Page 20 of Scrap Metal & Love Reforged

I toyed with my phone, gazing morosely at the screen. Despite it being the middle of the day, no one seemed to be online. I flipped my phone over and over in my fingers, as if to will someone to get online and talk to me. As expected, no one did.

So, I went around the shop again, straightening the air fresheners for the millionth time that day. And then I went about, moving chairs and shifting them about, making them straight. If boredom could kill, I'd already be on Death Row. I sighed and returned to the counter. Back to flipping my phone.

As a sleek, blue car pulled in, I straightened. Although I couldn’t tell the make and model through the rain-covered glass of the door, it looked flashy; something new. I grabbed a stackof papers and leaned over them, feigning interest. Just because I was bored out of my mind didn’t mean I wanted tolooklike it.

As the driver left his car, I felt my heart lodge itself in my throat. Seth—the last person I wanted to see. Suddenly, boredom didn't seem so bad. I realized, of course, that there was no way for Seth to win. If he was nice, I distrusted him—and felt guilty for it. And if he was awful, I’d hate him for being an asshole. There was nothing Seth could do to lighten my mood.

I straightened as he entered, a grin already stretched across his face. “Hey, Troy!”

“Hey.”

I said it neutrally, in the sort of tone that meant I’dhelphim, but really didn’t want to linger on a conversation of any depth, or any conversation at all. Seth seemed to get that. He frowned, his hazel eyes narrowing. He looked at me as though I was a puzzle he should solve, and really, I didn’t think I was all that hard to figure out.

“Did I upset you?” Seth asked. “Or are you still thinking about what we did?”

I wanted to say neither, but it felt wrong to lie. But stronger still was the desire for Seth to just go away and never talk to me again. I rustled through the papers, trying to feign a business obligation to cover the anxiety rearing inside me. And if I looked at him, it would be much harder. He was too handsome, and his face was too earnest.

“It’s not… anything you did,” I said at last.

Seth pulled over a chair, and after some awkward maneuvering, pressed his feet against the edge of the counter. Evidently, the man had never learned how to properly sit in a chair. I watched as he leaned back, forcing the chair onto two legs. “Nothing I did,” Seth echoed. “I think it’s quite clear that it’ssomethingI did.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. “Why should I talk to you if you don’t believe me?”

Seth frowned. “If you want me to leave, please say so. I will. I just assumed we could still be friends.”

“We can be.”

Maybe. I stared at him, dredging up memories frombeforemy brother. I’d had friends, then. Connections to people. But everything was a vague blur, and I hadn’t kept up with anyone.

“Do you want to go scavenging?” Seth asked. “After work?”

He was trying to appease me, to play into my interests. I sighed. Seth can’t become more involved in my art. That was out of the question. “No,” I said, suddenly exhausted. “Maybe something else.”

“Do you want to go to something? I have an art thing.”

“An art thing?” I asked.

Despite my resolve not to communicate with him, his invitation piqued my interest.

“I thought we could go as friends, mind you,” Seth said. “No strings attached. I just think it’s something you’d enjoy. My friend Brandon is a movie director, and he’s premiering his first film next Saturday.”

I rarely had Saturdays off. I bit the inside of my cheek and tried to remember if I had any plans, which wasn’t difficult. I rarely had plans. Actually, the last time I’d gone out was with Seth, and before that…

There must’ve beensomethingbefore that, but I couldn’t remember. It had been a long time; that much I knew. My first instinct was to refuse, but I thought of Skye and Godofdiscord—both determined to shove me out of my comfort zone.

“Just as friends,” I said.

Seth nodded. With a loudthunk, the front legs of the chair met the tile floor.

“I’ll think about it.”

An odd expression crossed Seth’s face, like he didn’t quite know what to make of me, but finally, he nodded. “Great. Call me later in the week and let me know.”

I nodded and even forced a small smile as Seth left. He was really,reallyan incredibly handsome, patient man. And I couldn’t decide justhowmuch I liked that.

The movie premiere took place in a hotel so lavish I felt like I spoiled the place with my mere presence. I tried not to stare at the glass and gold-trimmed ivory columns. This place wassofar out of my league. I awkwardly pulled a piece of lint from my faded, blue button-up. And of course, Seth looked like he’d just stepped out of some damn fashion magazine. I swallowed and tried not to look at my reflection in all the glossy surfaces.

“You go to places like this all the time, don’t you?” I asked.