“Oh, I’m seeing her. She’s not seeing me in return. She’s a pro at doing the bolt.”
“Huh?”
I told him the story, including the parts where I injured, her, scared her, and made her run for the hills.
“Mate, how long since you changed your sheets? They probably fucking stink. Did you gas her out with your methane chamber, or what?”
“Fuck …” I leaned my chair back, balancing on two legs and inspected the ceiling for the answer. “Nah, I changed them the weekend before last.” The thump of the chair returning to all fours was like the rap of the gavel on the bench. Case closed.
“Well, there ya go.” He pointed his pencil at me in accusation.
“Whadaya mean?”
“That’s over a week’s worth of sweat, farts and BO. She couldn’t stand your pong, you rank bastard. You’re supposed to wash them every weekend.”
“Shit!”
I shoved the chair back, heading to my room so I could rip the sheets off and throw them in the wash. Ben’s laughter followed me down the hall. My ringtone chimed from the kitchen bench. “Can you get that?” I yelled from my room. Ben spoke in low tones, giving me no idea who it might’ve been, but I had more important things to deal with.
Arms overflowing with dirty sheets, I turned around to find Ben blocking the doorway. He held my phone out with a smug smile on his face. “What? Who is it?”
“It’s her.” Ben’s legs were buried in an avalanche of sheets as I snatched the phone with one hand and shoved him back with my cast, slamming the door in his face.
“Veronica?”
“Yeah, um, hi. Is the room still available?”
My left arm was already doing a fist pump, albeit an awkward one, what with the heavy plaster. Be cool. “Yes. It is.”
“Okay … Great. Would it be possible to move in tomorrow?”
“Now is good.” My head nodded several times, though she couldn’t see me.
“Oh, is tomorrow not good for you? Maybe I could come and get a key—”
“Nooo. Yes. Whenever you want, you’re welcome whenever you want. I have a tutorial between one and three tomorrow, but other than that I’m free to help. Do you have furniture? Because the room is fully furnished. You didn’t stay to check that part out.” I was fishing for an explanation, a little scared she might confirm that I stank her out.
“Oh, that’s great. I’m so sick of sleeping on a blow-up mattress. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Thanks. Bye.”
“B—” The sound of the dial tone filled the line.
She hung up. I didn’t even care. I had a smokin’ hot, new housemate. Collapsing backwards onto the mattress, I kicked my limbs in the air like a beetle that had its world turned upside down.
“So … I guess you don’t stink.”
My head jerked up, and the phone bounced against the mattress as I straightened out my limbs. “She loved my smell so much she wants more of it.” My cheeks started to hurt from the grin that wouldn’t leave my face.
“There must be something wrong with her, because these …” He picked up the pile of sheets and dumped it on my head, “… smell like you rolled in dog shit and then went to bed without a shower.”
The last part was a bit muffled, but I heard him. I held up my middle finger in his general direction, my face still stretched in a smile hidden by the washing. I took a sniff, just to check. Nuh. Smells like a fucking mountain spring.
Shit. I had to clean the room and get it ready. Springing off the bed with the dirty washing in my arms, I headed out into the hall, and opened her door. My throat cramped as I took in the abandoned room. I hadn’t been in there since I packed all of Tish’s things into boxes, and stored them under the house. The recollection stabbed me in the chest. It still felt like a fresh wound, instead of a six-month-old memory.
Mould spores and dust lay their perfume on every surface and molecule of air. Hacking coughs hammered from my chest. Jesus. It was a good thing she didn’t get a look at the place. I stepped into the room, glad to be hugging the dirty linen as I passed through a pocket of frozen air. The shiver was unstoppable. Darkness and chills engulfed me, momentarily dragging me back to a bad place. Somewhere I never wanted to return. The sheets provided little comfort as I hugged them closer.
My feet moved me across to the heavy curtains. I yanked them open and released a lung-clogging cloud of pollution. I was prepared for it. I held my breath until I could budge the window open. The cream carpet I remembered from my childhood visits had turned dark grey under a thick layer of dust and years of use. I probably should replace that. Wow, I hadn’t really thought this through. She would’ve run away if she saw this room, for sure. I blew out a breath, glad she agreed to move in without seeing it.
When I turned around, my attention found the wrought iron bed. Sucked into a time shift, I could see a little girl jumping on the makeshift trampoline. I heard my Gran’s stern voice telling her to get off. It was a bittersweet memory. Happy, simple and innocent, but marred by the sad knowledge that the girl never grew up.
I had plenty of work to do before tomorrow. Just looking at the room was sapping my energy. I felt confined by the memories, the emotions that being here brought back. My muscles tensed. I needed to get away from here.
I inspected my injured hand, annoyed by the cast acting as a tether to the mundane. Searching my mind for ideas, I chose
