The Hardest Fall

“You okay?”

When I looked up, she was looking at me. I shook my head and cleared my throat. “Yeah.”

“So are we gonna watch something or not?”

I checked my watch: it was almost eleven.

“I’m sorry,” Zoe muttered, putting her slice down. “I know you get up early. You don’t have to sit and watch me eat.”

“I can watch a movie with you,” I told her. How could I leave her? “No doomsday movies, though. Anything but that.”

Her smile back in place, she picked up her slice and took another damn bite. “I actually wanted to watch Geostorm, but didn’t wanna do it alone.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. Pick something else.”

“I still get to pick?”

“Sure, why not? I’m an asshole, remember? You get to pick the movie.” And I get to know you better, I thought to myself.

“How about an old-ish movie, like The Fifth Element or…Speed? Or how about Lord of the Rings? Both Kayla and Jared refuse to binge-watch them with me, and that’s a movie I’d rather watch with a friend. Definitely one of my favorites.” One more bite and she had me licking my lips. Before I could manage to respond, she’d already swallowed and was starting again. “I know we can’t binge them tonight, but maybe another time? The only other person who loves it as much as me is in Phoenix, and it’s been so long since I watched it.”

I cleared my throat. “I thought for sure you’d force Titanic or The Notebook on me as a punishment.”

Licking her fingers, she shook her head. “I like romantic movies, but sometimes they’re too sweet. I have to be in the mood for that.”

Great. I was her buddy, her friend—nothing romantic about that.

“How about we go for Fifth Element then. It’s been a while since I watched a Bruce Willis movie. How are we gonna do this? Your laptop or mine?”

“Mine. I think I have that on my account already.” She sprang up from the couch, barely keeping her balance as she thrust the pizza box into my hands. “Don’t steal,” she warned, her expression serious.

Holding back my smile, I gave her a nod.

Just as she took off in a jog, the doorbell rang, stopping her forward movement.

Slowly she turned to me and whispered, “Ms. Hilda? I don’t wanna open it. If she wants me to do something, by the time I get back, my pizza will be cold.”

Just as quietly, I whispered back, “I already helped her with some heavy boxes today. Let’s ignore it—I’ll check on her tomorrow.” I wouldn’t exactly call the old lady sweet, but she was definitely treating me better than she treated Zoe; I’d witnessed that on more than a few occasions.

She bit her lip and glanced at the door.

Before I could get up and nudge her toward her room, someone knocked loud enough to wake the whole damn building.

The noise made Zoe jump, and she looked at me in confusion. Frowning, I got up from my seat.

Chapter Ten

Dylan

“I know you’re in there, you asshole! Open the fucking door.”

Oh fuck.

“Who is it?” Zoe asked, still whispering.

I sighed and put her pizza on top of mine. Rubbing my neck, I went to open the door before someone called 911 for a noise complaint, or worse, Ms. Hilda decided to come out, if she hadn’t already.

I knew it would be pointless, but I still blocked his entrance.

“What the hell are you doing here JP?”

“Hello to you too, you motherfucker.”

Great.

I glanced at Zoe over my shoulder and she made a face that clearly said shit.

Shit, indeed.

I turned back to my impatient, pissed-off friend. “What do you want?”

He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe I’d ask such a question, and then he pushed me back, sweeping right into the apartment and coming face to face with Zoe.

“Oh, what do we have here?”

I exhaled a deep breath and closed the door. At least the dumbass had come alone.

When Zoe said hi, I turned around to find JP circling her like a shark observing its prey before deciding on an attack plan, much like he had years before, actually, though I doubted he’d remember her from that night, not like I did.

“Don’t even think about it,” I warned him. “What are you doing here, man?”

He quit playing and focused on me.

“What am I doing here? Good question. Wait, I think I have an even better one—what the hell are you doing here?”

“I live here.”

“I already got that much. You’ve been coming straight here after splitting with us these last two days.”

“Are you fucking crazy? Have you been following me?”

“Excuse the fuck out of me for being worried about you.”

“Maybe I should just go to my room so you guys can—”

My eyes landed on Zoe as she started to back away. “You stay,” I ordered her.

JP glanced between Zoe and me. “Is this why you’ve been so tight-lipped about where you’re staying? Because you’re shacking up with some girl and playing house?”