That…felt…amazing.
You’ve heard karma’s a bitch; well, I was that bitch. My body felt alive and electric as victory radiated from me. I finally got that smug bastard back for knocking me down on the trail. Seeing his shocked face as I deliberately let the elevator doors shut was so satisfying. You don’t want to apologize Sam Jessup, well game on asshole. I dropped my backpack on my bed and headed into the kitchen. As I walked to the refrigerator, I noticed a note taped to it, with what looked like one hundred and forty dollars. I snatched the note and the money from the fridge and read it:
Pizza and gas. Keep your pepper spray on you and no boys over. This means Ethan.
I chuckled to myself as I pocketed the money and began dialing Ethan’s number.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I’m a little nervously honestly” Ethan said, as we lay across my bed.
“Why?” I giggled, as he ran his fingers over my erect nipples, poking through his jersey.
I let out a breath of contentment.
“Well, I mean it’s college. Playing football for Ithaca is pretty big” Ethan explained.
“I get that, but it’s not like it’s NYU” I said.
“So, you’re not nervous about USC?” he asked.
I shrugged.
“So, what’s going to happen with us?” Ethan asked.
“Can we just cross that bridge when we get to it?” I suggested.
“Can I cross your bridge?” he smiled, leaning into the crook of my neck.
“Down boy good things are worth waiting for” I said.
“True but the anticipation is killing me” he groaned.
I smiled.
Ethan smiled, before leaning in and kissing me passionately.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are…you…fucking…kidding me?
It was three in the morning and some jack knocker was playing an electric guitar at full volume. It was a school night and I literally had to be up for my run in two and a half hours. I laid there looking up into the darkness, listening to every chord and every riff. As close as it sounded, I could tell it was the new neighbors. Great, I was praying the new neighbors would be peaceful, but no, whoever it was was an inconsiderate douchebag. Ethan lay next to me sound asleep and unbothered. Jesus can this guy sleep through a nuclear attack? I hopped up, slid on a pair lounge pants over my underwear and pulled on Ethan’s hoodie. I finger combed my hair, and then headed out of the room.
Now here I was standing in front of Apartment 1402, listening to guitar music blare from behind the door. I took an exasperated breath before raising my right fist and knocking on the door. The guitar music continued, so I knocked a little harder. Finally, after a few moments the guitar stopped. I looked back at my door as I waited.
“Doll?”
The name made me cringe and set my teeth on edge. I turned to see Sam standing in the doorway of the apartment. His hair was pulled back in a mid-bun, and he was dressed in what looked like only a black bath robe. Around his body was a bright red strap attached to a sparkling black electric guitar that was on his back, and in his mouth was a lit cigarette.
“You?” I grimaced.
“And you” he grinned, pulling the cigarette from his mouth and blowing out smoke.
That grin was going to take me out. That grin was the kind of grin that mother’s would love. The kind of grin hovering over you as you screamed his name. The kind of grin that gave off big dick energy. That grin would have me having all of this man’s babies however many. But the cigarette? I coughed a little as I waved away a cloud of smoke.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Living obviously” he replied, leaning on the doorjamb, flicking ashes from the cigarette and putting it back in his mouth.
“Wait, you live here?”
“Yep” he nodded.
“How?” I questioned with confusion.
“Funny thing doll, in Seattle you can rent an apartment when you’re eighteen as long as it’s not an upscale one” he answered, blowing out more smoke from his cancer stick towards my face.
In my life I’ve had some shitty things happened, but why did the stars align to curse me with having Sam Jessup as my neighbor.
“You’re kidding me?”
Sam shook his head slowly, the smug grin on his face widening. This can’t be happening to me; now I really won’t be able to dodge this asshole. But either way I needed sleep, so I needed to focus back on the mission.
“Whatever, can you keep the music down please?” I asked. “I really need to sleep.”
“Nope.”
“We have school in the morning.”
“Correction, you have school in the morning, I’m taking a day.”
“What, can you do that?” I asked.
“I can do whatever I want”.
“Will you just knock it off?” I demanded.
