"Why in the world are they going to arrest you if you didn't look like a thief in the first place? You were in a freaking uniform." Josh gestured towards what I was wearing. He was right for one thing, I'm wearing a waitress uniform because I didn't have a chance to change clothes when they arrested me.
We were seated at the far end corner of the bus on the way back at the coffee shop. It's a 20-minute ride from the precinct but with Josh accompanying me? I hope to god that 20 minutes would feel like 2 minutes in a snap. He tends to be a blabbermouth and specializes in annoying people.
"Then again, you always look like a serial killer with your messy hair and all that layers of cloth," he continued.
"I mean come on, it's mid-april and yet you're wearing a sweater."
I gave him a look. His eyes crinkled as his head snap back from laughter. I punch him on his sides to make him stop when people start to give us nasty looks for making a lot of noise. Thankfully he stop laughing.
"For your information," I turn my head towards him. "I was arrested because I might've slap the shiznit of the officer who arrested me with my fist."
His eyes looked like they were about to bulge out of their sockets.
"YOU DID WHAT?!" he shrieked. A couple of people look over and shush us. He nodded his head mouthing, Sorry.
"Did I ever mention that you sounded just like a girl?" I narrowed my eyes when he turned to me.
"No?" I answered sarcastically.
He curled his lips as a reply. Satisfied that the comment shut him up. I look over the window savoring a moments silence.
"When they arrested me they body searched me in a not-so-friendly way," I said trying to push away the disgust.
"They mistook me for a guy... again. So naturally, I slap the guy with my fist." I could feel his judgmental eyes staring at me from behind. Like I said, it wasn't the first time someone thought me as a guy. I mean how could they not?
I don't have anything to offer on the front, to begin with, I wear a dark pixie boy cut to boot and I guess I have a normal looking face? I don't know. A lot of people, ok maybe like two or three, scolds me at times because of how I walk, talk, and dress like a guy but I ignored most of it. I don't care too much about their opinion anyway.
Plus, it's not like I don't have any dress or anything. It's more of a preference, I am a lot more comfortable wearing heavy baggy clothes than those skin-tight clothes like a second skin that you need to tug every now and then to be able to breathe.
You could say that's just how I was raised. For the last nineteen years living with Granma Vangie, she always says that it's better to be a smart ass conservative nun than a dumb hoe, and to be honest, I definitely agree.
"Then shouldn't we be the one filing the complaint?" he asked curiously.
I shrugged. The fact is, I did look like I was robbing the place because I literally broke the knob from turning in the keys several times to open the goddamn door. It wasn't my fault, the knob was already broken but they didn't know that.
He went silent after that. Oh, thank god. I don't need any of his goddamn lessons in an eventful night. I close my eyes savoring the silence again as I slouch on my seat trying to see if I can sleep for a winker when Josh cleared his throat ready to start another chit-chat.
"By the way, the missus told me why you were in the restaurant in the middle of the night in the first place..." he started.
"You didn't tell me you've been staying there for a while..." I turn my head at him waiting to see if he wanted a reply.
For the last seven agonizing days I've been with Josh, I've deduced that he's a good guy, quirky, a bit too sensitive at times but fun to be around. It's not like I don't like him per se, and that's not because he mistook me for a guy before either, let's just say that unlike most people I tend to disassociate myself from other people.
I am not anti-social or anything, it's just that I like being alone.
No attachments.
No commitments.
It does not estrange me to my ultimate goal of being a top notcher. Also, don't people separate ways at some point? So, why the need to attach yourself to in the long run?
"Why do you call your Mom missus?" I asked changing the subject. He sighed frowning at my segue.
"Because I'd rather call her "Missus" rather than Mother."
Nurse Catherine Richards was Grandma Vangie's favorite personal nurse. She mostly took care of my Grandma given that she'd insists to be taken cared of only by her whenever she'd needed a checkup.
She was also the one who took care of me when I was in the hospital for a month after the fire incident. I was hospitalized for a month where I suffered a minor degree burns and smoke inhalation.
She's a good natured nurse and to my surprise owner of a coffee shop near the University. She is a nice and gentle lady who have this motherly instincts and always wears a warm smile whenever you see or talk to her. Friendly.
