Against All Odds

by E. L. Todd

  “Just scrub it down with bleach. It’ll be fine.”

  He sniffed the air. “It smells like sex in here!”

  “It’s like an air fresher!” I said.

  “Just…go!” He pointed out the door.

  “You heard the man.” I pulled Trinity with me and we headed down the flights of stairs.

  When we were on the street again, Trinity slapped me everywhere. “You are such a jerk!”

  “What?” I covered my face. “He didn’t see you. I kept you covered.”

  She made a quiet scream then marched off in the other direction.

  “Baby, wait.” I chased after her.

  “I’ve never been so mortified in my life!”

  “What about that time—”

  She smacked me again.

  “Stop hitting me,” I argued. “You’re just getting me turned on again.”

  “My god, you’re ridiculous.”

  “Calm down, baby. Come on, it was funny.”

  “It was not funny.”

  “When we tell everyone, they’ll think it’s hilarious.”

  Her eyes widened. “We aren’t telling anyone!”

  “Well…Cayson might.”

  “No, he won’t,” she argued. “He’s more embarrassed than we are.”

  “Well, he is a bit of a girl when it comes to this stuff…”

  “Why do I put up with you?” she said seriously.

  I grabbed her and pushed her against the wall of a nearby building. “Because you love me like crazy. Just the way I love you.”

  Her eyes softened and she melted. But she fought against it, keeping the anger on the surface. “No, you aren’t going to pull that on me!”

  “Isn’t it romantic?” I said. “We’re like Romeo and Juliet, and we’re just trying to be together even though everyone wants to keep us apart.”

  “No one is trying to keep us apart,” she said. “You just want to get laid.”

  “Oh Trinity, where art thou…?”

  She pushed me away. “Knock it off.”

  “It is the east, and Trinity is the sun!” I got down on one knee and kept quoting Shakespeare while people passed us.

  Trinity was growing redder. “Be quiet!”

  I made my voice sound deep and professional. “Then have my lips the sin that they have took.”

  “I’m done with this!” She marched off, leaving me kneeling on the ground while everyone watched. They must have thought it was an act because they tossed money at me. A few dollars and coins landed at my feet.

  “Uh, thanks,” I said.

  The traffic started to move again.

  I collected the money and counted it. “Seven bucks? I made seven bucks in two minutes?” I stuffed everything into my pocket then chased after Trinity again. “Wait! I have an idea!”

  Chapter Seven

  Skye

  Slade’s words played in my mind over and over. I was hurt Trinity betrayed me by ratting me out to Cayson. She was the one person I could count on to keep my secret. The trust between us was undeniable.

  But I missed her.

  She’d been there for me ever since we could talk. Whenever I did anything, it was with her. She comforted me through every heartbreak and hard time. When Zack was pestering me constantly, she defended me and had my back.

  She’d always had my back.

  Not talking to her for a month was difficult. Every time something happened to me, I wanted to turn to her and share it. But then I remembered we weren’t speaking. Perhaps I was overreacting. She said she had my best interest at heart, and I knew that was true. Trinity would never hurt me intentionally.

  Losing her wasn’t an option. I had to make it right.

  I headed to her house then knocked on the door. My nerves were jarred and I was nervous. Would she even want to see me? Had I waited too long? According to Slade, it seemed like she missed me as much as I missed her.

  The door opened it and Uncle Mike answered. “What a nice surprise.” He pulled me in for a hug. “Here to see Trinity?”

  Judging his buoyant attitude, he had no idea Trinity and I were fighting. “Yeah. Is she home?”

  “She’s in her room.”

  “Thanks.”

  He headed back into the living room.

  I walked upstairs then reached her room. I knocked gently before I heard her voice.

  “Come in.”

  I stepped inside and looked at her.

  She was cutting an image out of a magazine. Clips were spread across her desk, and the wall facing her was pinned with different pictures and styles. A rack containing a dress was beside her, and it had pins imbedded in it.

