The Hardest Fall(29)
“It’s nice to meet you, Ms…” Dylan trailed off.
“Hilda,” I jumped in before he got her started. “I forgot to mention her to you, didn’t I? This is Ms. Hilda. I was just helping her out with something and she mentioned how she had seen a young man leave the apartment and was confused about who you were.”
“Oh?” Dylan asked politely, glancing between me and our neighbor.
“I wasn’t confused, Miss Clarke. I gave you my exact thoughts on how I felt about another boy living with you. This one”—she turned to look at Dylan as she pointed her thumb at me—“should’ve been a juggler in a circus instead of fiddling away with that camera she can’t seem to part ways with.”
“Oh, but, Ms. Hilda, you didn’t hear the best part yet.” I put my arm through Dylan’s, stood a little bit closer to him, basically plastering my front to his side, and had to forcefully suppress the involuntary shiver caused by standing too close to him. I leaned toward Ms. Hilda as if I was about to give her the world’s biggest secret. She leaned forward too—she lived for gossip. “I’m afraid he’s not into us girls,” I whispered loud enough that she could hear, which meant Dylan could hear me perfectly clearly, too. Ms. Hilda’s eyebrows furrowed and she gave Dylan another long look.
“Uh, excuse me?” Dylan spoke up after a few seconds of silence.
I angled my body toward him and this time patted his chest area, completely ignoring his lined forehead and questioning gaze. I had no idea where I was going with the whole petting thing, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
“Nothing to be sorry about,” the old woman answered, mistaking Dylan’s question as an apology.
“Yes, nothing to be sorry about, Dylan,” I repeated.
Dylan’s eyes jumped from me to Ms. Hilda. “I don’t—”
Before Dylan could finish his sentence, I discreetly stepped on his foot with my heel and applied as much pressure as I could. Points to him for not even letting out a grunt. Slowly he turned his head toward me and raised an eyebrow. I gave him the sweetest smile I could come up with and pulled my foot away.
“Ms. Hilda is a very open-minded woman,” I explained, gesturing toward her with my head. “Nothing like her peers, right Ms. Hilda?”
She stood a little taller. “Yes, yes, that I am. Those old farts are nothing like me. Keep your head high, young man. There is nothing wrong about love. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“Uh…”
“You can tell me.”
“Come on, Dylan,” I urged, lightly shaking his arm. The sooner he went along with it and appeased her, the sooner we could get away. “Don’t be shy.”
He turned his head toward me yet again and gave me a long look that melted the smile right off my face, not because his expression promised a violent retribution, but the opposite, actually. He looked amused, a little confused maybe, but still amused, which was weird and unexpected. I frowned up at him and his lips twitched.
Still keeping his eyes on me, he finally said, “Actually, I do have a boyfriend.”
“Is he a nice boy?”
With an easy smile, he broke our eye contact and turned back to her. “He’s really nice. I’m lucky to have him.”
The old woman slightly tilted her head and gave him her signature narrow-eyed look, where one of her eyes always narrowed more than the other one, making her look anything but serious. “How long have you two been together?”
Dylan seemed to ignore the wonky-eyed expression; again, points for him. The first time I’d seen her do it, I’d barely kept in my snort.
“It’s been two years.”
“See, Miss Clarke. See? Maybe you can learn something from your roommate.”
I let out a long breath through my nose and managed to keep the smile on my face. “I know. I’ll make sure to ask him for tips. Have a good even—”
“Mr. Reed, your roommate has the worst taste in men. Please teach her a thing or two, ‘cause it looks like nothing I’m saying is getting through to her.”
You can’t close the door on her face, Zoe. You absolutely cannot close the door on an old lady’s face.
“Please call me Dylan, and I will definitely try my best to teach her a few things. I agree with you—she should be with someone better. I’ll make her see reason, don’t worry.”
“Good.” She gave me one last glance and started to close the door, only to stop halfway. “You know what Dylan? I like you. It’s a shame you like boys, as Miss Clarke could’ve used a nice strong boy like yourself.”
Anyone up there? God? You can kill me now.
Turning to me, she continued, “I like him. Be nice to this one.”
I gritted my teeth. “Okay then.” Remembering my arm was still wrapped up with Dylan’s, I untangled myself as we finally turned toward our own apartment.
“Mr. Reed?”
Ah…just when we were so close to freedom.
I felt Dylan pause and turn back, but I just kept going. I already knew she was gonna bestow a chore on him, and I had no interest whatsoever in letting her pull me into it, too.
Unlocking the door, I went inside. After making sure to leave it ajar for Dylan, I walked into the living room and just collapsed on the couch. Pulling my crossbody bag away, I flung it somewhere over my shoulder. The door closed with a quiet click in time with me covering my face with my hands.