Free Girl In Pieces by Jordan Bell Page B

these little brick holes I kept a box with a spare key and a lighter. I put the envelope in there.
    “Everyone at the bar thinks you have a new boyfriend. That true?”
    I laughed. “Wow the rumor mill is generous. No new boyfriend, although I do have a date tonight.” I gave a little celebration dance which actually brought a brief grin to Brian’s face. “First date. I was just getting ready when you knocked.”
    “He nice?”
    “Don’t know. He seems nice.” I shrugged and wandered back to Brian’s side. “Anything’s better than the whole lot of nothing I’ve had lately. Well, almost anything. Well, maybe not quite almost anything. Not axe murderers or Republicans or guys who like NASCAR. Definitely not those guys.”
    “I’ve ah – I’ve actually been seeing someone too.” He twisted his hands across the arms of the chair and I realized his whole weirdness was because he was nervous. Nervous about this moment, about telling me his secret. I lowered myself back to the rug and grinned up at my big brother.
    “Get out. Is she cute?”
    A very tiny splotch of pink messed up Brian’s otherwise grouchy, scowly expression.
    “Very.”
    “And nice?”
    “Sometimes.”
    “If she’s not nice all the time, she’s not worth it. Trust me. Take it from a girl who has been there done that.”
    “Sometimes is a lot better than the whole lot of nothing I’ve had this year.”
    I grinned and nodded. “Yeah ok. Can’t argue with that.”
    Brian’s cheeks pinked again.
    “She’s not not   nice. We’re still getting to know each other and she’s got baggage. But I like her company.” He cleared his throat and smoothed his palms down his thighs to his knees. It was so weird seeing him boyishly nervous. “I have no idea why she’s wasting her time on me.”
    “Me either.”
    He grunted again, but I thought I saw a tiny smile starting to curve his mouth before he pushed himself to his feet. “I should let you get ready for your date. Try not to talk too much and give away how annoying you are.”
    “Har har.” I scrambled after him, giving him a childish shove out into the hallway. “Thanks again, Brian. It was nice not fighting for 5 minutes.”
    “Yeah well, don’t get used to it.” He made a noise of annoyance at my neighbor Avery Alston as she appeared at the top of the stairs and he had to sidestep her armful of groceries. She smiled and he didn’t but if she noticed she didn’t look any less pleasant. She nudged her glasses up her nose with her shoulder, hiked a bag higher on her hip and got out of Brian’s way.
    “Need a hand?” I leaned in the doorway and watched the red head lean into her doorway next to mine and fight to get her keys out.
    “I got it. I’ve become a master at getting everything up the stairs in one trip and unlocking the door without having to put anything down. I’m not sure if it’s mad skills or epic laziness.” She jutted a hip, kicked the bottom of the door with her toe which popped it open and caught her second bag before it toppled out of her arms. “Viola. I should have joined the circus as a child. I’d have been a fantastic acrobat. Hey I’m making homemade cinnamon rolls tonight. Want to pop over about nine?”
    “Rain check?” I grinned. “I’ve got a hot date and I would rather not be home before midnight.”
    Avery’s brightness dimmed, her smile suddenly missing from behind her bags. We weren’t super close but I knew she was engaged to a guy from the nice side of South River which was where I was pretty sure she’d grown up. He came over sometimes but never seemed to stay long enough to meet me. I couldn’t remember his name.
    “Lucky girl. I wouldn’t let you miss out on midnight make outs for anything, but I’ll want all the details tomorrow over coffee and leftovers.”
    “You’re a true friend, Avery, even though you tempt me with buttery, sugar coated goodness and because I lack any kind of real willpower, as long as we stay