Page 14 of Built to Fall
Meredith’s smirk falters. For a second.
Kara finally looks up. “We all have our vices, right?”
Eden clears her throat and busies herself with plating her cookies. I stare down at the countertop, pretending not to notice the way Meredith slowly backs out of the room. I let her go.
Kara goes back to stirring like nothing happened.
“Pasta’s ready,” she says brightly, as if her happy smile and chipper tone will suddenly blanket over the conversation that just happened.
Honestly, I would love it if we let it, which is the only reason I rise from my seat, round the counter, and begin scooping myself a bowl of pasta. Eden easily follows, though her expression is still on the shell-shocked side.
A majority of the time, I’m not really sure how to handle these situations. Not because I’m uncomfortable, but because I’m still adjusting to the dynamic of living in an apartment with three of my friends.
The rest of them lived together last year while I was gone, so I would assume they have already built some type of conflict resolution skills.
“Well, I doubt Mer is eating,” Kara says, placing the lid over the pot once we all have all served our food. “But I’ll go find out.”
Eden and I make eye contact, silently asking each other if that’s really the best idea. But we both stay quiet as Kara walks out of the kitchen, knocks on Meredith’s door, and lets herself inside.
“Am I hallucinating?” Eden looks toward me.
She never fights with any of us, so this is completely out of her realm.
“If you are, then so am I.”
We each take a seat at the island, but I think we’re both too afraid to take a bite, as if we’re waiting for some kind of fight to break out.
Both of us have our ears partially turned toward the door, trying to hear if either of them are saying anything. When the two of them exit Meredith’s room, everyone goes back to acting like nothing happened.
Out of all of us, Meredith and Kara are the quickest to get into fights. Yet, they’re also the closest pair. They bicker like sisters, and it’s probably because they’re both willing to say whatever the hell they want.
I might be straightforward, but Kara and Meredith are more cutthroat. The only time I’m like that is when my anger gets the best of me. And Eden, she’s never like that.
“So,” Eden starts, pointing her fork toward me. “What happened with Grant?”
I groan and then stab two noodles with my fork. “We rode the elevator up together, and he thought that I didn’t go to Yale.”
All three girls look confused, and Kara and Meredith both lean further across the counter, followed by a chorus of “What?”s.
“Yeah. He asked if I went to school around here, and when I told him I went to Yale—like pretty mucheveryone elsein this building—he said he didn’t expect someone as pretty as me to go to Yale. I may have overreacted slightly.”
“Maybe he meant it as a compliment…?” Eden says, questioning herself as she says it.
“Shitty compliment,” Meredith grumbles. “But honestly, I think it was probably just worded wrong. Which tracks, considering he’s known for putting on the wholeasshole-playboy actto hide the fact that he’s emotionally constipated and has mommy issues.”
I shovel another bite of pasta into my mouth, too annoyed to really speak on the situation.
“Listen,” Kara starts, pausing when she realizes her mouth is full. Once she swallows her bite, she continues, “That man has never had to flirt a day in his life; girls fall into his lap day in and day out. From what it seems, he’s very used to getting his way. I wouldn’t be shocked if he was just trying to get your attention but didn’t know how to go about it the right way.”
“Very true!” Eden confirms. “Andwith the way he helped you in the kitchen the other night, maybe he has a crush on you and doesn’t know how to handle it.”
“Well, if he did, he definitely doesn’t anymore.” I laugh.
“I’m sure he’s not too wounded,” Meredith tells me. “Plus, from what I know, he’s still hooking up with Savannah and has been for quite some time.”
“She’s Braxton’s sister, right?”
“Twinsister,” she confirms.
