“I figured I could cover it this month, but that school is as reliable as trying to get T.V reception in this part of town.”
“Right? God knows where I’d be without that track scholarship,” she sighed. Jordan knew exactly where she’d be, and that’s exactly why he tried to help. “Dad would have been able to help. You guys were best friends.”
“Best is an understatement. Who do you think I shoplifted my first bit of candy with?” he chuckled, reminiscing about the dreadful years before he decided to get his shit together. “We picked up girls together. He even dressed up like me and took my ID when I was too hungover to take an exam.” He paused to take a deep, sad breath. “Yeah, he would have been able to help.”
Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have brought that up. Especially when the wound is still so fresh for both of us, Jordan thought.
Mia went silent, biting her lip lightly. She shook her head and smiled.
“Yeah, he would,” she whispered. “I really wish I could help, too.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll just…”
“No, I’m serious,” she raised her voice, yet it remained sincere. “I can’t stand ungrateful people. My mom took and took from my dad and left. He raised me to never be like that bit–. Woman. You’re either really kind or a special kind of stupid for letting me live here, but I honestly can’t thank you enough,” she explained; the passion in her voice contrasted her tomboyish appearance and personality.
“Mia. Really. It’s fine. Let’s just say I’m doing a friend a favor.”
“Yeah, and he’s not even alive to pay you back,” Mia sighed with pouty lips.
Jordan looked at Mia’s glistening brown eyes as they strayed down in sadness.
“Fuck death,” Jordan chuckled. “Sorry. Language.”
“No, you’re right,” Mia replied, reviving her award-winning smile once more. “Fuck death.”
The two laughed over the saddening stack of bills. Let’s just hope the grim reaper wasn’t around to hear them. Jordan stopped to admire Mia’s voice of joy; it was a nice change of pace from the dreary, creaking sounds he’d hear around his home. He was a good teacher in a mediocre school and an even worse neighborhood. His days contrasted from the clean marble floors of the school to the unkempt front garden of his house.
“But for real. I’m gonna help okay? I’ll figure something out,” she said, rising from her seat. “I’m going to take a shower and study. You sure you’re okay with doing my laundry? You really don’t have to.”
“Yeah, it’s fine. You’ve been through enough to last the year. Just take it easy, alright?”
“Alright,” she said, feeling helpless about the situation. “Just don’t do anything weird with my teenage panties, okay?”
“You probably wear boxers anyways. I’ll just throw them in with the rest of the pillowcases,” Jordan said with a playful grin.
Mia snatched a handful of paperclips and tossed them at Jordan. “Shut up!” she shouted playfully.
She turned and walked down the hall toward the bathroom, leaving a wet imprint of her back on the chair. Jordan gritted his teeth, but just for a moment.
It was just a surge of emotion, it must’ve been, right? What man wouldn’t react to a sight like that? On the bright side I shouldn’t need Viagra for another decade, he thought.