right next to t he pool.
    “It must have been awesome to grow up with a pool in your backyard.” I looked longingly out the window.
    “You can definitely use it all you want . M y parents will be glad. Most of the time , it just sits unused.” Ben f lipped through a pile of old CD s on the counter. I assumed his brother had left them.
    “That’s awesome. I’d love to swim some laps in the morning.” I was already itchin g to get in the water. I’d been starting my morning in the pool since college. If I couldn’t swim , I’d run , but considering the heat, i t was nice to know I wouldn’t have to resort to it.
    We’d gone by the repair shop to check on my car, but it was going to take at least another day. The guy said something about ordering a part. I didn’t mind waiting, but I hoped it wouldn’t put too much of a dent in my Visa balance . Molly offered to let me borrow her car for work on Monday, and she assured me she didn’t need it. I didn’t doubt her. The Molly I remembered hated driving.
    Molly left after I convinced her I was more than capable of unpacking my own clothes. She was sup posed to meet with some clients, and I didn’t want to get in the way of her small but thriving photography business. Only Molly would quit law school and end up making money as a photographer. In some ways I envied her. I didn’t have a creative bone in my body.
    After putting away the last of my clothes and stowing my suitcases in the closet, I popped in one of the movies I’d brought with me. It was a sunny day out, but it was