Page 93 of Duke

THE HOUSE LOSES its life when she’s not in it. Colin and I are too old angry grizzly bears, circling one another. She’s the one keeping peace. When she’s gone—we go back to murderous glares.

Like father, like son. I can’t stand him but for different reasons than my father had.

I hate him for making her unable to leave. It’s irrational since no one would wish this on themselves.

We were so close. I was so close to having her all to myself—getting what I wanted from the second, I first saw her.

As much as she fills me up; I’m restless. All the renovations are done. I need to get back to my life in California.

She thinks she needs to stay here.

With a heavy heart, I pack up my shit and wait for my girl to come home.

I wait for her out on the porch. My heart skips a beat when that piece of shit car she’s driving rambles down the drive.

With her bag slung over one shoulder, she climbs out with her head ducked low, not looking me in the eye.

Picking up two helmets, I hand one to her as she climbs the steps. “Five minutes. You have five minutes to unpack your shit. Then we ride,” I tell her gruffly irritated that I can’t fix the situation. We’ll just have to go back to being long-distance. I’ll come up on the weekends as much as I can.

She nods walking past.

I slap my helmet on angrily, then start up the bike, revving the engine like a madman.

I might resemble the devil with my dark looks, but I’m scared like a child under the bed, terrified at how quickly our future’s disappearing right in front of my eyes.

The front door opens and slams behind her. Her hair’s loose, falling to her waist, jeans hugging her hips. The straps of her bra tangle with her tank. She’s the wildcat I always knew she was. Strapping the helmet under her chin, she climbs on back, placing her arms around me. Her bright red nails scrape against my tight T-shirt.

Kicking off hard, I shift gears, tearing out, as if I was stealing her away; taking her to someplace we’d never have to return from.

Figuring my girl’s starving, I stop at the only decent restaurant in town. It’s a steak and burger joint, but the food is fresh.

“Come on. I know you're hungry.” I take her hand leading her inside.

She sits across from me rubbing her temples with closed eyes.

I place my hand on top of hers, “… you can’t keep this up. Tending bar, waitressing, school, and nursing your father.”

She instantly straightens up, “I’m fine.

“You’re not.”

“I graduate in two weeks. I’ll make it to then.”

“And what after?” I ask with my eyebrow raised.

“You wanna do this now? Here?” She raises an eyebrow back.

“Do what? Plan our future. Hell, yeah. I want to talk about that.”

Ignoring me, she stares at the menu in front of her. Without looking up, she whispers, “We don’t have one anymore.”

I sit back stunned, as if she had slapped me. “How can you say that? I’ve fought like hell to make this work.”

“I know you have. But I can’t expect you to stay, and I can’t go.”

“So? It’s only a four-hour drive. I’ll go back and forth until we figure this out.”

“There’s nothing to figure out. It’s over.”

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