City Love(67)

Maybe that’s why Momo became attached to me right away. Maybe she recognizes part of herself in me.





THIRTY-ONE

SADIE


OUR MARATHON WEEKEND IS ON.

We immediately started making out the second Austin walked in the door. He got here right on time at six thirty. He wanted to come over at six, but I needed time to take a shower and get ready. And clean my room since that’s where we’ll basically be living together all weekend. I raced home after internship, took the fastest shower ever, couldn’t decide what to wear, cleaned my room while simultaneously trying on eight more outfits, and then, way too soon but not soon enough, Austin rang my bell. We’re still attached at the lips. We’re like a dream. Except this dream actually came true.

“Hi,” Austin says when we stop kissing.

“Hi.”

“Can you tell I’m happy to see you?”

“Sort of. Could you be more explicit?”

Austin kisses me again. Good thing the girls are out. It’s already awkward that Austin is staying here and he hasn’t even met them yet. We don’t need to pile on more awkwardness by having them watch us ravage each other in the doorway.

“So,” Austin says, looking around for the first time. “This is where you live. It’s cute.”

“Thanks. We’re still working on it.”

“I like this . . . what’s this called?”

“Pouf.”

“I like your pouf. It’s very you.”

“Darcy bought it.”

“Is she like you?”

“Not really. But we both have good taste.”

“Are we alone?”

“Yeah. Darcy and Rosanna are out. My guess is that Rosanna will be back soon and Darcy will get home around two.”

“Want to order a pizza?”

“You read my mind. We have Blue Bunny Birthday Party ice cream for dessert.”

“Sounds delicious.”

“It’s a party in a carton.”

“What do you like on your pizza?”

“I’m a purist. Extra cheese and roasted tomato is good.”

“No pepperoni? Mushrooms? Pineapple?”

“You did not just say pineapple.”

“Pretty sure I did.”

“Pineapple does not go with pizza. It should be outlawed as a pizza topping. Like as a federal law.”

“Some people like it.”

“Ew. Oh, wait. Did you want pineapple on your half, or . . . ?”

“Not anymore. How about one large extra cheese, half pepperoni, half roasted tomato?”

“Awesome.”

Austin orders the pizza. While we wait for it, I show him around. I’m so excited that he’s sleeping over. In my bed . . . where I will also be sleeping. If this is what being a grownup is like—no parents around and your own apartment where you can stay out all night and your boyfriend can come over anytime you want—then sign me up.

“Here’s my room.” The thing about showing a boy your room is it feels like you’re saying, Here’s my bed and some other stuff. It’s like my bed activated this magnetic force the second Austin walked in. Even as I’m watching him look around at other things, I can feel the bed emanating salacious waves of subtext.

“You have a teapot,” Austin says. He picks up the seafoam teapot I’ve had in my room since tenth grade. “I knew you were a classy girl.”

“Not a nerdy girl?”

“You have nerdy undercurrents that surface now and then.”

“Like what?”

“I’ll let you know the next time one surfaces.”

“Would you like some tea?”

“Let’s save the tea for tomorrow morning.” Austin puts down the teapot. He comes over and hugs me. “Or Sunday morning. I can’t believe I get to wake up next to you two days in a row. How lucky am I?”

“I’m the lucky one.”

“We’re both lucky.” Austin looks around some more. He notices the sign over my bed. “‘Right around the corner.’ What does that mean?”

“Do you know that soul mates are real?”

Austin laughs. “I love how you framed the question. People would usually ask something like, ‘Do you believe in soul mates?’”

“But soul mates are real. It’s not a matter of belief.”

“Like global warming?”

“Exactly. Asking someone if they believe in global warming is like asking if they’re smart. Only idiots refuse to believe reality.”

“So if I don’t believe in soul mates . . . sorry, if I don’t know they’re real, then I’m an idiot?”


“No. You would just be uninformed, which is a completely different thing. Then I would school you and you’d know.”

“I guess I’ve always hoped soul mates were real. I’d never experienced that kind of attraction before. But now . . .” Austin’s blue eyes sparkle with silver in the evening light slanting through my window. “Now I understand. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, Sadie.”

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone, either.”

Austin looks like he wants to say more. Instead he turns toward the sign again. “So . . . right around the corner?”