The Art of Life (29 page)

               
“Slow down!” I finally get out
when I can breathe.
 
Suddenly, the car
decreases speed and I am pulled forward.
 
Looking down, my lap is covered in coffee.
 
“You better be really thankful there was a
towel in my lap.
 
Hot coffee is still hot
coffee, even through your jeans!”

               
“They will definitely not forget
you now,” Jeremy retorts.

               
Looking at him, I say, “Yes, but
they are also going to smell burning tires while they drink their coffee.
 
That is if you even have tires left.”

               
“I haven’t done that in a
while,” Jeremy laughs.
 
“Awesome, every time.”

               
I hold up the coffee cups and
shake them a little.
 
Shrugging, I drink
the rest of one of them.
 
“What am I
supposed to do?” I finally ask.
 
“My arms
and this towel are completely covered in coffee.”

               
“We are only a few blocks
away,
we will go to my place.”

               
“Thank you.” I retort.
 
“I am so gross.”

               
With a chuckle, Jeremy goes,
“Come on, it was worth it wasn’t it?”

               
Not being able to help myself, I
smile.
 
“Yeah, it kind of was.”
 
When we finally get to Jeremy’s apartment, he
opens my door for me, since I obviously don’t have clean hands.
 
I stand up and Jeremy catches the towel as it
falls.
 
Turning around, I look at the
seat.
 
“Hey, we didn’t make a mess!”

               
“Hey, everything needs to get
dirty
every
once in a while.
 
It is only a car after all, and what I did
brought a smile to your face.
 
So, a
spill would have been worth it.”

               
“That really is sweet,” I say,
“but can I please go and get cleaned up.”

               
Jeremy shuts the door, and
replies, “Of course darling.”
 
We throw
away the cups when we get upstairs.
 
Jeremy
walks me into the bathroom where he hands me a wash cloth.
 

               
“I hope you know I will never do
that in your car,” I note as I get the wash cloth wet.

               
“Why not!?
 
It is SO much fun,” Jeremy retorts with a
grin.

               
Raising an eyebrow, I say, “No.”

               
“Hurry up so we can go to the
cell phone store.
 
Or have you had enough
today and want to go home?”

               
I grimace.
 
“I rather not go home.
 
My mom left for the weekend and this is the
first time I have been alone.
 
I looked
through the house last night with a knife.
 
I know I am 18, but it’s still creepy to be by myself.”

               
“Why in the
world didn’t you call me!?”
Jeremy snaps.
 
“If you weren’t comfortable being by
yourself, I would have come and gotten you.”

               
There is just silence as I shrug
my shoulders.
 
“You were out with the
guys.
 
You aren’t my boyfriend.
 
It’s not your responsibility to save me every
time something happens.”

               
“I would have come and gotten
you,” Jeremy says, putting my hair behind my ear.
 
“The boys and I could have come and hung out
with you.”

               
That makes me smirk.
 
“That would have been boring for you guys.”

               
“Oh, it’s never boring with us,”
Jeremy states.

               
“I bet,” I retort.
 
“I wouldn’t want to bother you.
 
Honestly, I need to learn how to be on my
own, even if it scares me.”

               
Jeremy scoffs.
 
“That’s ridiculous.
 
Either I will stay by you or you will stay
here tonight.”

               
“I can’t do that,” I whisper,
rather bashfully.

               
“Silliness, you will stay
here.
 
The last thing we need is for your
mom to come home and throw a fit because I am there.
 
You can leave a note that you are staying at
a friend’s.
  
You are 18, she can’t say
jack.”
 
Before, I can retort
anything,
Jeremy bends over and kisses me on my
forehead.
 
“Someone has to keep an eye on
you.
 
You are a troublemaker after all.”

               
Looking up at him, I laugh.
 
“If that’s not the pot
calling the kettle black.”

               
“Are you saying I am a bad
influence?” Jeremy asks.

               
“No,” I reply, nudging him.
 
“You are the best influence ever.”

               
With a wink, Jeremy says,
“That’s what I thought.
 
Let’s go get you
a phone.”

               
At the cell company, I quickly
go to the simplest, cheapest phone.
 
“This one will do.”

               
“What?
 
No,” Jeremy snorts.
 
“We need to get you a smart phone.”

               
“Really?”
I reply.
 
“What would I need a smart
phone for?”

               
Rolling his eyes, Jeremy goes,
“To go on the internet, text, play games, the list is endless, oh and play
music.”

               
“I have an mp3 player for that,”
I articulate.
 
“Anyway, my computer
wouldn’t even be able to sync with one of those things, and I swear if you say
you are going to buy me a computer, I will walk out of here.”