“Nope” he repeated.
Sam smiled and shook his head, as he hit the cigarette again and flicked the ashes.
“What?” I said disbelief.
“You didn’t hold the elevator for me.”
“So?” I shrugged.
“So…” he started, putting the cigarette back in the corner of his mouth.
He swung the guitar around, putting his left hand on the strings and began playing the opening chords to ‘No Sleep Til’ Brooklyn’ by the Beastie Boys. The guitar fed back, causing a loud high-pitched ringing to echo through the hallway from the amp right inside the front door. I put my hands up to my ears until it stopped.
“Do you have to be a dick right now?” I growled.
“I have one of those, want to see, just take a peek” he said, thrusting his pelvis at me.
“Ew, no thank you. I prefer gourmet meals, not t.v. dinners” I frowned.
“Good one doll” he smiled, with a wink while pointing at me.
He took the cigarette from his mouth, put it out on the door jamb and tossed it to the hall floor.
“Cut it out jackass, we have rules in this place” I yelled, picking up the cigarette butt.
He began playing the guitar solo of the song as I tossed the butt in a trash can by the window at the end of the hallway. I couldn’t take this anymore; I was livid, and Sam’s inane behavior was sending me. I stormed over to the guitar, snatched out the aux cord and tossed it to the floor. The amp feedback once more.
“You bitch” he said in disbelief.
“Vapid loser!” I shot back. “Now shut the fuck up!”
I stormed back into my apartment across the hall and slammed the door. I laid in bed beside Ethan for about ten minutes just listening. All I did was unplug the guitar. I knew he could turn it back on at any moment. And so, he did. The quiet, somber notes of ‘Something in the Way’ by Nirvana seeped through the crevices of the walls and into my ears. The irony of the song managed to get a smile out of me. At least he knew he was in the way.
I was absolutely no good the next morning. After I showered, I was too tired to even blow dry my hair, so towel dry it was. I didn’t take the effort to do make-up today, beyond mascdara, eyeliner and lip-gloss. My damp hair lay on my t-shirt covered shoulders. I was already dressed for school as I sat at the kitchen counter in front of a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
“Not running today babe?” Ethan asked, as he stepped around me to the other side of the counter.
“Wasn’t up for it today” I grumbled, putting a spoonful of cereal in my mouth.
“You, okay?” Ethan asked, as he pulled his shirt over his head.
“Yea, I just didn’t sleep well” I yawned, running my hands down my face.
“Really? I slept like a rock” Ethan grinned.
I’ll bet you did.
Something about my altercation last night with Sam just made me mad at all men. The control, the masculinity…the audacity.
“Do you want a ride to school?” Ethan asked.
“No, I have cheer practice after school” I groaned. “So, it may be best if I drive my car.”
“Okay baby” Ethan smiled.
He leaned down and kissed my forehead.
“I’ll see you at school” he said and made his way out the front door.
My day was so thrown out of whack; second day of school and I was walking around campus like a freaking zombie. I was almost late and for the first time in years I didn’t run. My entire life routine was knocked completely off kilter from one night of Sam Jessup’s antics.
“You look like shit” Desiree said at lunch, as we sat down at our usual table.
“Gee, thanks for the esteem boost, Des” I yawned.
Ethan and Desmond sat down beside us.
“She says she didn’t sleep well” Ethan explained.
“Yea the asshole on the motorcycle lives next door” I frowned.
“Wait, the new guy?” Desiree asked.
I nodded.
“He was up all night playing his stupid guitar” I groaned.
“I literally heard nothing babe” Ethan explained.
“That's because you sleep like the dead dear” I said sarcastically.
“Play guitar and ride a motorcycle? You lucky whore” Desiree grinned.
“Down girl” Desmond grumbled.
“For real though I'm right here” Ethan smirked.
“Yes, you are baby” I smiled, kissing his cheek.
“Being single sucks” Desiree pouted.
