this far

Bex looked at the livingroom. She'd gotten Oliver to help her move the furniture around. It looked more like a cottage now. Her starfish and shells on display. The little lighthouse on the shelf that was actually a night light. The sheer curtains from white sheets were quaint, but surprisingly beautiful against the sky blue wall. She'd recovered the old pillows her mother gave her with some denim from an old jumper she wore her freshman year in high school, back when she was still frumpy. The room was really coming together. She'd moved his Reservoir Dogs poster to the bedroom.

She doubted Dayton would notice. He didn't care as long as the couch was in front of the TV. He worked extra hours down at the garage just so they could get cable. But really all he actually needed was his gaming system. It was basically, the Internet he needed.

This was getting a little tedious, though. Third weekend in a row he'd gone over to Chris'. It was disgusting, she thought. He'd hangout there all weekend long.

One time she found him in Chris's bathroom in the tub with just his jeans on asleep in Chris's lap. She knew if her mother knew she'd tell her to get out of this situation, now. She sort of wanted too. But they'd made it this far. They'd made it this far.

Still that bathroom scene was fresh on her mind as she cleaned her own toilet with Comet. This was their place. It felt so much better to have everything sparkling clean. But Dayton was a messy guy.

He left a trail of candy wrappers and soda cans where ever he pleased. She was sure his mother was happy to see him go because guess who was the maid service now?

She went to the kitchen and mopped the floor out of desperation, she guessed. Was he ever coming home? Was she supposed to care?

Finally she heard the screen door pop shut. Bex looked around the corner from their galley kitchen. There Dayton was standing in the livingroom with dry blood on his neck and down his white T-shirt.

"What the hell happened?" This was not suppose to be happening. Bex scowled.

"I was saving a dog." He shrugged. "This pit bull came out of nowhere in the kitchen and had it in for this black lab. I had to do something, Bex."

"You were drunk or high, weren't you?"

"No," he winced. "God, you always think the worst, don't you?"

"Well, you weren't thinking straight." She squinted back harder. "You could have been hurt."

"But I wasn't."

"Are you trying to tell me you're the dog whisper?"

"Maybe." Dayton shrugged. She looked at the clock then. It was going on three in the afternoon. "Look, I need a shower. I'll take you out to dinner or something."

Bex didn't respond. She went back to cleaning. Dayton went to the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

The shower started. He cracked the door open then. She could see he was undressed.

"Well, are you coming or not?"