XOXO, Winter

by Bloom, Nikki

  “Left.”

  The atmosphere changed as the houses turned to apartments. By the unkept hedges and overgrown grass, it was clear to see that this was a less affluent part of town.

  “Here.” Her building was one of the only ones that looked presentable.

  I parked my car and rounded the hood, hoping to open her door but she was out and headed towards the apartment. I followed after her.

  She fumbled for her keys, hand shaking. I had to take them from her and unlock the door. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Drink some hot tea and get yourself into bed,” I advised, feeling like I was talking to one of my patients. “And I really am sorry if I took things too far–”

  To my surprise, she silenced me with a quick peck to the lips. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one–”

  I took her hands, lacing our fingers together. “Do not blame yourself. Take the time you need to get your thoughts into check and if you never want to see me again, well, I can understand that. But I hope –no, I pray– that I haven’t completely alienated you.”

  “Goodnight, Reed.” There was a finality to her voice that told me that it was time to go. I was about to turn around when I noticed a pink slip of paper attached to the door. I was about to point it out, but she snatched it up before I could even begin to say a single word.

  Slam!

  She was already gone. I stood there for a moment like I had just been slapped in the face.

  You blew it. Again, that annoying voice taunted me. That’s what you get for trying to play the nice guy – you get walked on.

  My jaw tightened and my teeth ground together.

  No, she wasn’t out of my grasp just yet. She’d come around – she had to.

  And it was that hope that I held onto as I returned to my car and drove home with my new four-legged companion. “Well, at least I still got you, buddy.”

  12

  Winter

  A few days later.

  I was actively trying to push Reed from my thoughts. Doing so was made easy by the amount of work I had to do. First, there were my two jobs to worry about and then, of course, there was school. Midterms were coming up fast and I felt like a tidal wave was about to wash over me. There was no way I could learn all the material on time.

  Frustrated, I slammed my textbook shut. In front of me sat a cold cup of tea. I got up and tossed it in the microwave. Maybe I needed a break from all my studying. I thought about calling up Iris and watching a movie or something, but then I spotted the stack of mail I had also been avoiding. Most of them were stamped with angry red lettering.

  Final notice.

  Past due.

  Friendly reminder.

  There was nothing friendly about it.

  Every goddamn place and their mother wanted to siphon me of every cent I had. I was already on the brink of pulling my hair out when I looked at my bank account. There was no way I’d be able to pay rent this month.

  I threw down the angry letter from my landlord.

  “Please pay the amount in full,” it said. Who was he kidding? I didn’t have that kind of money. That’s why I was struggling to make monthly payments.

  Just then, my phone started to ring. I fished it out of my pocket and saw Iris’ name on the screen. “Hello?”

  “Hey, girl. Haven’t heard from you in a while. What’s happening?”

  “Bills,” I groaned.

  “Oof, I feel your pain,” she said.

  Hardly, I thought. You’ve always had your shit together.

  “Yeah, I think I might change my profession to accounting.”

  “Having that much fun, huh?”

  “So much fun.” I slumped forward and stirred my cold cup of tea. “These student loans are killing me. I swear, soon they’ll be asking for an arm and a leg.”

  “I can imagine. My brothers are all struggling with the outrageous interest rates. These banks are vultures.”

  “Vultures?” I repeated. “More like man-eating sharks.”

  “Hey, if you ever need–”

  “No,” I said a bit too quickly. I had asked Iris for money in the past and I hated being that kind of burden. She was my best friend, not my personal bank. “I’ll make my paychecks stretch one way or another.”

  “I’m just saying–”

  “Besides, I still owe you money, don’t I?”

  “Just a few hundred bucks but don’t even worry about it.”

  “Don’t worry about it?” I got up and started to pace the room. “C’mon, I didn’t ask you for charity. You’ll get that money back,” I promised even though to do so I would literally have to make money appear out of thin air.

  “No rush, okay? I really don’t mind helping you out. You’re my best friend after all.”

  “And I appreciate it.” I grabbed an overripe banana and considered eating it to keep myself distracted from my current conversation but the squishiness of it turned me off from the idea. “Sometimes you’re too kind for your own good, you know that?”

  She laughed. “I’m pretty sure you’re the only person to think so.”

  “Hey, I’m sure Reed thought it was nice of you to point him in my direction. Thanks for that, by the way.” Without meaning to, Reed had crept into the conversation. As much as I tried to avoid thinking about him, he had a way of haunting my thoughts.

  “Oh,” her voice fell. “Sorry about that.”

  “It’s fine. He ended up adopting a dog.”

  “Did he? I just thought that was an excuse so he could go see you.”

  “Partly,” I said. “But he really did want a dog.”

  “Who did he take home?”

  “Timber.”

  “Aww,” she cooed through the line. “He was a good dog.”

  “One of the best.”

  “Do you think he’s going to a good home?”

