Collision

by Kristen Granata

  “Look,” Shelly pointed. “Let’s get closer so we can hear what they’re saying.”

  “I don’t want to get up until I absolutely have to,” I whined. “I haven’t been out in a while and I forgot how exhausting it is.”

  “They looked like they got raped by a Macy’s makeup counter.” Shelly’s face was twisted in disgust.

  They were wearing a ton of makeup. I wondered if Chase found either one attractive.

  “Look at Chase,” Shelly continued, reading my mind. “He looks completely uninterested, and they just keep on talking.”

  “Maybe we should go save him,” Brody agreed. “He’s barely even looking at them while he packs up.”

  They both looked at me expectantly.

  “Fine,” I grumbled. As we got closer, I could hear their conversation.

  “You were so good tonight,” the short one said.

  “Yeah. So good. You have an amazing voice,” said the taller blonde.

  “You should totally be famous,” the short one said.

  “Thanks,” he replied without looking up, wrapping up the cord to the microphone. His eyes lit up when I stopped next to them. “You guys ready?”

  “Sure, unless you’re not finished with your conversation here.” I looked at the girls and leaned towards them. “Wasn’t he good tonight?”

  “So good,” the short one answered, while the other nodded fervently. They were completely clueless.

  Shelly buried her head in Brody’s chest to hide her laughter.

  I smiled at Chase innocently. “You’re just so good.”

  He shot me a look, and tossed his keys to Brody. “Why don’t you pull my car around front? I’m all finished here, just have to carry this out to the van.”

  I turned to follow them when Chase grabbed my hand. “Walk with me.”

  The girls looked disappointed as we walked past them.

  I giggled. “What’s wrong? You didn’t want to have a threesome with Tweedle dumb and Tweedle dumber?”

  “Hardly.”

  “Why not? It would have been so good,” I mimicked.

  One corner of his mouth turned up.

  “Dumb and blonde. Keeping the stereotype alive.” I shook my head. “Shelly’s sleeping over Brody’s tonight. Do you mind dropping them off before taking me back to her place?”

  “Of course not.”

  I yawned, watching as he loaded the last of the equipment into the back of the van. He swung the doors closed, and gave the bumper a tap. Ben, the drummer, stuck his hand out the window and waved before pulling away. We waited for Brody to pull the car around.

  “You’re really talented, Chase. You guys were great tonight.”

  He smiled, giving me a sideways glance. “Thanks.”

  “You looked so happy up there. How did you feel?”

  He ran his fingers through his hair, which was damp from sweat. “It felt great. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I wish I could have it all. I wish I could do what I love while staying here taking care of my family at the same time.”

  “I wish you could, too. You deserve to have it all. I’m sorry you had to leave California.”

  He looked down as Brody pulled up in front of us. “Everything happens for a reason, right?”

  “If you say so.”

  Chapter Six: New Apartment

  “Come on, get up. You need to get dressed.”

  “For what?” I rubbed my eyes sleepily.

  Shelly put her hands on her hips. “We’re going shopping for my party. Please tell me you haven’t forgotten?”

  “You’re throwing a party?”

  “Don’t make jokes! This is an important event!”

  I hoisted myself out of the recliner. “How could I forget the national holiday that is your birthday?”

  I quickly threw on a t-shirt and yoga pants, and brushed my teeth as Shelly helped sweep my hair up in a bun. Her birthday was the day before Halloween. Every year, Brody’s fraternity hosted a Halloween party at their house, and Shelly pretended it was her very own birthday extravaganza. The last thing I wanted to do was dress up in an uncomfortable costume, but for my best friend’s birthday – I would have to put my own issues aside. She deserved an entire night of fun, and I refused to let my downward spiral ruin any of it for her. I just hoped my sling would be off by then.

  “So, when do you move into Chase’s apartment?” she asked as we navigated through the crowded mall.

