Falling for You

“Do you not look at the people who follow you?” Hattie chuckles and shoves her phone into her back pocket.

I shake my head and check my watch. We’ve been talking for five minutes, and I still have a whole column of things to do on my paper before heading home to get changed.

I’ve made it a point to attend the functions I’m not working. For one, being in a controlled situation has helped ease my social anxiety, breaking me out of my shell a little. I can pick who I sit with, let them guide the conversations, and have the excuse of needing to help if I get overwhelmed. It’s been good for me and I’ve met some amazing people in the process.

“I can’t believe I ran into you,” Hattie says, more to herself than me. “What are you doing tonight?”

“Oh, um, I’ve got a few things to finish here.” I wiggle my clipboard, hoping Hattie will get the hint that I need to get back to work. She nods, smiling, waiting for me to say something more. “I thought about attending tonight’s event.”

“Oh.” Hattie frowns and pulls a rubber band off her wrist and ties up her long blue strands. “That sucks. I was hoping you’d ride back to Vero with me. It’s Landon’s twenty-fourth birthday. He’s been celebrating all week, but the actual party is…” She looks at her watch and chuckles. “Well, now, but the party is going to last all night. He probably hasn’t even noticed I’m not there yet.”

“Layla!” my aunt barks and the muscles in my back tense. She strolls across the room, head held high, lips pressed tight. “Have you finished that list?”

I clutch the clipboard to my chest again and shake my head. “Not yet, but I’m close.”

Aunt Tricia’s lips tilt down into a frown. She doesn’t like leaving things to the last minute. We still have just under an hour until the event starts, but if things aren’t finished at least a half-hour before the start time, she freaks out. “That’s not like you, child.”

“I’ll get it done before I leave, I promise, even if it’s on my own time.”

“Of course you will.” Aunt Tricia turns her attention to Hattie. “Who are you?”

“Hattie Reynolds, ma’am.” Hattie holds out her hand.

Aunt Tricia takes it and forces a smile. “Of course you are.” She turns back to me and points

her red painted nail at my clipboard. “I don’t pay you to talk with your friends. Finish that list in the next fifteen minutes or you’re fired.”

Shit. I’ve worked my ass off all summer. I’m not about to screw up my future a week before my life starts. Dad agreed to pay for two classes, to start. I have to finish with straight As if I want another tuition stipend next semester. But all of that goes down the drain if I get fired today. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Crap,” Hattie mumbles with a frown. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, but I should go.” I look down at the fifteen items left, knowing that I could probably finish half the list if I ran, but not all of it. Tears well in my eyes at the realization that my one chance to prove I deserve to choose how my life should be lived is shot.

“Wait!” Hattie yells, skipping to be at my side. “Let me help.”

“I don’t think so.” I skim over the name tags on the welcome table and check them against my tally sheet, making sure no one was missed. Check.

“Please. I feel bad. I didn’t mean to get you in trouble.” Hattie claps her hands together under her chin and gives me the puppy dog eyes.

I sigh, having lost three minutes and only completing one task. “Alright.” I scribble four items on the bottom of my paper and tear it off. “These are pretty self explanatory. We have twelve minutes. Hurry.”

Eleven minutes and thirty two seconds later, the list is complete. Hattie walks around the room one last time, double checking that all the place settings are straight, while I approach my aunt.

“Delegation.” Aunt Tricia smirks and holds her hand out for my clipboard. I hand it over and she glances at the list, making sure each item was indeed finished. “You might just make it in this world. Will we be seeing you tonight?”

“Actually...” Hattie steps up from behind me and links her arm through mine. “I was hoping to steal Layla away for the weekend.”

Aunt Tricia’s eye twitches. “Oh?”

Hattie turns her attention to me. “I just did you a solid. The least you can do is come help me celebrate.” She claps her hands together under her chin again.

I look to Aunt Tricia for guidance. I don’t know how this situation falls into our arrangement. Even though she is my boss, she’s also my aunt and my dad's informant. Leaving with Hattie could potentially screw everything up for me, but I kind of want to go. I haven’t done anything fun since moving here back in May.

Aunt Tricia’s face softens and for the first time since I’ve arrived, she doesn’t look ready to murder everyone in the room. “I think you should go. You’ve worked hard the past few months and created some strong bonds within the community. One weekend with people your age seems in order.”

Hattie squeals and takes my hand. “Thanks, Ms. Collins. You’re the best.”

The air is thick with sex, pot, and sweat as Hattie takes my hand and walks us through her front door of her one-bedroom cottage. The party isn’t huge, but there’s more people than I’m comfortable with inside her tiny home.