It's a Love Story

Alex's POV

It was about eleven o’clock in the evening. I was currently sitting in the depths of a very full bathtub, with my head leaned back against the white porcelain. In one hand I was holding a lit cigarette, in the other, my battered and beloved copy of Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. My eyes were closed.

For one long moment, my mind was wiped blissfully empty as I relaxed. I hadn’t taken a proper bath like this for years and years—I was more of a three-minute shower type of guy—but I had to say, it was very soothing. Calm. Two words that did not describe my state of mind right then.

I stayed that way for as long as I could before I heard a faint hissing noise. I cracked an eye open. Ash from my cigarette was falling into the water. “Aw, fuck.” I put the book down to grab my makeshift ashtray, an empty soap dish, and tapped my cigarette against it. Then I brought it back to my mouth as I picked up the book again. But before I could read another word, there was a knock on the door.

“Alex? You in there?” the voice of my little sister, who was visiting for the weekend, called through.

“No, I’m up on the roof, fucking suntanning,” I replied irritably. “Yes I’m in here.”

“Well, can I come in?”

“Shell, I’m in the fucking bathtub,” I pointed out.

“Whatever,” Michelle said dismissively. “Just pull over the shower curtain. I need to talk to you.”

I sighed heavily as I obliged. Michelle was only a year younger than me, but already a hell of a lot more responsible, so I knew whatever she had to say couldn’t be good. The bathroom door opened and I heard her come in.

“Jesus, Alex,” she said in a tone of disgust. I could almost see her wrinkling her nose disapprovingly. “It reeks in here. Have you just been sitting here smoking for the past half hour?”

“You don’t like it, you can clear out.” I shrugged, even though she couldn’t see me, and took another drag.

“Well, Alex, I’m just saying.” She sounded exasperated and far too much like my mother for my liking. She changed the subject. “I’m leaving tomorrow morning back to Atlanta, you know.”

“Yes, I know, Shell. Did you want me to throw you a fucking goodbye party?”

“Alex, can we please cut back on the sarcasm?” She sighed.

“Well, goddammit, all I ask for as that I can sit in my fucking bathroom for as long as I fucking want without you coming in here and giving me some pretentious bullshit—”

“Alex, do you really have to swear all the time?” Michelle interrupted me.

I said nothing as I watched ash drip once again into the now-tepid water.

“Well, anyway,” Michelle pressed on. “Mom wants to pass along the message that you should call her. You haven’t called her since you moved here.”

“I’ve been busy settling in,” I defended myself automatically. My cigarette went out. I considered just dropping it into the water, but even that would be too disgusting for me, so I tossed it aimlessly into the soap dish instead.

“For an entire month?” Michelle said sharply. “You haven’t returned her calls since the beginning of September. She’s worried about you.”

I said nothing again. I sank lower and lower into the water until my knees were completely submerged, and then I stared blankly into the water. The whole reason I didn’t call my mother was precisely that—I didn’t want her worrying about me. But by not calling her, she was worrying anyway. It was a fucked up circle.

“I’m worried, too, Alex,” Michelle said quietly.

I snorted. “What, have you and Mom got some big worrying party going on down there in Georgia? Wow.”

“Alex, you know if you don’t call her, she’ll come down here to see you,” Michelle warned me.

“Right, and when she does, I’ll invite her right here into the bathroom,” I snapped. “Cause, you know, there’s plenty of room in here for my family. You know right here is where I love to do most of my family bonding. And what kind of son will I be if I don’t ask her into the bathroom while I’m busy trying to take a bath. Really, you should come too, all three of us in here, it’ll be fun—”

“Jesus, shut up for a minute, will you,” Michelle snapped back, annoyed.

I rolled my eyes, although she couldn’t see, and lit up another cigarette.

“She’s just worried for you,” Michelle continued softly. “So please call her?”

“There’s really no reason to worry about me,” I insisted. “I’m twenty-four, not fourteen. I can take care of myself.”

“Exactly why the fridge was completely empty today except for some beer?” she retorted. “I had to go to the supermarket and buy you actual food so you won’t starve.”