The rest of the day droned on. It was an endless afternoon of nothing but useless information. History was my last class of the day. Duncan went on and on about the Civil War. I sat there with my chin propped up on my hands, while every now and then Ethan rubbed my back, or my sides. When I thought Ethan wasn’t looking, I slightly turned my head and looked behind me from the corner of my eye. I didn’t see him this morning parking his bike, or in the halls, and right now he wasn’t in his seat. Sam didn’t show up for school, exactly like he said he wouldn’t. After cheer practice I did my usual routine at home. My dinner consisted of grill cheese sandwiches, tomato soup and a coke. After that, I showered and attempted to get some homework done.
It was after eleven and loud blaring music was blasting from Sam’s apartment. I could hear people talking, they sounded like they were right in the hallway. When I finally couldn’t concentrate any longer, I slammed my pen down on my physics book and decided to go see what the hell was going on. When I opened the front door there were about five or six people lined up outside of Sam’s apartment door and a weird looking guy was taking admission. Was this jackass really having a party on a school night? I stormed over to the weird guy. He was shirtless, with a pair of cargo shorts on and bare foot. He had on a pair of rainbow heart-shaped shades, and something painted on his chest.
He hair was slicked back, and he had an earring dangling from one ear. He looked maybe a few years older than me. Women of ill repute, in skanky outfits handed twenty-dollar bills to the guy before entering the apartment. Linkin Park blasted out of the door at full volume as they walked in. Thank God we were the only tenants on this floor, but I’m sure tenants downstairs were pissed. As I approached him, he looked at me.
“Can I help you sweetie” he smacked, before grinning and making duck lips.
“What are you guys doing?” I yelled over the music.
“Uh, making rent” he chuckled.
“But he just moved here.”
From the sound of the guy’s voice, I could tell that this was the guy yelling at the movers.
“Yea, I know” the guy chuckled.
“Is he in there?” I asked, pointing with my finger.
“Oh yea” they guy nodded with a huge grin.
I rolled my eyes and stepped inside. The apartment was packed. There were all kinds of people everywhere, even a few from school. The pungent smell of tobacco and beer filled the place. Over in the dining area I could see the star hockey player Lynx, arm wrestling with Chase Abraham, a basketball player. Oh shit, I hope Ethan wasn’t here. But he wouldn’t come to a party right across from me and not come saying anything. Plus, although a few jocks were here, it really didn’t look like his kind of crowd. As I entered the living room, I spotted Sam. He was sitting on that huge, ugly, black sectional. In one hand he was holding a bottle of tequila, while in the other, he put a thin, blue, Hyde vape up to his lips. In front of him was a busty red head, dancing and grinding on his lap, cowgirl style.
Afterwards, she leaned in, and they kissed. This was disgrossting. It was so nasty that I had to put two words together to make a nastier word. I moved closer and cleared my throat. Sam opened his eyes and immediately broke the kiss when he saw me.
“Well, hey doll” he grinned, pushing the girl off his lap.
She frowned, flipped him a middle finger and walked off, getting swallowed in the throng of people.
“Turn the music off now” I said.
“What was that?” Sam grinned, putting a hand up to his ear.
“You heard me, I have a physics test tomorrow and I need sleep” I growled.
“No way the party is just getting started” Sam said.
The track changed and ‘Imma Be’ by the Black-Eyed Peas blasted from the speakers now.
“You can’t be serious, I have school tomorrow, we have school tomorrow” I yelled.
“I’m sorry doll I really can’t hear you” Sam lied with a smug grin.
That’s it. I turned and stormed out of the apartment. I rode the elevator down to the parking garage. Even though it was pouring outside I still marched out in the rain and around to the side of the building. Up against the concrete walls were a long line of power boxes. I walked to the one for my floor, stood on my tiptoes, turned on my phone flashlight and opening it. I searched the box, looking at the numbers until I found fourteen-oh-two. I reached up and hit the main power source. I smiled triumphantly, as I closed the box. In the pocket of my shorts, I pulled out a red sharpie. I stood on my toes once again and wrote in all caps and exclamation point: CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?!
With that I made my way back inside. I knew it would only be a matter of time before the fireworks flew. I’d be ready.