Page 37 of Home Game

The breath whooshed out of me. Something eased in my body. “Okay. Deal.”

He lightly bumped his fist on the counter twice. “Okay. See you later.”

I watched him as he walked across the apartment. He moved with such agility. He was so tall. So big. But he was unbelievably graceful. He looked over his shoulder and busted me watching him.

I lifted my hand. He studied me for a long moment and then he left.

I made the list.To my dismay, Krista had spent $458 on clothes. I didn’t even want to think about how long it would take to pay that off. I added the meds to the list and the cash Ryan had given me. At this rate, Iwould owe him a month’s worth of wages before the week was up.

I showered and dressed myself in my new clothes. I wore a pair of black leggings, a plaid shirt, and my new hoodie. I admired my reflection in the mirror. Despite my face, I hadn’t seen myself look this good in a long time.

While I waited for the bus, I noticed that my face attracted a lot of stares. Some people avoided looking at me. Others openly stared. I ignored them all.

It took two buses to get to my job. I walked into the back and found Carl, the day manager, in his cramped office.

“Zoey,” he looked at me with horror. “Are you okay?”

“Hey, Carl.”

“Sit down,” he closed the door. His concerned look made my throat feel thick.

I took a deep breath. “So, I got jumped and my bag with my uniform got stolen. And I was in the hospital, otherwise I would have been here sooner to explain.”

“Oh geez, Zoey. I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“I have a sprained shoulder,” I motioned to my arm in a sling.

“I’m sorry you got hurt.”

I cleared my throat. “I was hoping I could still come and work here when I got better.”

“Zoey, you’re one of my best workers but you know how it is around here. I can’t hold your position open. I’m sorry. Once you are back on your feet, come and see me. We might be hiring.”

“Yeah okay.”

He stared at me for a long moment. “You take care okay.”

This conversation was making me emotional. I shot to my feet. “Thanks, Carl.”

I took the bus home.Maybe I would have a quick nap and then I would try to make dinner for Ryan. I had taken home economics through high school, and although I hadn’t cooked for a while, I knew my way around the kitchen enough to make some simple dishes. It might be challenging to cook with one hand, but I could probably figure something out.

When I got to his street, it started to rain. I walked into the vast lobby and headed towards the elevators. I would need to cook something healthy. Ryan seemed to eat healthy food.

“Excuse me, miss?”

I glanced over my shoulder. A short man, wearing a uniform, stood near a desk. I looked around. He was definitely talking to me.

“Yeah?”

“We don’t allow loitering in this building.”

My lips parted. “Loitering?”

“Yes, I will have to ask you to leave.”

“I’m staying here with a friend.”

He gave a small humorless laugh. “I don’t think so.”

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