Fall

It took another three weeks for my back to feel like I could move without it going out again. By the time I was up and walking again, fall had started. My summer had ended terribly, and Kyle was already calling me again, trying to get me to go out. Most of his calls always happened when I was trying to sleep, so I wouldn't call him back, hoping that he would either realize that I wouldn't be up at nine in the morning, or he would realize that I was pissed off at him for the back injuries (which I was blaming him for). When I did ever pick up the phone when he called me, the conversations would be about him being bored, or someone that he was trying to hook with this girl and needed my help. The only good thing about my situation was that I met Zoey, a friend of Jared's roommate. She was everything I could want in someone, and she was from the Czech Republic, which added a layer of mystery to her that I fell in love with. She was always over at the apartment (she could cook amazing food, which was a plus in a group of young males that were used to eating Top Ramen or Rice-a-Roni for lunch and dinner), and the two of us became good friends. Since it was a small apartment, I would eat outside on the porch (Jared had an apartment on the second story, so I always had a nice view of suburbia when I ate and smoked) to save room at their dinner table for them. I would hear them talk about their day, and I would pop in occasionally to say something or get something to drink before disappearing outside to finish my dinner.

"Why do you always eat outside?" Zoey asked me one night. She spoke with a light accent, which we all loved.

"To make sure there's enough room at the table for the important people of the apartment," I replied, putting my plate down on the ground and pulling out a cigarette.

"And to smoke?" She asked, smiling.

"Yeah, and to smoke," I said, lighting the cigarette. "I do enjoy smoking," I said.

"How much do you smoke?"

"Depends. Bad day, three packs a day. Good day, two." I said. "It sounds really terrible when you say it like that," I said.

"Well, it's a terrible habit," she said, picking up my plate and glass.

"Yeah, it is." I agreed.

"I think you should quit," she said, walking back in the apartment to do the dishes. I looked at the cigarette in my fingers, took one last drag off of it and stubbed it out and headed back inside.

I was still trying to ignore Kyle calls due to fear of my back going out again, but after a while, I caved. He called while I was cleaning up the apartment while everyone was at work, so I decided to talk to him and take a break and relax.

"Dude, how the hell have you been?" He asked.

"Recovering. How've you been?"

"Pretty fuckin' good, dude. Me and Stacey hooked up."

"Ummm... Good for you?" I hated it when he told me things like that, I never knew how to respond.

"It was pretty good dude, I'm not gonna lie," he said, sounding too proud of himself.

"Well, have fun with her?" I ventured.

"Oh, I will. We're going to this club tomorrow night, you should come!"
"No," I said firmly. "I don't do clubs or things like that."
"What? Why not?" He asked.

"I don't like crowds, I hate music they play at those shitty clubs, and if you're taking her to the one I'm thinking of, the people are fucking weird!"

"C'mon, please? I need a wingman! I could help hook you up with someone!"

"Find a different wingman!" I yelled back.

"Dude, I'm driving right now, but I'm gonna call back later and talk about this," he said.

I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the couch. The club in question was one that was a half hour drive into a different city. It was popular with the people in my age group due to the fact that you only had to be eighteen to get in. In a brilliant marketing move, the owners of the club would throw a night to celebrate goth\emo culture. What that meant was that they would play even shittier music, while people got to wear strange outfits. To some people, it was awesome, and that was okay. I, however, was not one of those people. Kyle wasn't either, but the man was dedicated to hooking up with as many women as possible, and if that meant doing something he didn't like, he would do it. In a force of habit, I looked for a pack of cigarettes, then realized that I was quitting. So I just turned on the T.V. and played a game to take my mind off of the fact that I was going to have to deal with a constant stream of pleading for me to go.

Jared got off of work first, and got home around four in the afternoon. I nodded at him, trying to focus on the game I was playing. He disappeared into his bedroom and changed, then popped back into the living room and sprawled out onto the other couch.

"Thanks for cleaning, dude." He said, pulling his laptop onto his chest and turning it on.

"Yup," I said, before going into a string of profanities as I got shot to death in my game.

"You do anything else today aside from clean?"
"I walked down to the store and bought some more food. I got stuff that Zoey can cook with, and got stuff we can just throw in the oven and stuff. There's also a milkshake in the fridge for you, and I got some more potatoes." I said, throwing the controller down, deciding not to play the game anymore.

"Sweet," he said. "Trade you." I reached over and handed him the controller and he gave me the laptop.

"What's the plan for tonight?" I asked.

"Uhhh... Zoey called, she's coming over in a bit, she's gonna cook, then Isaac is getting off of work early, and Ash is probably going to swing by for dinner too."

"Okay," I said.

"What do you think of Zoey?" Jared asked, after a minute of silence.

"She's nice. I like her," I said. "Like, I really like her."

"Go for it, dude. You two seem made for each other," he said before screaming at the game.

I shrugged and put the laptop down, and pulled my phone out of the couch. I looked at the messages and saw that I already had three from Kyle, all asking me if I had reconsidered the club offer. I deleted them, shoved the phone into my pocket, and got up to change. I threw my clothes in the large garbage bag that we used to take the clothes to the laundromat, and looked out to Jared.

"You want me to do laundry tomorrow?" I asked. "I only got three bucks on me right now."
"Yeah, if you could that'd be nice. I'll throw in a few bucks, and so will Isaac. Thanks, dude."
"Yup," I said, planting myself back onto the couch. "What time is Zoey coming over?"
"Soon, she just texted to say she was on her way."

Five minutes later, we heard footsteps come up the stairs and a knock on the door. I walked over to the door and opened it. She walked in, heading straight for the kitchen, and I closed and locked the door. We sat and talked, and soon Isaac and Ash were over. We ate, and while Zoey made dessert, I sat outside with Ash while she smoked.

"You want one?" She asked, holding the pack up to me.

"I quit," I said, stretching out on the patio furniture.

"Well, good for you," she said, sitting down. "Any reason why?"
"Zoey said I should, so I did."
"Cute," she said. "You know, you too would make a great couple."
"That's what Jared was saying," I said, looking at my phone.

"Too bad she's already in a relationship," she said, taking a long drag off of the cigarette.

"What? With who?" I asked.

"Ummm... Last time I heard, Paulie. Friend of Kyle." She said.

If the person you think is the love of your life isn't dating the biggest asshole in the world, you wouldn't understand.