Page 16 of Moved
I smiled and went for another run.
****
At eight, the apartment went dark. I felt my way to the kitchen and got a flashlight from the drawer. Before I could click it on, the heat kicked in. Standing there, I listened. Below me, I heard a faint sound, like a television. Narrowing my eyes, I opened the apartment door. The hall light was on.
I went down the steps but didn’t knock on Racer’s door. He didn’t come out, either. I continued to the basement to check the breaker box. I’d noticed it when I’d done my laundry. It was free of spider webs now. The panel hung open. Inside, the little round screw-in fuses were all there, but three had little scorch marks on them.
Fine. Let the games begin.
I tromped up the stairs and barged into his apartment. He looked up at me in surprise. A game played out on the television.
“My power’s out. Is it okay if I crash here tonight?”
I didn’t wait for his answer but walked toward the open door to his bedroom. I closed myself in with a smile. In the brief look I’d gotten, he had a recliner and a straight back chair in his small living room. I couldn’t imagine either would be comfortable for sleeping if he let me stay. If he didn’t let me stay, I’d keep at him until he turned the power back on upstairs. Then, I would continue to make his life as miserable as he’d made mine.
“Your phone’s on the dresser,” he said loud enough that I heard him through the door. “Call your dad.”
“Night, Racer.”
I’d won. Stifling my laugh, I looked around his bedroom. A queen-sized bed, dresser, hamper—he owned a hamper?—and nightstand filled his room. His sliding closet door was open so I didn’t feel even slightly guilty peeking. Neat and color-coded. That explained so much.
After paging through texts that Stephanie had sent to my new number, I set two alarms on the phone. One in an hour and another at 1 a.m. I tended to sleep through phone alarms.
****
Cold water hit me in the face. I gasped and sputtered and sat up. Racer stood beside the bed, eyes bloodshot and furious. He’d turned the bedroom light on. The clock beside the bed read just after one.
“Is my power back on?” I asked, wiping my eyes as if it were nothing unusual to be awakened with water in the face.
His gritted teeth didn’t part when he growled his answer. “Yes.”
“Great.” I tossed back the damp covers. “Sorry about the wet bed.” I left as abruptly as I arrived. When I was on the stairs, I heard him yell.
“You didn’t call him!”
I sprinted up the rest of the stairs and closed myself into my apartment. Racer was ready for the next phase of my plan. I went to bed, openly laughing.
Chapter 5
Sunlight from my window woke me without an alarm. I crept from bed and went to the kitchen, making as little noise as possible. I had decided to make a big breakfast. Eggs, bacon, biscuits, I made it all. When it was ready, I loaded a plate and went to knock on Racer’s door. He didn’t answer right away; and when he did, he looked angry.
“Here,” I said offering him the plate.
“Another bribe?” He didn’t move to take it.
“Nope. A thank you for letting me sleep in your bed until the power was back.” I had to reach for one of his hands and lift it for him to take the plate. He didn’t appear very enthused.
“It’s bacon,” I said, trying to entice him. He sighed, turned, and walked back into his apartment, leaving the door open. I followed and sat across from him at his kitchen table. He ate slowly, but I had patience. His eyes drooped, and I wondered if he really hadn’t slept. Ithoughtlast night had been the breaking point.
When he ate the last of it, I took the plate.
“Mariners are playing later. Want to watch together?”
His eyes found mind. “You follow baseball?”
I shrugged. Guys in tight pants—who didn’t? I also followed football. Hockey I only followed when it was my time of month. A little visual aggression was soothing.
“Yeah, come on down.” Weariness weighted his words.
