“Look, Mariah, I don’t know what you think you know but it’s really none of your business. Everyone makes mistakes, and unfortunately I have a few of those. I don’t see why you had to go and stick your nose in my business. That really just makes you a little pathetic.”
The bus pulled up and I moved to get on, but she stopped me, pulling on my elbow so I couldn’t go any further. “I know everything, Della. Social media is a real bitch, you know? And I’m making it my business because you just had to involve yourself with my boyfriend. If you try anything with him, I guess I’ll just have to tell him what a bad, bad girl his perfect Della is. We wouldn’t want that to happen, would we?”
I didn’t reply, just yanked my arm out of her claws and jumped onto the bus before it took off. I watched her stand there through the window until the bus started up, and she disappeared out of sight. I wasn’t proud of what I had done in the past and now knowing about Nash’s stance, I’m sure he wouldn’t be so welcoming if he found out, but I wasn’t about to let Mariah spill my story to him. Sooner or later, I would have to relive my past whether I wanted to or not.
I got off at the stop Nash had instructed me to. It was an older neighborhood with giant houses that looked to be occupied by mostly fraternities. I checked the address again when I reached a large brick house with a small front porch. The outside was littered with beer cans and food wrappers and it made me cringe at the thought of the inside.
Before I could even knock on the door, it was whipped open, and Nash came out in nothing but a pair of blue athletic shorts, pulling me into a hug. I let myself get lost in his comforting soapy scent for just a few seconds before I pulled away, placing my hands against his hard chest to push back. That was a mistake because the contact just made me tingly all over, but Nash didn’t seem to even notice.
“I’m glad you could make it, Della. Let me show you around.” I walked cautiously behind him as he tugged on my hand, pulling me through a wide space that made up the living room and kitchen. Well, I guess that’s what you could call it.
There was a large flat screen centered above a fireplace, with at least three different gaming systems set out on the mantle. Two overstuffed and overused chairs were set right in front of the TV and right behind it was a pool table and a ping-pong table.
A pin ball machine stuffed in the corner completed the living room/ game room and then he pulled me into the kitchen which about made me hurl. Dirty dishes were everywhere, the counter was pretty much nonexistent and something resembling spaghetti sat in a pot on top of the stove.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “Really, I clean up after myself, but Nick and Steve tend to be a little messy. C’mon, I’ll show you my room just to prove it.” He led me up a winding staircase, pushing open the door at the end of the hallway to reveal a room that surprisingly was clean, I mean like overly clean.
Nothing was out of place and it looked like he even dusted around the picture frames that were organized on his shelves. I walked over, looking at each one, most of which contained him and Mariah. I noticed a little girl with him and a girl, who looked like his younger sister, Serena.
Serena had never really hung out with Nash and me much when we were younger. She was a little too girly for playing in the mud or trying to catch tadpoles; instead she would stay inside playing with dolls. It was weird to see her all grown up and with a kid.
I turned around, finding Nash sprawled out on his bed, one hand resting on his flat, tan stomach and the other tucked behind his head as he watched me with a grin. I stood there awkwardly until he patted the empty spot next to him, and I hesitantly sat down, closest to the edge as possible.
“What’s the matter, Della? You look extremely nervous. I know this is a different room, but don’t you remember we used to have sleepovers all the time? Nothing to be nervous about, I promise I won’t bite.”
I kicked off my shoes, easing myself in next to him. “I know, Nash, but we’re a little bit older now. You have a girlfriend, and I just don’t want things to be awkward. Things change, you know?”
“Sorry, Della. I guess I never thought of it that way, I just see you as my best friend.” He reached over to pat my arm and I felt my stomach drop just a little. All he saw me as was his best friend? I guess I should feel better that he didn’t have any feelings for me so I didn’t have to worry about Mariah, but the years we had spent apart seemed to change both of us.