Although, I came to realize that when she and Josh are in the same room I see a side of her that scares me a little.
Don't get me wrong, they are a happy and loving family but there's just something about having them in a small room turns a simple conversation into chaos and to my surprise a wrestling match. I guess that's normal when your Mother looks like your sister.
"Hey," Tasha greeted when she walked in the locker room.
"So... you got arrested huh?" she bats her thick eye makeup at me while her big brown eyes sparkle astonished by my arrest.
She's a nursing student and an activist working parttime at the coffee shop. She may look like a mean person which is ironic because she's a nursing student, but I kinda like her attitude. Detached, independent, and doesn't give a fuck. My kind of people.
I shrugged as a reply and headed towards my locker dumping the essays in there and changed clothes to get ready for school. My first class starts at 6:30 AM which means I still have a few hours to help out in the shop.
"Did your school finally found out about that papers you've been writing for their entitled kids?" she chuckled.
I snorted thinking that's a better reason for getting arrested than some lame excuse that Officer dumb-dumb can't take a punch on the face.
"If that happens, I honestly don't think the school would have me arrested," I replied while pulling my sweatshirt over my head.
"Because if they knew... they'd have to revoke 90% of their students diplomas."
Tasha bursts out laughing. I smiled shoving the essays inside my backpack when a colorful paper mix in the bundle caught my eye. I slip the rest of the essays inside the locker and head out to the break room to get some caffeine when I stop dead in my tracks, my eyes glued on the big fat letters that are written on the top part of the page.
570Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9xCNCGYcJ
FREE DORM ROOM
570Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDrA0wwaGR
I blink repeatedly trying to make sure I'm not seeing things. My eyes wandered the fine print looking how to apply when Josh handed me a tower of pancakes on a plate, "Breakfast?" 570Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa76DYCWXiY
His mood shifted from distant to friendly again completely forgetting the conversation on the bus. He eyed the paper in my hand, a question about to pop out of his mouth.
"Thanks," I took the plate from his hand and crumpled the paper, toss it inside my backpack.
I turn around straight to the break room to eat up with Josh tailing behind me.
"What time do you leave?" he asks from behind.
"Why?"
"If you're leaving at 6, I can drop you off."
Uhh.. not a good idea.
I bite back my tongue to stop myself, spin around and force a smile, "You don't have to do that besides I'll leave around 7:00."
He nodded slowly, "But didn't you said you'll start your new class at 7:00 today?"
"Yeah..." I look at my wristwatch pretending to check the time.
"They... moved it... for... next week. Yeah, they move it." He made an Oh face unconvinced.
"Yeah, so... thanks though. For the offer.. and the pancakes," I hold up the pancakes, turn around again, and headed towards the break room.
I really need to check that flyer but I can't have him around because I am sure as hell he'll offer their guest room for me to stay in again. As if I had enough balls to do that, I already owe Nurse Catherine a lot. I don't need to add anything up on that tall list of debts I need to pay.
"JOSHUA!" someone shouted inside the break room. I reach in the knob and found myself looking at an angry Nurse. I turn my head to where Josh was standing a minute ago and saw him running away for his life.
The moment Nurse Catherine saw me her face went back to a finesse and calm lady. Her eyes filled with concern as she asks, "Are you ok?"
I really don't understand the logic behind these two it shall remain a mystery and a headache.
I walk towards a seat and place the pancakes on the table. The break room is a really small room with a small kitchen like area on one side. A sink with white overhead cupboards, a single door refrigerator, a small table in the middle of the room with steel chairs.
I sat down in one of the chairs and look at her to reply, "I'm fine, thanks."
"And umm.. thank you... for vouching for me." Another debt in my long list of shame.
From taking care of me when I was hospitalized, helping me with the funeral, standing as my guardian to keep my scholarship in the university, giving me a place to stay, and for hiring me. A simple thank you cannot even place the things she has done for me. I'm grateful and at the same time afraid that I can't pay her anything but of words. So, getting a room for free will help me ease off my debts from her. At least that was what I thought.
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