  When she turned to me, her eyes contracted. “Skye?”

  “Hey…” I shut the door behind me.

  She didn’t greet me. All she was stare at me, on her guard. “Can I help you?” Her voice was cold. She finished cutting her image then put down the scissors.

  “I just wanted to talk.”

  “Okay.” She stared at me but didn’t say anything.

  I took a deep breath before I began. “I’m sorry I yelled at you…”

  She studied my face as I spoke.

  “I never should have said all those means things. I’m hurt you betrayed me, but I know you were just trying to do the right thing.” I sat at the edge of her bed and put my hands together. “The truth is, I miss you like crazy. I want my best friend back.” My eyes started to water.

  Hers did too. “I miss you too, Skye.”

  “Do you forgive me?” My lip started to quiver.

  “Of course.” Her lip quivered too. She came to my side then hugged me tightly. “I’m sorry too. I only told your secret because I thought it would help. I just couldn’t stand to see you in pain anymore.”

  “I know.” I held her and breathed deeply.

  She and I held each other in silence.

  “I’m so glad you apologized,” she said. “I was about to cave because I missed you so much.”

  “Every day was torture…”

  “Thank god we’re okay. I need to get a pedicure and I almost took Slade.”

  “No!”

  “I know,” she said full of shame. “I would have died.”

  I pulled away then patted her hand. “Slade came to me and knocked some sense into me.”

  “What?” she asked. “Slade? Knocked some sense into you? That’s not even physically possible.”

  I laughed. “Well, he did. He told me I needed to make up with you because…you really missed me.”

  Her eyes softened. “He did that…?”

  I nodded. “He really loves you…”

  “Slade,” she said with a sigh. “He’s so sweet…when he’s not being annoying.”

  “And I know he really didn’t want to talk to me,” I said. “It was an effort for him.”

  “Yeah, he’s not your biggest fan,” she said truthfully.

  “It’s okay,” I said. “I understand. He’s loyal to Cayson, but that isn’t a bad thing.”

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t more loyal to you…”

  “It’s water under the bridge, Trinity.” I patted her hand again.

  “Really?”

  I nodded.

  “Good. Because we need to get you and Cayson back together.”

  There was nothing I wanted more. “I don’t think it’s something we can force. He told me he needs time. And nothing would happen until he’s ready.”

  “Well, make him more inclined to be ready.” She gave me a knowing look.

  “What does that mean?” I asked.

  “Well, for one, you need to gain some weight. You lost a lot…”

  I had. It fell off me like water. “Well, I like being skinny. I’ve never been skinny before…”

  “But Cayson liked you curvy,” she argued.

  “He likes me no matter how I look. And my boobs are still annoyingly big.” They hurt my back every morning.

  “No, you need to eat,” she said firm
ly.

  “Well, we won’t have a problem there,” I said with a laugh.

  She chuckled. “I’m glad we’re back to normal.”

  “Me too.” I felt the tension ebbing off my shoulders.

  “Now we need to get your guys together in the same room.”

  “How?” I asked. “He said we needed to go at his pace.”

  “Just invite everyone over for football on Sunday like you used to. He’ll come…you’ll wear something that makes you look gorgeous…and that will get the ball rolling.”

  I had a feeling it would be harder than that.

  “You got to start somewhere, right?”

  “Yeah…”

  ***

  “I’m not wearing this,” I said firmly.

  “Yes. You. Are.” Trinity handed me black pumps.

  I wore a skintight black dress that pushed my boobs together and made them looked like deviled eggs on a platter. “I look like I’m about to head to the Plaza for drinks.”

  “And you look hot,” she said with wide eyes.

  “But people are just coming over for football,” I argued. “It totally looks like I’m trying too hard.”

  “You’re right.” She rummaged through my closet and found an old shirt. “Try this. It has a V-neck.”

  I took off the dress and put it on. It was tight everywhere and showed my chest, but not too much.

