Page 10 of Come Back To Me

I was reading a book on my bed when Maddy popped her head into my room, and grinned with excitement. “We’re going out!”

I looked up, pushing my reading glasses atop my head. “Where?”

“Stella’s,” she replied. My brows knitted into a frown and she clarified, “The local student bar.”

“I think I’m going to give it a skip.”After my first week back, I was still trying to find my feet. “I’m tired.”

Understatement of the century.

Maddy pouted, and dropped onto the side of my bed. She looked all decked out in a tight black dress that cut off mid-thigh, her hair pin straight. “Are you sure? You don’t have to stay all night, just a couple of hours.”

I considered it, knowing it would be good for me to get out, but I was just not feeling it. And if I was honest, interacting with people I was supposed to know but don’t remember wasn’t my idea of a good time. It was frustrating enough bumping into people I was told I’d been friends with, and then having to explain why I had no idea who they were. I didn’t think this would be easy, but I didn’t account for how tiring it would be either.

“I’m going to stay in and read,” I told Maddy, hoping she wouldn’t push it. She’d been amazing this week, helping me navigate campus again, and find my classes, again. And she’d been patient with me without any complaint at all. One of the many reasons I loved my best friend.

“I understand,” she sighed, still looking a little put out. “But you don’t mind if I go without you?”

“Of course not. You’ve been babysitting me all week,” — no lie, she hadn’t left my side — “so I think I can take care of myself for one night.”

“I’ll have my phone with me.” Her expression turned serious. “Call me if you want me to come home.”

I shook my head. “I’ll be fine. Go.” I shoved her lightly with my foot. “Don’t keep Jackson waiting.”

Her forehead creased with a mixture between a scowl and a frown. “I’m not going out with your brother. I haven’t spoken to him since he dropped us off here on Monday.”

“Everything okay between the two of you?”

She rolled her brown eyes, but whatever happened between her and Jackson was bothering her. Maddy might act tough, but underneath it all she was a marshmallow — with a serious soft spot for my brother.

“He’s full of shit, so no, I’m not seeing him tonight. The ice-hockey team are going to be at the bar, and I may or may not have my eye on a hot senior.” She smirked, and all I could do was shake my head in mock dismay.

“You’re playing with fire,” I warned her, a teasing lilt to my voice.

She feigned innocence. “I’m playing the field like any other college girl should be doing.”

“Just be careful, okay?” I hoped she caught my double meaning. I would have hated for her to get hurt because of Jackson. She gave me a nod, and then blew me a kiss goodbye before bouncing all the way out of our apartment. I headed into the kitchen, intent on warming up some food, but then an idea hit me. I grabbed my phone from my room, and called my Dad.

He answered on the second ring. “Hi sweetheart.”

“Hi Daddy. Is this a bad time?”

I heard some shuffling in the background. “Not at all, just doing some paperwork in the office.”

I glanced at the clock on the wall, and pulled a face. “You’re still at the rink?”

“Yeah,” he exhaled, revealing just how tired he was. We’d had many an argument about how it was time for him to cut back on his hours - I think he needed to take care better care of himself — but of course he ignored me. In some ways I got it because it’s all he knew, all he had, and on the other hand I worried that he worked so hard because he was avoiding being alone. Three of my brothers still lived at home, but they had their own lives too and my Dad would rather they be out having fun than sitting at home with him. He never dated anyone after my Mom, although I know there’s been interest from other women, and the thought of him being lonely hurts my heart.

“Can I bring you some dinner?”

“Where’s Maddy?”

“I kicked her out for the night. She’s been my shadow all week, I wanted her to go out and have some fun.”

“And you didn’t want to go with her?”

“Not tonight,” I paused, “have you had dinner?”

My Dad mumbled something about having had a sandwich, and I cut him off. “That’s not enough. I have some home-made pizza’s that I made earlier, I’m bringing some with me.”