Page 43 of Built to Fall
“Magic,” Eden concludes. “That’s the only explanation.”
All three of them chuckle as I scan my keycard and hit the button to the fourth floor. I’m not necessarilytryingto listen to their conversations, but we are trapped in a very tightly enclosed space together, so it’s pretty much impossible.
“Oh—remind me to text our landlord again,” Lina says suddenly. “That shelf in the laundry room is still cracked. If it falls, it’s going to take all of the lower shelves down with it.”
“It’s literally hanging on by one screw and a prayer,” Kara says. “And I’m not trying to get crushed by a thousand-pound bottle of laundry detergent.”
“I don’t think it’s safe for us to even touch it,” Eden adds. “It creaked at me this morning.Creaked.Like it had asouland waswarningme away from it.”
Now Ireallycan’t help but listen in. At the slightest mention of potential hazards, my brain goes straight into overdrive.
“I can fix it tonight if you need me to.”
Please let me. Please let me.I internally beg. I can’t bear being responsible if that shelf breaks and hurts one of them.
Three heads turn toward me at once.
“You fix shelves?” Lina asks, arms crossed, clearly skeptical.
“I can fix a lot of things, shelves included. And yours sounds like it might be moments away from collapse, so…”
“We really can’t have a shelf-related tragedy,” Eden says solemnly.
“Not after the popcorn fire,” Kara agrees.
“That’s what that damn smell was?” My eyes widen as I look between them. “That shit stunk up the entire hall.”
All three of them look at one another, biting their lips to keep from smiling. Eden’s cheeks even puff out from trying not to burst out laughing.
“Alright, I won’t tell anyone else on the floor about the popcorn if you let me fix your shelf.”
“I don’t think you know how to bargain correctly,” Lina tells me, sounding completely serious.
“Yeah. That’s a win-win situation for us,” Eden adds.
“Perfect,” I say, right as the elevator opens. “Then I’ll go get my toolbox and get to work.”
Lina hesitates. “You’re not doing it so you can snoop around our apartment, right?”
“Please. If I wanted to snoop, I’d have installed hidden cameras when I was there last.”
She narrows her eyes at me, unimpressed.
“Joking,” I add quickly.
“I vote yes,” Eden says.
“Me too.” Kara grins. “If he breaks it worse, we can always guilt him into buying a new one.”
Lina still doesn’t say anything, but she levels me with a look I can’t quite read.
Finally, she relents. “Fine. But if you mess up anything else, I’ll cut your hand off. Yourdominanthand.”
My first thought is to make a joke about jerking off, but my face must give away where my mind is headed, because Lina gives me a disgusted look.
“Don’t youdaresay what I think you’re about to say.” She holds another hand in my face.
“Fair warning,” I say, stepping out of the elevator after her. “I’ll be at your door in a few.”