  “His parents’ apartment,” I corrected. “And they said it would be ready the end of this week.” I wasn’t sure what they needed to do in order to get it ready. According to Chase, the apartment was furnished and vacant.

  “It’s really great of them to let you stay, free of charge.”

  “I know. I’m not crazy about the idea. I’ve been racking my brain for ways to repay them, but I’m not coming up with much.”

  “It’s too bad you’re in the sling. You loved working on cars with your dad. You could have offered to help out at their shop.”

  My eyes lit up and the wheels in my mind started spinning. “That’s not a bad idea.” I began making a mental list of the things I could manage with one hand, for now.

  “When will you be able to take the sling off for good?”

  “They don’t have a definite date, yet. Soon, I’m hoping. I guess it depends on how therapy goes.”

  “I hope you have it off in time for my party. I want your costume to look flawless!”

  “Everything will be perfect for your party, just like always.”

  “Okay,” she began when we stepped inside the costume store. “We need something cute, but not overdone. It can be funny, but not cliché.”

  “I know the drill,” I reassured her.

  We turned the corner of the first aisle to find Brody and Chase standing before us. I was going to shoot Shelly an angry look for not telling me we would have company on our shopping spree, but reminded myself that this was all for her birthday. On the plus side, Chase being there would stop Shelly from talking about him.

  She pecked Brody on the cheek. “Let’s get started.”

  “Hello to you, too.” Chase was clearly amused at Shelly’s seriousness. I hadn’t been able to warn him ahead of time. The less we said, the better this would go.

  “Hi. Start looking for a costume.” She began rummaging through the first rack.

  “Why don’t we split up?” Chase suggested.

  “No way. If we split up, you boys will pick something completely ridiculous. We stick together.”

  I looked at the costumes hanging nearby, and pretended not to notice Chase saluting her out of the corner of my eye.

  “Do you still hate Halloween?” Brody asked me.

  “Whoa. How can you hate Halloween?” Chase asked incredulously. “There’s candy, parties, and scary movies!”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s beyond stupid. What are we even celebrating? Guys can wear whatever costume they want, but girls are expected to dress in a totally absurd outfit that inevitably begins with the word ‘sexy.’” I motioned to the costumes hanging on the shelf in front of us. “Sexy cop. Sexy maid. Sexy kitten. I mean, how the hell is a kitten sexy, anyway?”

  Brody stifled a laugh, out of fear that Shelly would hear him. “She’s got a point.”

  “Don’t agree with her,” Shelly teased. “Halloween is just supposed to be fun! It’s a night to dress up like someone you aren’t, and break out of your shell a little.”

  “I love it when girls break out of their shells, don’t you?” Chase nudged Brody.

  Shelly shot him a look.

  I pushed him toward the next aisle. “Nothing good ever comes after that look.”

  We scoured the store, each picking up a costume for Shelly to deny. She was on a mission, and only she would know when she found what she was looking for.

  “Khloe wants me to be a moose,” Chase stated.

  I scrunched my nose up. “A moose?”

  “She’s going to be
Anna, from Frozen. So she wants me to be Sven.”

  “Anna? I like the kid already. Every girl always wants to be Elsa, but it was really Anna who was the hero.”

  “Yea, she’s one kickass little girl. She takes after her awesome big brother, of course.” He grinned proudly and pretended to dust off his shoulder.

  “Who, Tanner?”

  “You should be a comedian for Halloween since you’re so funny.”

  I smiled and walked down the last aisle. “So, I have an idea how I can repay your parents for letting me stay in the apartment.”

  “I already told you. You don’t have to repay them for anything.”

  I put up my hand. “Just hear me out. I know a lot about cars right?”

  “Right.”

  “I used to work on cars with my dad growing up. I know I can’t do any heavy lifting right now, but I can do other things in the meantime.”

  “You want to help out at the shop?”

  I nodded and awaited his response. “What do you think?”

  “We could definitely use the help. My dad’s been… low on energy lately.”