  “And here are my jeans.” Trinity handed them to me.

  “I never thought we’d be the same size,” I said with a laugh.

  “Not for long.” She pointed her finger at me. “You need to eat as much pizza as you can.”

  I saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “That’s my girl.”

  I put on the jeans and they were skintight. But my thighs looked good and so did my ass.

  Trinity fixed my hair then applied more lip-gloss. “Alright. You’re a bombshell.”

  I started to get nervous. “What do I say to him?”

  “Just act normal,” she said. “Be cool.”

  “But he told me hated me last time we spoke.”

  “He didn’t mean it, obviously.” She gripped my shoulders. “Now make him fall in love with you again.”

  “I don’t know how I did it the first time!”

  “Just be yourself.”

  “Easier said than done…”

  We put the food out and made sure the place was spotless. The TV was on and the game was about to start.

  I couldn’t fight the anxiety I felt. I wasn’t even sure if he was coming. What would he say to me? Would he still look at me like he hated me? What if this was a bad idea? The nerves were driving me crazy.

  There was a knock on the door.

  I practically jumped ten feet off the ground.

  “Chill,” Trinity whispered. “And shoulders back.”

  I did as she asked. “I look like a soldier!”

  “Just do it.”

  I fixed my posture.

  “Pull them further back,” she commanded.

  I tried.

  “Now stand up straighter.”

  Wasn’t I straight before? “ I tried to keep my spine in a straight line.”

  “Now stick out your ass!”

  “How am I supposed to do that when I’m standing right with my shoulders back?”

  “Just do it.” She grabbed my body and adjusted it. “Okay, like that.” She stepped back and looked at me. “Perfect.”

  I felt like a chicken about to lay an egg.

  Trinity walked to the door and answered it. “Hey.”

  Roland came in and took off his jacket. Then he looked at me. His eyes narrowed and concern was etched onto his face. “Are you okay…?”

  “I told you I looked stupid!” I abandoned my posture and stood normally.

  “What’s going on?” Roland asked.

  “Nothing,” Trinity said. “Eat some appetizers.”

  “Where’s everyone else?” Roland asked.

  “Not here yet,” Trinity said. “Beer?”

  “Sure.”

  She headed into the kitchen.

  Roland came closer to me. He eyed me up and down. “You look nice.”

  My brother was never nice to me. “Uh, thanks.”

  “I’m glad you’re feeling better…”

  “Yeah.”

  “Just don’t stand like that again,” he jabbed.

  “Shut up,” I snapped.

  “You looked like you were trying to take a shit in your living room.”

  “Lay off, alright?”

  “Why are you…more annoying than usual?” he asked.

  Trinity returned with the beer. “Cayson is coming over…I think.”

  “Oh.” He took a drink then glanced at the TV. “Is that going to be awkward?”

  Trinity and I both blurted different answers.

  “No,” Trinity said firmly. “It won’t be awkward. We’re all friends just like before.”

  No one besides Trinity and Slade knew what really happened. Everyone else thought we broke up because of the distance.

  Roland sighed. “This should be fun…”

  Another knock sounded on the door.

  A quiet scream escaped my lips.

  “Be cool,” Trinity hissed.

  “What did I get myself into…?” Roland moved to the couch.

  “Answer it,” Trinity said. “I don’t live here.”

  “Oh!” I headed to the door and opened it.

  Conrad and Theo stepped inside. A case of beer was under Conrad’s arm. “Hey.” His voice always contained a tinge of sadness to it. Since he and Beatrice broke up, he hadn’t been the same.

  “Hey.” I was disappointed it wasn’t Cayson.

  Conrad handed the beer to me. “I brought the good stuff.”

  “Thanks.” I took it then acknowledged Theo. “You should have brought Alex.”

  “She’s too busy sleeping.” He rolled his eyes. “She is the laziest and sexiest chick I know.”

