01 || Read Between the Signs || Chad Crawford

LA seemed nothing like it had before I left for the tour. I was only gone for one week, and yet that seven days was enough to change the place I'd grown to love. It was my second day back, and so far it had been spent lounging on the couch with a bag of potato chips, watching CSI reruns. I'd gotten the job at Cuppyccinno's, but orientation wasn't for another couple of days. As for Tor, I hadn't seen her out of her room once.
I lifted the phone from its reciever and hopped up onto the kitchen counter for a seat. Steven's cell number, which I had memorized of course, was punched in across the number pad.
"Yo, it's Steve-o."
"God Steven, when are you going to come up with a new way to answer the phone?" I laughed.
"As soon as... Damn, I wanted a smart ass come-back but I couldn't think of anything." He, too, was laughing now.
"Well I can't say I'm the least bit surprised."
"I hope you didn't just call me slow."
"You'll figure it out in a second."
"So did you call just to pick on me or what?" he asked, the smile in his voice still evident.
"Oh, well,no actually." I took a breath, summoning up my courage. "I called to apologize."
"For? You haven't done anything wrong. Unless it was you who put my red boxers in with the whites."
I shook my head, though he could not see. "I'm really sorry about your father."
"...Yeah well like I said, it's not your fault."
"I know but. Trust me, I know what it's like to lose a parent, and it's not exactly the best experience in the world."
A deep sigh filled his lungs as the tone of ther conversation shifted. "I've been trying my hardest to just not think about it. And honestly, it wasn't really working until you called me."
I wasn't sure how to properly respond to that suggestive truth, but I pressed on, because I needed to be strong for my friend right then. "That's what I'm here for."
"Yeah, I know." There was a momentary silence. "Hey do you wanna hang out for a little bit? I kind of need a shoulder to lean on right now. Metaphorically, if you'd prefer. We can go grab lunch or something."
"I don't know, Steve. Tor needs me here right now..." One glance at her locked bedroom door was enough to change my mind; what she really needed was to be alone. "Well, alright, you've convinced me. Come pick me up?"
"You got it. See you in a bit."
For some reason a twitch of guilt made me uncomfortable. Was it immoral to go to lunch with a guy who likes me, especially when my boyfriend was miles away? However, this was not a date; it was an effort to cheer up a friend whose father'd just passed. Chad would understand, surely.
"Tor?" I knocked on her door softly to grasp her attention.
"What."
"I'm going out with Steven. Can you tell me if Chad calls while I'm gone?"
"Oh, sure. I'll let you know if James calls, too. Too bad neither of them are going to happen!"
Yikes. I said nothing more to keep from further provoking her. Unfortunately for me, her words stung sharply. It just seemed like there was a cold and bitter truth hidden and I didn't want to find it.
For me it was easier to tell myself that truth did not exist, so that's what I stuck with, even if Chad never did return that phone call. He was probably far too busy to make a silly little call. But, naturally, he'd be just as busy for the next four months, then it was back to Arizona for him, as I remained there in California. And who knows what comes after that? I'm not sure that I want to know.