  Shelly turned abruptly down the aisle and handed me a costume.

  I held it up. “A flapper costume?”

  “They can dress like flappers, and we can be gangsters,” Brody said, handing a costume to Chase.

  “We can get cigars,” Chase thought out loud. “And guns!”

  “Let’s go see what they have.” Brody and Chase disappeared into the back of the store.

  I shook my head. “Boys and their toys.”

  “So what do you think?” Shelly asked eagerly. “Will you wear this?”

  The model on the package was wearing a silver dress with tiers of fringe. It was short, but not too revealing. It was classy. “Sure. This looks okay.”

  She squealed. “Let’s go look at their wig selection. I saw this blonde one with pin curls that I just need to have.”

  “Then have it you shall, my friend.” I swung my arm around her shoulders as we walked towards the wigs.

  “The boys are going to look so handsome in their gangster outfits.”

  I nodded in agreement.

  “Chase is going to the party with you. That’s kind of like a date, wouldn’t you say?”

  I picked up a short black bob, completely ignoring her question. “What about this one?”

  “It’s perfect! It will go great with your silver dress.”

  “Good. Here’s your blonde one. Let’s pay and get out of here.”

  A voice from behind me shouted, “Put your hands up where I can see ‘em!”

  I felt what I knew to be a toy gun pressed against my back. I slowly lifted my arm in the air and turned around to see Chase wearing a fedora hat with a fake cigar in his mouth.

  “What do you think of the hat?”

  “Honestly, those hats remind me of Freddy Krueger.”

  He grinned. “I think it makes the outfit.” He tipped it over one eye.

  “It will go perfectly with your costume,” Shelly said excitedly.

  I waited in line while Brody paid for his and Shelly’s costumes.

  “Next!” the cashier called.

  I placed my costume on the counter, and Chase put his right next to mine.

  “Together?” the cashier asked.

  “Separate.”

  “Together,” he answered, and handed her his credit card.

  “Chase, no. Brody paid for Shelly’s because he’s her boyfriend. You don’t have to pay for mine.”

  “Aww sweetie, you should let him pay for you! He’s being such a gentleman,” the cashier cooed. She was wearing fuchsia lipstick, the way old ladies always seemed to, and her name was etched onto her nametag in gold letters.

  I grimaced. “Thanks a lot, Karen,” I muttered under my breath.

  “Yea sweetie.” Chase grinned as he draped his arm around me. “I’m being a gentleman.”

  I rolled my eyes and shook him off. When he finished paying, we left the store with our new costumes.

  “If you’re paying for my costume, then I’m buying the movie tickets.”

  “What movie?” Shelly questioned.

  “We’re supposed to see the new Marvel movie tonight.”

  “Fine. You can get the tickets tonight,” Chase agreed.

  I gave him a skeptical look. That seemed too easy.

  He grinned. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  Shelly kissed Brody goodbye, and we turned to walk back to her car. I pretended not to see her beaming next to me out of the corner of my eye.

  “Say nothing,” I warned her.

  She held her hands up innocently. “I didn’t say a word.”

  “You were thinking it! I can hear it.”

  “Dude, how are you this oblivious? He spends all his free time with you. What more proof do you need that this guy is into you?”

  “This is Chase Brooks we’re talking about here. Think about it, Shell. He’s not exactly shy guy. If he liked me, he’d say something.”

  “You’re not so approachable. Just let me ask him.”

  “You will not ask him anything!”

  She smirked. “You know that if I ask him, he’s going to be totally honest and admit that he has feelings for you.”

  “Or you’ll be totally off base, and make him not want to hang out with me anymore. We are just two people, who happen to be of the opposite sex, that enjoy each other’s company. Why is that so hard for you to accept?”

  “It wouldn’t be hard to accept if I didn’t know you had feelings for him, too. You can’t just be friends with someone you have feelings for. You taught me that, remember?”

