Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 112892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Aaron strolled around to my side of the bed and whistled as he patted the concave part.
“This crater is so big, it’s like a meteor hit.”
“If we can just turn it around, then that side will be toward the wall,” I said. “I sleep on this side.”
“Why don’t we flip it? Then that side will be buried underneath, and both sides will be usable.”
“I only need one side.”
“But why not have both sides flat? I mean, you never know—” He stopped, smacking himself in the forehead. “That came out wrong.”
I laughed at the fact that he was suddenly the nervous one. “I guess it is a good idea, but this thing is super heavy. I couldn’t even slide it over a few inches.”
He flexed one arm, and his sleeve inching up to reveal more of the dark ink on his bicep. “I haven’t exercised yet today, so this will count as my workout.”
I had my doubts, but if he was willing to try, I was in.
“So, how do we do this? I’ve never had a bed this big before.”
“Me either. Let’s strip the sheets.” He grabbed the nearest corner and tugged.
Once the mattress was bare, Aaron located two rope handles at the base and pulled it out a few feet.
“Can you climb up there by the headboard?”
“Okay.”
I kicked off my shoes before doing so.
“Now take hold of the right side, and when I count to three, we’re going to lift it straight up. Got it?”
“I think so.” My voice sounded doubtful even to me.
He counted us off, and I lifted the corner of the mattress—which didn’t budge. He was doing better on his side, raising that corner up along with half the length of the mattress. My end wasn’t moving at all.
He stepped around to the side of the mattress, his hands outstretched as he continued to raise the massive thing. His biceps bulged, which was not what I was supposed to be paying attention to right now.
“Come on, push,” he said.
He climbed onto the box springs, still hoisting the top of the mattress up and up and—
“Watch out!” I shrieked.
The edge of the mattress—and his hands—were dangerously close to the ceiling fan. He spotted the danger and let go of the mattress, backing away. It slammed down heavily, and the resulting jolt on the box springs bounced me forward, where I landed in a heap with my limbs tangled and my hair hanging in my face.
“Are you okay?” Aaron seemed to be asking me that a lot, which was probably all the evidence he needed to know that I wasn’t.
“Maybe the dip’s not so bad.” I curled onto my side, resting my arm under my head. “I could sleep here.”
He sat down next to me. “That’s like saying that the Grand Canyon is a mere drainage ditch.”
I curled my lip and blew upward, making the stray hair fly off my forehead. But then it settled right back down again. Aaron’s hand twitched, like he was about to push my hair back for me, but then it stilled. Apparently, Diego’s lecture about consent worked on everyone except drunk, depressed partiers. My memory was a bit fuzzy, but I was pretty sure we’d both pounced on each other without exchanging many—or perhaps any—words at all.
“Maybe we need reinforcements,” he said. “I think Diego gets out of class soon.”
“I don’t want to bother him.” The words rushed out of my mouth.
“Raymond was in the kitchen earlier,” Aaron said, a bit doubtfully. Neither of us seemed very inclined to enlist his help.
“Maybe we just need to try a different way,” I said. “I don’t suppose you’re an engineering student?”
“Public administration.”
“Oh, right, you said that last night.” I hesitated. “But I don’t really know what that means.”
“It means I don’t know a clever way to lift and flip a mattress without being decapitated by a ceiling fan.”
I smiled. He sure was easy to talk with.
He returned the smile. “It means I want to work for the city someday.”
“Haverford?” I’d only lived here for less than two months, but the town was very small, with the university as the main focal point.
“Chattanooga. That’s where I’m from.” He leaned back, his palms on the bed behind him. “Public admin teaches you how cities are run. Economics, my minor, is about why they fail—or who they fail. I want to get involved, work my way up to a city council position, at least.” His expression turned reflective. “My grandfather was mayor.”
“Really?” That seemed impressive. “Your bio grandfather?”
“No, adoptive. I kind of lucked out—I got taken in by a big, robust family. They had lots of foster kids over the years. For the most part, we’re all still family.”
Wow. That was a lot different from my experience. I’d parted ways with my last foster family the moment I’d graduated from high school. Sara was the only one who truly felt like my family. And now she was gone. I pushed that thought from my mind and focused on Aaron. “So, you want to be mayor someday?”