Page 7 of I Knew He Was Trouble
“Our new roommate, of course.” Alyssa raises her cookie in the air.
I open the package and clink the cookie with my friends. “To Winston.”
“To Winston,” they echo back.
We laugh as he runs between us, tail wagging from hearing everyone cheer his name.
When our cookies are gone, we heat apple cider in the kitchen. The second we’re all in our usual seats, mugs in hand, Alyssa starts talking. “Okay, happies and crappies for the week. You go first, Mal.”
I set my mug on the coffee table and shake a bottle of burgundy nail polish. After twisting it open, I brush it on my nails as I listen.
“My crappy this week was parent-teacher conferences. They went until eight on Tuesday and are always draining.” Mallory pulls her curly, light brown hair up into a messy bun. I think she calls it the pineapple method, but I have no clue what that means. “My happy is that our two-day fall break is getting closer by the minute.”
“You’re almost there, girlfriend.” I toast my nail polish bottle toward her in solidarity.
Mal smiles. “What about you, Shay?”
Shayna sits on her hands as she bounces excitedly on the couch. “My boss at the flower shop told me she’s planning on retiring soon.” She’s been working at Shirley’s Florist for the past six years, saving up to open her own flower truck.
“I’m guessing that’s good news?” I ask, unsure what Shirley’s retirement might mean for her.
She nods, readjusting her knotted pearl headband. “Shirley doesn’t have any kids, so she said she wants to leave the flower shop to me. It has a greenhouse and garden out back where I could grow enough flowers to keep running the shop and sell them from a mobile flower truck too.”
I pull her in for a side hug. “We definitely needed Kizito cookies tonight, then. Congrats, Shay!”
Everyone else offers their congratulations before she turns back to me. “I don’t have any crappies. Your turn, Kels.”
I take a sip of my cider, savoring the notes of warm spices. “My happy is obviously that I’m now a dog mama.” I lean down and ruffle Winston’s fur. “My crappy is that I woke up to Tyler blaring hip-hop musicmultipledays this week before sunrise.”
“Again?” Shayna leans over and squeezes my forearm. “I thought you started sleeping through it?”
“I do on occasion, but I think he switched up his playlist or something.”
“Ugh, I’m sorry, girl.” Alyssa gives me a sympathetic look. “I still can’t believe none of us can hear it.”
I shrug. “It must be because his workout room is right across from my window. I’m honestly glad none of you can hear it. At least some of us can get the beauty sleep we deserve.”
“Do you want me to egg his house?” Mallory looks determined, like she’s ready to go to battle for me. She’s the kind of friend that would defend you to the grave, and we love her for it.
I laugh. “That’s okay, but thank you.” Dropping my gaze to my lap, I say, “I actually have another crappy this week. My mother texted me.”
“No.” Mallory looks like she could seriously injure my mother with her eye daggers.
“What did she want?” Alyssa pouts.
“She let me know she was moving in with her new boyfriend.”
Mallory scoffs. “What number is this? Seventeen?”
I blow out a breath. “I’ve honestly lost count.”
Shayna scoots closer to me, squeezing my arm. “Did she ask you for anything this time?”
I shake my head. “I guess the upside to her moving in with boyfriends is that she stops asking me for rent money.”
“I’m sorry, Kels.” Alyssa shoots me a sympathetic look.
“It’s fine.” I take another sip of my apple cider, trying to stave off the emotions that always rise to the surface when talking about my parents.