  “Do not compare this to your situation with Brody. Also, don’t you think I would know if I had feelings for him? Don’t you think I would tell you, of all people?”

  She shook her head feverishly. “You’re too scared to get involved with someone. You have this wall up because you don’t want to get hurt, so you tell yourself that you don’t have feelings for him. Lower that wall and maybe you’ll be able to see what everyone else sees.”

  “Or,” I held up one finger. “Everyone else sees what they want to see, because they’re all so concerned with trying to make me happy again.”

  “Is there something wrong with us wanting to see you happy after everything you’ve just gone through?”

  “No. I just… I need some time.”

  “I hate seeing you like this. I want you to have something good in your life. You’ve been through more than anyone should.”

  “As long as I have you, I will be fine. Just stop trying to make me and Chase a thing.”

  She sighed. “Fine. Just as long as you admit one thing.”

  I raised a skeptical eyebrow at her.

  “Just admit that you find him attractive – for me! You cannot be the only girl on this planet that does not think he’s gorgeous. I refuse to believe it!”

  I laughed. “Of course I think he’s attractive. Anyone with working eyeballs can see that he is beautiful. Scientists should conduct a study on his whole family... replicate their DNA or something.”

  “How are they that good looking? It’s not normal.”

  “I’m sticking with my theory from fourth grade. They’re aliens.”

  Shelly and I spent the rest of the day together, until I heard Chase’s engine roar outside at six o’clock.

  “He’s here!” I shouted into the hallway.

  “Wait! Let me see you!”

  I rolled my eyes as she burst out of the bathroom to survey my outfit for approval.

  Her grin spread from ear to ear. “You look nice.”

  “Can I go now?”

  “You may. Have fun.”

  Chase was leaning against his car, the passenger door already opened. His arms were crossed over his chest, making his upper body appear even bigger than it already was. He was a walking Abercrombie ad. I could never deny that he was attractive, but that was easier to ignore back when I d
id not know him. Now, his personality only made him appear more perfect. I averted my eyes from his body parts as I approached him.

  “Wow.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Wow, what?”

  “Wow, you. You look great.”

  I looked down at my outfit. A t-shirt with jeans tucked into boots signaled the fall weather had officially arrived. “I must have looked pretty shitty this summer if you’re wowed over this.”

  “This,” he gestured, “deserves to be wowed over – no matter what you’re wearing. Your Cookie pajamas were cute, but I am a sucker for tight jeans.”

  “I think you’re a sucker for whoever is inside of tight jeans.” I slid into the passenger seat.

  He leaned in to clip my seatbelt. “I’m really just a sucker for whatever pants you’re inside of.” His cologne wafted into my nostrils as he lingered, his lips inches from mine. He backed out and closed the door with a smirk on his face.

  His advances were bolder lately – and harder to ignore. Determined to change the subject, I looked out the window at the menacing sky. “I hope those clouds hold off until we’re inside the theatre.”

  “I love the rain. It’s calming.”

  “It is perfect movie weather.”

  When we pulled up, the line for tickets was winding out the door. The only parking spots available were at the far end of the parking lot. He shifted the car into park. Then, the sky opened up.

  I groaned.

  “We have some time. Let’s see if we can wait it out.”

  We waited, and waited, but the rain did not relent.

  “Okay. Look, don’t be mad,” he started. “I have a confession to make. Promise you won’t be mad?”

  I turned to face him. “Mad? Why would I be mad?”

  “Well, I checked the movie times earlier and saw that this movie was selling out fast. So I ordered the tickets online.”

  “And why would that make me mad?”

  “At the mall earlier you said you wanted to pay for the tickets. I didn’t want you to be angry, thinking I ignored you and paid for them anyway.”

  I looked down at my lap. Had I really been that difficult?

  “What?”

  “Of course you got the tickets ahead of time. It was selling out. I’m glad you did.”

  “I wasn’t sure if I should, but then we wouldn’t be able to see the movie tonight. I didn’t want you to be disappointed.”