Page 43 of No Place Like You

“You want some?” I say, low and carefully.

She hesitates.

“I don’t have cooties.”

She rolls her eyes and takes the drink from me. As she takes a sip, Janet makes a choked sound.

“Did you just let her have some of your milkshake?” she asks, her mouth slacked open in shock. “The milkshake I had to pry off your hands to sneaka sip? The same one you wanted hooked to an IV when you were ten?” She turns to Lucy. “I’m sorry I didn’t bring you one. I really didn’t believe that he had a date here. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen him with a girl.”

“Oh, it’s okay,” Lucy says quietly with a shy smile.

“But since this greedy little jerk seems to be in a giving mood,” she teases, “I guess it worked out. He must really like you.”

Lucy smirks, and I roll my eyes. “Sorry,” I whisper, leaning into Lucy a little closer.

“For what?” she whispers back. “I think your sister’s better company than you. At least she doesn’t ogle my naked body like a total pervert.” Her brow shoots up, and her lips purse together, suppressing a cheeky smile.

I respond with a cocky smirk of my own. “I thought we were going to be adults about that.”

“Oh—”

A sharp cough, more like an act of faux throat clearing—like a literal “ahem” sound—interrupts us. It’s then I realize how my body’s inched closer to Lucy, her own body angled to face me with her hips aligned with mine. We aren’t even touching, and I can feel that we don’t look like two platonic roommates discussing milkshake flavors or the week’s weather forecast.

When I look over at Janet and Charles watching us, they both smirk and eye each other, passing along a silent tell. Something that silently whispers,Did you see that?

“Okay, Janet,” I announce loudly. “I think it’s time for you to head home.”

Janet sighs, which transitions into a yawn, and Charles naturally wraps his arm around her waist in a way that shows he’s holding her up instead of a small display of public affection.

“Fine,” she answers. “I’m tired anyway. I guess I’ll have to embarrass you another day.”

“Thank you for stopping by,” I urge, crowding both Janet and Charles toward my door. “Please use that device in your purse with the number pad and fancy screen to announce your visit next time so I don’t have to set up security outside my building for future intrusions.”

They’re halfway out the door when Janet looks at me over the shoulder. “Or you can hang a sock on your doorknob. Or is it a tie?”

“Bye!”

I turn my back to the closed door at the same time a loud, staccato-like noise erupts from the Styrofoam cup in Lucy’s hand. She pulls her lips away from the straw and smiles sheepishly. “I hope you weren’t hoping for leftovers.”

I smile. “It’s fine.”

I gesture toward the kitchen, where our takeout containers are still sitting there, untouched and growing cold. “Let’s eat.”

Lucy agrees, setting down the now empty disposable cup. “Your sister’s funny.”

“Yeah,” I scoff. “She’s got a great sense of humor.”

She laughs. “She’s your older sister?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“As the perpetual baby of the family? Yes.”

“She’s, uh…She’s not doing too well.”

Her brow furrows, and she reaches her hand to rest on my forearm. “I’m sorry.”

I nod in answer, and she doesn’t pry, which feels so much more comforting than her asking why my sister isn’t doing well. And even though we continue in silence, letting the click of plastic utensils take up most of the noise, it feels less heavy than saying the words out loud.

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