  I put the beer in the refrigerator then came back into the living room.

  “This is a sweet apartment,” Theo said. “The view of the skyline must be ridiculous at night.”

  “It is,” I said honestly. I’d been staring at it for a year.

  “And this TV is awesome,” Conrad said. “Is it a seventy inch?”

  “Yes,” Roland said in a bored voice. “My father favors his daughter over his son.”

  “Maybe you should have graduated college,” I argued.

  He rolled his eyes and drank his beer.

  Conrad sat beside him and started talking like normal.

  Theo kept watching them, more interested in their conversation than the game on the screen.

  Another knock sounded on the door.

  It could be Cayson this time. My heart wouldn’t stop slamming into my ribs and it moved into my throat. I was practically going to pass out. I kept my cool and answered the door.

  It was Slade and Silke. It was so unlikely to seem them together that I did a double take. “Why are you both here at the same time?”

  “I had to force her to come,” Slade explained.

  Silke crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve just been under the weather.”

  “Well, if you’re sick you can stay home,” I said.

  “She’s not sick,” Slade argued. “She and Arsen broke up.”

  “Oh…” My eyes fell in sadness. “I’m so sorry, Silke.”

  “It’s okay,” she said quietly. “But thanks.”

  I hugged her tightly. “We’ll have a girls night this weekend. We’ll eat, drink, and get our nails down.”

  “Thanks,” she whispered.

  Trinity hugged her next. “It’ll be okay, girl. I never liked him anyway.”

  “Whatever,” Silke said. “You were just as into him as I was.”

  “No, she wasn’t,” Slade snapped. “My baby is only into me.”

  We all ignored him and walked Silke inside. We guided her in
to the kitchen. “How about some wine?” I asked.

  “We got champagne too,” Trinity said.

  “What are we celebrating?” Silke asked.

  “We got beer and we got wine coolers,” I said. “Anything you want, we can get it.” I was so concerned about making her happy that I forgot about Cayson coming over. “I can make cake. You want cake.”

  “Seriously, I’m fine,” Silke said. “Calm down.”

  “You don’t look fine,” Trinity said. “You’ve lost at least ten pounds.”

  Silke shrugged. “Being thinner is never a bad thing.”

  “Yes, it is,” Trinity said firmly. “Now, you need to eat and drink and tell us everything that happened.”

  “I don’t want to be a downer…” Silke fidgeted her hair.

  “Nonsense.” Trinity gripped her shoulders. “Let’s find a nice spot on the couch.” She turned to me. “Bring her a margarita. I think that will cheer her up.”

  “It’s noon,” Silke said.

  “Who cares?” Trinity said as she ushered her out.

  “I’m on it.” I pulled out the blender and found everything I needed. Luckily, I had patron in one of the shelves and plenty of ice. When I turned around to grab the salt, I bumped into a wall.

  “Sorry, I thought you knew I was there.” Cayson looked down at me, his hand resting on my arm.

  I froze and felt my heart accelerate. “Uh…”I couldn’t think of anything better to say. I was caught off guard, too concerned about Silke. “It’s okay. I mean, I’m sorry too…” I tried to grasp at something intelligent to say but I couldn’t think of anything. When I looked into those blue eyes I remembered everything I was missing.

  “It’s my fault. I should have said something.” He held up a case of beer. “Do you mind if I put this in the refrigerator?” His voice was gentle, but it still held his pain. He wasn’t exactly the way he used to be. When he was around me, he was strained.

  “Sure.” I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to act normal. I forgot what I was doing so I just stood there, looking confused.

  After Cayson put everything inside, he turned back to me. “Margaritas?”

  “I was looking for salt,” I blurted.

  “Oh.” He grabbed it from the kitchen island. “Here it is.”

  “Thanks.” I took it in my hands and realized how sweaty my palms were.

  “Do you need help…?”

  “No. I got it.” I felt the vein in my neck throb because my heart was pumping so fast.