               
With a groan, Jeremy says,
“Fine, but you can use my computer.”

               
“Jeremy,” I hiss quietly,
because an employee is looking at us.
 
“I
really don’t need a fancy phone.”

               
“Okay, we will go with one of
the free phones, but you can still get a really nice phone, because of signing
the contract.”

               
I sigh.
 
“Fine, we can do that.”
 
So, we do.
 
When we get into the car, I just shake my head.
 
“It’s going to take me a month to learn how
to use this.
 
I have never had a cell
phone before.”

               
“I will go over it with you
tomorrow.
 
We need to go get your stuff
for tonight,” Jeremy says, as he starts the car.

               
“Are you sure about this?
 
I mean, I can stay at home.
 
I don’t want to have to take up your couch.”

               
With a disgusted look, Jeremy
snaps, “Who said you were sleeping on the couch?
 
You can sleep in my bed and I will take the
couch.”

               
Shaking my head vigorously, I
stammer, “No, no, no, I am not kicking you out of your bed.
 
I will take the couch.”

               
“If you fall asleep on the
couch, I will just pick you up and put you in my bed.
 
So, you might as well fall asleep there in
the first place,” Jeremy retorts matter-of-factly.

               
“Fine,” I groan.
 

               
We get to my house, and I pack
up a small backpack of stuff.
 
Jeremy
carries in my bags as I do that.
 
“Do you
want me to help you hang this stuff up?” He asks.

               
“No,” I reply.
 
“I will get it this week.
 
I want to wash everything before I wear it.”

               
“I never do that,” Jeremy adds.
 
“I should, but, well, I am a guy and I don’t
care.”

               
That makes me laugh.
 
I zip up my bag and say, “Alright, I am all
set.”
 
Pausing, I ask, “Are you sure
about this?”

               
“Oh yeah,” Jeremy answers, “I am
definitely sure.”

               
“Doesn’t this go against
bringing girls home to your place?” I giggle.

               
Jeremy winks at me.
 
“You are a special case.”

               
“Well, I do appreciate
this.
 
I just don’t like being home
alone.”

               
“No problem,” Jeremy says,
ruffling my hair.
 
“Let’s go.”

               
When we get back to his place,
he walks me to his room.
 
I look into it
and laugh.
 
“You are a pig.”

               
“Hey, I am the one who has to
live here, and I am fine with it.
 
I just
washed the sheets so you don’t have to worry about any cooties.”

               
I set my bag down.
 
“Cootie free, good to
know.”

               
“Are you hungry?” He asks.

               
“Yeah,” I reply.
 
“Do you want me to cook?”

               
“Nah, we can order Chinese.
 
I depend on delivery a lot.
 
Got them on speed dial.”

               
Snorting, I chuckle.
 
“Well, if I am here, I will cook for you and
then you can freeze it.”

               
“That’s a good idea.
 
I don’t really have anyone around that cooks,
so that has never been an option.
 
We
will still order Chinese.
 
Then we can
set up your phone,” Jeremy states, as he walks into the living room.

               
Looking around, I just shake my
head.
 
It’s going to take me a day to
just organize this place, let alone clean it.
 
I laugh and turn off the light.
 
We spend the rest of the night eating, playing with my phone and
watching movies.
 

               
Finally, I am lying on the couch
next to Jeremy.
 
My eyelids start to get
heavy and I yawn.
 
He looks over at
me.
 
“You should go to bed if you are
tired.”

               
“Yeah, I think I will get ready
for the night.
 
Do you need to use the
bathroom?” I ask, as I stand up.

               
“Nope, it’s all yours,” he
replies, with a smile.

               
Nodding my head, I go into his
bedroom and grab my bag.
 
It doesn’t take
me long to get ready.
 
I just put pajamas
on and brush my teeth.
 
When I come out,
Jeremy is making his bed.
 
“You didn’t
have to do that,” I say, walking up behind him.
 
“I am just going to make it a mess again.”

               
“Yeah, but there is nothing like
getting into a made bed, it will feel better.
 
Are you going to be okay in here?
 
You don’t need anything?” He asks.

               
I smile and say, “No, I should
be okay.”

               
“Okay, night toots,” Jeremy
whispers, as he kisses me on the cheek.
 
“I will be out there if you need me.”

               
“I will be fine and again, thank
you.
 
Really, I mean it.
 
Thank you for….well…everything.”

               
He brings his hand up and runs
his fingers along my jaw line.
 
“No
problem.
 
I am happy to do it.
 
Now, get some sleep.”