  I plopped onto the couch and stared at the ceiling. “I wouldn’t have left him go if I didn’t think he was. He gets to live in the Rafters. He’ll have all the space he needs to play.”

  “I have to admit, I’m a little jealous. I’ve always dreamed of living out there. Can you imagine waking up every morning and hearing the ocean crack against the coast?”

  “Every girl dreams of it,” I said with a sigh. “But it’s just that – a dream.”

  “Wow, someone’s a Debbie Downer today. Is something wrong?”

  I thought about telling her what was on my mind, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Honestly, I had yet to decide how I felt about it. That time by the lake had been amazing, but I feared that starting a relationship with Reed would do nothing but crash and burn. Besides, it was probably all lust anyway.

  “Winter, are you still there?”

  “Yeah, sorry. Zoned out for a second there.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked again.

  “Yeah.” I’m sure.”

  I clicked on the TV, looking for something to watch.

  “How do you know that guy anyway?”

  “Who?”

  “Casanova.”

  “Reed?”

  “Is that his name? We were never properly introduced.”

  “That’s right. You decided it was appropriate to interrogate the man.”

  “Hey, it's my job to make sure you’re okay.”

  “Reed isn’t some creep. He’s a new surgeon in town. We ended up on the same flight home. And the funny thing is…” I went into detail about the whole first-class fiasco. As she always did, Iris listened to my every word. She was the kind of best friend that was always there to support me. It was hard to imagine life without her as my partner in crime.

  “So, sounds like your smitten.”

  “N-No,” my voice broke with my lack of confidence.

  “There’s no point trying to lie, Winter. It’s written in your every word. You like the guy.”

  “Okay, maybe you’re right.”

  “I knew
it.”

  “So, are you going to go for it?”

  I bit my bottom lip. “I’m not sure yet. I don’t want to get distracted–”

  “Ricky was a fluke and you know it. That guy had some serious issues.” She laughed. “Now that I think about it, we really know how to pick our partners, huh? You dated a total meat for brains and I went for the sociopath.”

  “I just think it would be better if I focused on school.”

  “So, when are you going to start dating again? When you’re an old maid? It’s been two years. I think it’s time for you to get back on the market.”

  “Wait, are you telling me that I should try and date the doctor?”

  “I’m just saying that you should do what makes you happy and by the sounds of it, this guy would do just that.”

  “I just…”

  “I can hear you overthinking.”

  “You’re right. I just can’t help it. You know how I get.”

  “Well, if you ever want to talk, you know I’m just a phone call away.”

  “I know,” I said with a smile. “And thanks for being such a good friend.”

  “You shouldn’t have to thank me. What are girlfriends for?”

  “Well, it’s getting late and I should probably hop in the shower so I can get some more studying done before bed.”

  “Don’t burn yourself out, you hear?”

  “I’ll try not to.” I waited for her to say her goodbyes before clicking off the call. There was just something about Iris that immediately lifted my spirits.

  Seriously, what would I do without her?

  I returned to the kitchen, looking for a snack. I couldn’t find one that appealed to my appetite and I wasn’t about to eat a rotten banana. What was I thinking?

  As I made my way through the dining room, I accidentally knocked the eviction notice off the table.

  Right… I groaned inwardly. If I don’t pay the landlord, I’m done for.

  And that’s when it hit me. Back at the shelter, Reed had said something about looking for a roommate. Working on a hunch, I pulled up the local newspaper and found his listing.

  “Looking for a roommate. Roommate will be allowed to live in my ocean front property, free of charge, so long as they are able to provide companionship.”

  “Companionship?” I said aloud. “That sounds dirty…”

  I kept on reading, hoping for some sort of explanation, but all that was listed was his contact information.

  Was he looking for someone that could provide him with sexual favors? Was he sleeping with a bunch of women in town, looking for the right one? At the consideration, my heart twisted into a vice.

  No.

  Reed didn’t seem like the kind of guy that would do that.

  Then again, did I really know the guy?

  But what choice did I have? I was about to be kicked out of my apartment and he was offering free housing. It was worth a shot.

  13

  Winter

  The following morning.

  It was a beautiful day and unusually warm for the season. Just to make sure I wouldn’t underdress, I checked the forecast. Sunny skies all day.

  Okay, this seems to be a good omen, I thought to myself as I grabbed one of my lighter jackets and a matching beanie.

  While it was warm, the wind was a little nippy, stinging against my cheeks. I thought about taking the bus to save myself the walk, but by the time I made it to the end of the street, it was already driving in the opposite direction and I didn’t have the patience for it to come full circle.

  So, I continued forward.

  I didn’t make much progress before a familiar red car pulled up beside me.

  Victor rolled down his passenger window. “Want a ride?” he asked with that sleazy voice of his. It made me want to gag.

  “No.”

  “Oh, c’mon. I won’t bite.”

  “You know, I doubt that.”

  He chuckled, a dirty grin painting most of his face. “You’ve got a point there, sweet cheeks.”

