Page 14 of His Reward
“I bet your favourite days are rainy ones,” he continues.
“How do you know that?”
“It’s usually when the rainbows come out.”
I laugh again.“It’s a little embarrassing that you’re right.Penny—my ex-roommate—she used to call this apartmentthe clown house, but she liked adding other colourful stuff too.”I point at the miniature neon-green dinosaurs lining the top of my bookshelf.“She painted those for me.”The dinosaurs remind me of Mally and I perk up with a smile.“Oh!Wait here.”
I hurry into my bedroom, ignoring the anxiety that stirs up when I glance at the window.I pluck Mally from his perpetual perch on my dresser, then head back out to the living room.
“Remember him?”I ask, presenting the stuffed giraffe I named after Malcolm.It’s the only toy I brought with me when I moved out.I didn’t have many anyway.Most of them went up in flames.
Malcolm smiles as he takes the giraffe and wiggles it.
“We meet again, my old friend.”
I laugh.“The friend you stole from the claw machine.”
He grins.“Is itreallystealing when you’re stealing from a thief?”
We were at an arcade, and I was wasting my allowance, struggling to win a toy from the sneaky claw machine.Malcolm came over and said, “Let me show you how to beat the bastard, Jujube.”
He looked around first, then shook the machine hard while he grabbed the stuffed giraffe with the claw.Mally successfully dropped into the chute.
“I really missed you when you were gone,” I admit.“But I would pretend Mally was you.He protected me from bad dreams.”
He stares at the giraffe, idly moving its long neck.“I’m glad he was there for you when I wasn’t.”
“Well, you’re here for me now.”
He raises his gaze to mine and we’re silent for a moment.My words hang in the air, carrying an extra, inappropriate meaning I didn’t intend.You’re here now.That’s what I should’ve said.It’s the ‘for me’ portion that gets the side-eye.
“Why isn’t Penny your roommate anymore?”he asks, and I’m relieved he changed the subject.
“Her mom is sick and she had to go take care of her.”I pause and lower my gaze to my lap.“She was a good roommate.That’s really hard to find.It’s been tough paying for this place on my own too.I’ve been trying to find something more affordable, but they’re all horrible in some way.”
“I’m looking to buy a house and what I’ve seen so far hasn’t wowed me either.”He rubs his jaw.“Damn.I just remembered I was planning to check out an open house today.”
I make a face.“Sorry I disrupted your plans.”
“I’m not broken up about it.You’re more important to me.”He hesitates.“The people I care about are more important.”
He clarified himself, but my mind is stuck on his previous sentence.You’re more important to me.I liked hearing that.I like the idea of beingmore importantto Malcolm a little too much.I shove the thought out of my mind.
8
June
The pizza finally arrives, and we eat while watchingDexter.
I had doubts when Malcolm said it was a good show because I’m not a fan of violence and gore.But he’s right.Despite the handsome lead actor’s sinister smile as he stabs and chops up criminals, I’m surprised how much I enjoy it.
Malcolm stands as the second episode’s credits flashes across the screen.
“I should head back.It’s getting late.”
I nod, forcing a smile.Just when I’m finally not so nervous around him and I’m enjoying his company, he’s leaving.
Then I’ll be all alone.
