“I’ve got a sweet little bedroom for you,” Rosie told me after I rang my sister and parents, letting them know I’d gotten to Chicago. We walked to a corner bedroom where the boys’ rooms were. “Ezra’s already put your bag in here. There’s a private bathroom as well.” She took me by the shoulders and smiled. “Make yourself at home, honey. Holler if you need anything at all.”
“Thank you. For dinner. For sharing your home with me. Thank you,” I told her.
She winked at me. “Darlin’, I like you,” she said. She began to close the door, then remembered something. “P.S. If you put your ear up to the vent near the bed there you can hear everything said in the room where the boys are sleeping.” I laughed. “It’s how I find out all the dirt and dole out punishments accordingly. They’re always scratching their heads on how I find out. Haven’t put two and two together. You’re welcome,” she told me and closed the door.
The room faced out onto a busy Chicago street. I couldn’t hear the bustle below, but I could see the streets full of headlights and the sidewalks crowded with people. There was an energy there I had never experienced, and I liked it. It was intimidating, but I liked it.
I bent to unzip my case to get my shower stuff and T-shirt to sleep in when I noticed the vent. Oh, go on then. I leaned next to the bed and bent my head to the vent.
“…up about it,” Ezra said. I recognized his voice immediately despite how tinny it came through.
“Milo, please,” Kai said.
“Yeah, if she’s gonna like anyone here, it’s gonna be me,” a smaller voice shouted. Bear.
Collective laughter rang through the vent.
“Dude, she’s the perfect chick,” Milo said.
There was a pause and a bed creaked.
“You don’t even know her,” Ezra chimed in.
“Fine,” Milo conceded, “but she is definitely hot as hell.”
I dusted off my shoulder then rolled my eyes at myself.
“What happened back at that waterfall?” Kai asked, ignoring his brother.
“Don’t want to talk about it, Kai.”
“Well, I want to talk about it,” he insisted.
Another pause. “Nothing happened.”
“Liar, liar, pants on fire,” Kai accused.
“Listen, will you just drop it? I-I’m not sure what happened. I’m trying to figure it all out.”
My heart beat into my throat.
“Wait, do you dig Jupiter?” clueless Milo asked. “From what you said at the table, you acted like she was just a friend.”
“She is a friend,” Ezra explained.
“You’re good,” Milo chimed in. “I’ll give you that, but you left your answer open and since I’m familiar with your insane ability to avoid a question, I need you to clarify, Ezra. Are you just friends?”
There was a loud thud in the room and I missed his answer. Poop on a stick!
“Fine, whatever,” Milo said. “I’m making a move then, ’cause girl is fine as a dime.”
“Can you just stop regurgitating crap?” Kai asked Milo. “Please, your stupidity is starting to infect Bear.”
“Hey!” Bear shouted, his voice breaking.
“I’m gonna hit the showers,” Ezra said. “Y’all chat it up like a couple of chicks.”
I heard him stand, walk, and a door shut.
I got nothing out of eavesdropping. How is that possible? If Frankie were here, she’d would have gotten every detail imaginable because that’s her luck. I get squat crap. I grabbed my shower stuff and hit up the bathroom, showered, and dropped into the Brandons’ guest bed. I wished I’d had my phone. I wanted to text Frank right away. I also would have fallen asleep to the album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill because I didn’t, no, couldn’t think anymore, and needed a badass chick to tell me what I was worth.
“Good night, nurse!”