  “Don’t call me that.” My voice sounded guarded. “And would you just leave me alone for once?”

  He stopped the car and leaned over the center console. “Now, you don’t really mean that.”

  “I do. Ever since you broke up with Iris, you’ve done nothing but stalk me, and I’ve told you a million times that I’m not interested in dating one of my best friend’s exes.” Or that lowlife fleabag wasn’t exactly my type. But I kept that thought to myself. I didn’t think he would appreciate it all that much.

  “Don’t think about it that way.”

  “How else am I supposed to think about it, Vic? You dated her for ten months – nearly a year. You two were practically joined at the hip and all of a sudden, you turned on a dime and decided that I was the best thing since sliced bread. You nearly ruined my friendship with Iris and that is something I will never forgive you for.”

  He was about to say something, but I held up my hand to silence him. I was done with his shit.

  “Look, if you keep this up, I will be forced to file a complaint.”

  “A complaint? What the hell do you have to complain about?”

  “The fact that you’re harassing me, for one.”

  “This is all because of that new boyfriend of yours isn’t it?”

  “Boyfriend–”

  “You know he tried to threaten me?”

  “Threaten you?” I had no idea what he was talking about.

  “He said that if I ever did anything to hurt you, he would be the first person to do something about it.” Victor laughed. “Who does he think he is? He couldn’t win a fight against me even if both my hands were tied behind my back.” And there was Victor’s charming ego – not.

  “He seriously said that?”

  “I didn’t write down his exact words.”

  I couldn’t believe it. Reed had actually tried to defend my honor against this douche. Did he care about me that much?

  “But why don’t you get in the car and we can talk things through?”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  He parked the car and got out. It was too late for me to run. Before I could even move a muscle, he had me pinned against a nearby wall. “Now, why do you got to be this way? I’ll be moving up in the world real soon and likely leaving this joint for bigger and better places. So, I think it's about time that you give me a proper goodbye before it's too late. You wouldn’t want to push me aside and then regret it for the rest of your life when you find out the throne I’ve built for myself.”

  I had no idea what he was talking about. From the sound of it, he had fallen off the rocker. By the smell of his breath, he was drunk out of his mind.

  “Have you been drinking?” I asked, even though the answer was obvious.

  “That hardly matters right now.” He leaned in, lips puckered.

  Get out of there, screamed the voice at the back of my head.

  Running on adrenaline, I rammed my knee into his crotch. He doubled over, cursing with the pain. This gave me just enough leeway where I slipped past him and started booking it down the street. I didn’t even dare to look back because the thundering of his footsteps was enough to tell me that he was hot on my tail.

  So, I kept pumping my arms, trying to propel myself further and further away. I prayed to see someone on the streets, but it was a ghost town. My lungs burned, but I couldn’t afford to stop. His footsteps echoed against my eardrums, and I swear, I could feel his breath creeping down my neck. He was gaining on me, I was sure of it.

  It was then that an idea popped into my head.

  The police station!

  It was nearby and I had to get there before Victor caught up with me. It was my only chance.

  “Do you really think you’re going to win this race?” he called out.

  Fear threatened to cripple me.

  Just keep moving your legs, I coached myself. Don’t stop.

  Sweat drenched through
my shirt. The police station was in sight. Seeing the finish line of this impossible marathon, I found a reserve of energy and tapped into it. That energy was exactly what I needed.

  I barreled through the door, startling the female officer who sat behind the counter. “Miss, is everything alright?” I wanted to answer her, but I was so winded that I could barely breathe. With my legs feeling like they were made of gelatin, I slumped into a nearby bench. “Miss?”

  “Please…give me a…second…” I wheezed.

  The woman was kind enough to get me a cup of water. I chugged it down and felt my blood start to cool.

  “Alright, ma’am, can you tell me what’s going on?”

  “I would like to file a complaint.”

  “On what grounds?”

  “Harassment. This guy, Victor Sagsworth just chased me down the street with every intention of–” I tried to breathe but my lungs were burning. I gulped in air and forced myself to explain knowing that detail was vital at a time like this. They would need every bit of information in order to file a report. “He stopped his car and tried to give me a ride. I refused and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Then he pushed me against the wall, and I swear, he meant to…” I squeezed my eyes shut, skipping over that part. “Fearing for my safety, I kneed him between the legs and ran here.”

  The officer listened to my every word. When I was done, she steadied me toward an office.

  “Has he hurt you in the past? Or is this the first time he has attempted something like this?”

  “No…not exactly…but…”

  “Why don’t we get you into one of the offices and we can talk this over in further detail.”

  “So long as that man never comes near me again.” I had started to shake without even realizing it.

  “He won’t,” she promised. “Now, is there anyone you’d like to call that could be here with you?”

  “Yes,” I said. “Reed.”

  14

  Reed

  “What do you mean you’re at the police station? What happened?”

  “Please… can you come? I…need you.” The vulnerability in her voice made my heart ache.