He turns to look at the alarm by my bed, it’s only eight am.
“When are you leaving?” I’m suddenly filled with dread. Yesterday, I thought I would be satisfied with one night, a first time I would not easily forget, but now, after last night, I know I am not.
“At noon.” He shrugs and gets up.
I want to beg him to take me with him, but I keep silent, I don’t want to sound like a child. I watch admiringly as he walks towards the bathroom. He has a beautiful body, tight, and firm in all the right places. I wonder if he works out.
I stay in bed for a while, wondering if I have disappointed him in some way. I remember what he said last night, ‘You’re so damn beautiful.’ The words probably meant nothing.
I get up, put on a robe, and go into the living room, our clothes are lying around on the floor in a mess. I blush when I see my blue dress crumpled near the door. I pick up all the clothes and place them on the couch.
A weight of deep sadness descends on me. I try to imagine the next chapter of my life in Bellevue, and I keep seeing his face. I wonder if he cares what happens to me. Maybe he doesn’t, maybe he is eager to leave and forget the eighteen-year-old worst sex he’s ever had.
Well I won’t forget, and I won’t regret anything either. It was the best night of my life, and whether he leaves or stays will not change that.
I am still deep in thought when the doorbell rings, startling me. I wonder who it is. Nobody ever comes to my apartment. Aside from Stacey Carver, I may well be an island. It’s a good thing, I decide, there will be fewer people to miss when I’m gone.
I walk to the door and peer through the peephole. Eddie Newton is standing there looking impatient. As I watch, he presses the bell again. What does he want?
“Are you going to get that?” I turn around startled, and find that David has joined me in the living room. He is pulling on his clothes, in a few moments he is dressed.
I realize that he’s not going to go back to my room, so I sigh in resignation and open the door just a crack.
“Hey Sophie.” Eddie looks relieved to see me. His face relaxes from the frown it was wearing.
“Hey Eddie.” I am frowning. I have no idea why he is here.
“I hope I’m not intruding,” His words come out in a rush. “It’s just, with everything that’s happened, I’ve been a little worried about you, and my mom told me where live now. I just came by because I wanted to be sure you are all right.
“I’m fine.” I tell him, certain that he is taking this worrying about me thing a little too far.
He shifts from one foot to another, and I think for a moment that he still looks like a child, which is ridiculous, as he is older than I am. I wonder what he is waiting for, I start to say thank you and goodbye, but his eyes skip over my head to something behind me in the living room.
His face hardens, “I see you have a guest.” His voice is suddenly bitter, making it sound like an accusation.
I turn around, but I already know that David is behind me. His eyes are locked with Eddie’s over my head, and as I turn back towards Eddie, he looks away from David, his eyes skipping to mine, and then to the floor.
“I’m all right, Eddie,” I say to him, pitying him, “You have no reason to be worried.”
“Are you sure?” His jaw is working, and he keeps his eyes on my face, totally ignoring Davi
d’s presence. “Because if there’s anything you need you should know that I would help.”
I frown, I’m not a charity case, but before I reply, David cuts in.
“She says she’s fine,” His voice is clipped, and there’s a note of annoyance underneath. “She doesn’t need you to take care of her.”
“And she needs you?” Eddie’s words come out in a sneer, and my face goes red with embarrassment. I want to tell them both to stop talking about me as if I’m not there. I don’t know what’s happening, but I want it to stop.
“Eddie...” I start, but he doesn’t even seem to hear me.
“Don’t pretend that you give a damn about her.” He challenges David. “We all know what happens now that you’ve had your fun, don’t we?” He gives a small laugh. “The rich playboy strikes again, too bad you couldn’t find someone your own age.”
David smiles tightly. He is not looking at me, but his smile scares me. The smile freezes Eddie too, whose accusing words have now ceased. “You should go now,” David tells him. “And try to remember that from now on nothing about Sophie is any of your concern or your responsibility.”
For a moment, I’m sure Eddie is going to cry. He gives me one last look, and then he turns and leaves. I shut the door quickly. As if by doing so, I can make it as if the last few minutes didn’t happen.
I’m still trying to understand what has just happened. “I’ve never seen him like that before.”