“Really, Shell, there was no need for that. I can always head to my pot dealer neighbor right next door for dinner. He’s always hungry, if you know what I mean.” I smirked slightly.

“Alex, I’m being serious.”

“Well, I told you. I can take care of myself,” I repeated.

“We know you can, Al, but Mom doesn’t like that you moved out of Manhattan and quit at the Guggenheim to teach here, of all places. She thinks you’re being too ‘rash’”.

“I just needed a change of scenery,” I muttered, flicking my ash at the soap dish. And missing.

“Mom just wants to make sure you’re okay after everything that happened last year,” Michelle told me. “After, you know—”

I felt an irrational panic rising in me at even the mention of what had happened last year. “Yes, I know,” I interrupted quickly. “But please, can you just get out of here? Please? I need my peace.”

There was no noise from her. Then, she asked, “So how was tonight?”

“Oh no. You’re not sitting down, are you? Shell, we are not about to have an actual conversation in the bathroom.”

“Well, yes, we are.” I could almost hear the smile in her voice. “So tell me about Parent’s Night. Is that why you’re in such a god-awful mood?”

I blew smoke out and watch it disappear in rings. “I think half the parents missed the memo that it was Parents’ Night, not fucking Au Pairs’ Night. Half of them sent their live-in nannies to take their place. And the ones that actually showed up were on their Blackberrys the entire time I was trying to give the presentation.”

Michelle laughed. “That’s rich people for you.”

“Actually, at first, they didn’t believe I was the teacher, can you believe that?” I said furiously. “I knew I shouldn’t have shaved before. Ugh. A little stubble would have made it more believable,” I grumbled.

“Well, you are pretty young,” she said. “I mean, compared to other teachers, I’m sure.”

“Don’t even defend them. They were just rude. Honestly, I don’t see how any of these kids have an ounce of creativity what with those parents and the rest of the fucking school.” I shifted to a more comfortable position.

“Well, do they?” Michelle asked.

“Well, yeah. I mean…” I took another drag. “The Photo J kids do, at least. They’re good. They really are.” I sat quietly for a second, thinking about my Photo J class. I was slowly getting to know them, and despite whatever initial judgments I had of them, I really liked them. There was Catherine, who was incredible at portraits. And Jake, who could take amazing night shots. And then Juliette, who could take the most average, every day scene and turn it into a stunning picture. “They’re the only reason I stick with this teaching thing,” I added, really meaning it. And as I said it, an image of Juliette, with her golden blonde hair and laughing hazel eyes, flashed through my head. I frowned to myself.

“That’s good,” Michelle said distractedly. Then, almost as though she’d read my mind, “Alex, I just want you to be careful, alright?”

“What?” I was taken aback. “Are you giving me fucking advice, Shell? Get the fuck out.”

“Just promise me, Alex,” she pleaded with me. “Just so I don’t have to worry about you.”

“Alright—I promise. Now get the fuck outta here, goddammit!”

“And stop cursing,” she added.

“Okay.” I paused. “You haven’t left yet, have you? Jesus, sis. Leave when the goddamn party’s over.”

“You are so rude, Alex.”

“Says the one who bursts into the bathroom while I’m taking a bath. Pot, meet kettle, it’s black…”

“Okay, shut up. I’m leaving now, don’t get your panties in a twist.”

“Yeah, well, I’m coming out in about three seconds. I’m giving you fair warning. Let’s not wear out our welcome, sis.”

“You’re such an asshole, Alex, seriously.”

I leaned my head back and smiled, satisfied. “I fucking love you, you know that, Shell,” I said absentmindedly.

“I love you too, Al,” she replied. Now I could really hear the smile in her voice.

I cleared my throat. “Great, now that that’s been established…I would come out and give you a Disney Channel Evens Stevens-esque hug, but I’m kind of naked.”

“Wow, thanks for the visual,” she laughed. “Way to ruin a moment.”

“Well, it worked, didn’t it?” I called after her as I heard her leave. “I’ve got school tomorrow. I need my fucking rest!”