Free Hooked by Carrie Thomas

know he likes banana splits because that was what he ordered when he came into the D airy Q ueen.  I know this is kind of corny , but it is all I can think of and I don’t want to go over there with nothing. 
     
         After a quick stop at the D airy Q ueen, I pull up to his apartment.   I feel stupid walking up to his door with ice cream , but oh well, I’ve already done it.  There’s a good chance I’d look dumb if I walked back to my car now.  I knock on the door.  My heart starts beating faster when I hear footsteps.  He swings the door open and smiles. 
     
         “Hey sweetheart, what made you come over here at, ” he looks at the clock on the wall behind him, “eight o’clock in the morning?” 
         
         I look down at the ice cream and back up to his face.  I push it toward him and say, “I wanted to bring you this as a thank you.”  He laughs, actually laughs at me.  I look down and then to the side of the apartment and then back at him. 
     
         “You know, I just wanted to say thank you and make sure you were ok ay , you don’t have to be a jerk!”  I say sternly. 
     
         He holds the ice cream in one hand and holds the other hand up . “ Y ou ’ r e right, I’m sorry.  This was nice of you , but very unnecessary .  Let me put this in the freezer, come on in , ” h e says as he walks toward the kitchen. 
     
         I’ve never been in his apartment before , but I already know where all the rooms are because it is exactly like Jessica’s , except it has less stuff.  It’s bare , but clean. 
     
         “Sorry, we have only been living here a couple of weeks , so there is not much to look at.”
     
         “No, no , it’s great , ” I say just to be polite.
     
         “You southern girls are funny , ” h e says sounding amused.
     
         “How’s that?”  I asked curiously.
     
         “I’ve never had anyone bring me ice cream as a thank you for going to jail.”
     
         “And just how many times would that be?”  I ask still holding eye contact.
     
         “A couple , ” h e says sounding steady with a shrug.
     
         “Are you proud of that?”
     
         “Not really, just answering your question.”
     
         I look around and realize we are alone.  “Where are your folks?”
     
         “Well, my dad took off about oh, four years ago to get bread and never came back,” he says and pauses, then adds , “and my mom is at work.”
     
         “Oh, I’m sorry about your dad.” 
     
         He chuckles at me and says, “You sure say you’re sorry a lot.”
     
         “I’m sor ---ugh, well, I can’t help it , ” I say losing my patien ce .
     
         “It’s cool, I like that about you.”
     
         “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
     
         “Not that I know of.” 
     
         He started walking toward me and I got really nervous.   How could he be so crude and sarcastic and make my insides go gooey?  I wasn’t attracted to that , was I?  If the feeling I’m having right now is any indicator, I guess I am.
     
         “Where’s your room?”  I ask a little too loud and fast.
     
         He cocks one eyebrow and holds his hand out showing me which way to go.  I start down the hallway.  I knew which room was his before I opened the door.  Something just told me it was his.  I opened the door and looked back at him just to be sure.  He smiled and nodded at me and I opened the door.  The first th ing I noticed was the smell.  It smelled so good, like him , a mixture of cologne and him.  I couldn’t really describe his scent , but I knew I’d never forget it.  His room was really simple.  His walls were tan with a navy blue comforter.  He only had a dresser with a small TV and a small desk in the corner and he had nothing on the walls, no photos on his desk, it was bare.  It was however, neat and clean,