Sally
I was taking a shower after class on that hot afternoon when I heard a knock on the door. My roommate was probably still in class, which explained why she wasn’t in the dorm and there was no one to open the door.
Damn it! I had to rush my shower, and as soon as I finished, I wrapped a towel around my body and went to the door. I opened it to find Allison with a slight frown on her face, her lips pouting.
“I’ve been knocking,” she said, pouting even more.
“Sorry,” I signed. “As you can see, I was in the shower and couldn’t come out right away. Come in.”
She nodded and entered, slumping onto the bed. I proceeded to dry my body, put on casual clothes, and sat on the floor, my back resting against the bed.
“Remind me not to talk to Jayden when I see him next,” she said. I turned to her, narrowing my eyes before signing, “What happened? Did you two have a fight?”
She sighed deeply and shook her head, sitting up on the bed to face me. “Not really,” she replied in sign language.
“Then why are you upset with him?” I signed quickly, eager to hear some gossip.
“Because he canceled our date at the last minute!” she groaned before slumping back onto the bed. “I mean, I was really looking forward to the date.”
“Did he at least give you a good reason for canceling suddenly?” I asked sympathetically.
She nodded, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. “Well, yeah. He said that a client had called him, and it was crucial for him to meet them. But he promised to make it up to me this week. I hope nothing spoils the next one.”
I smiled and shook my head, just as my phone beeped. I checked to see a message from Colby. Finally! It had been so long. But for Colby to text me now, what could it mean?
I opened the message to see him asking if I was alone.
Biting my lip, I replied, “No, why?”
His response came swiftly: “Who’s with you then?”
I turned to Allison, who was lying on the bed, holding her phone above her face. She yawned, placed it beside her, then shut her eyes and rolled to the side. She used her hands as a pillow, and her legs curled up, seeking a comfortable position.
“Sally, reply now!” I read after hearing my phone beep.
Me: It’s my sister, Allison. She’s with me right now.
Colby: Are you trying to ignore me right now?
I typed, my face scrunched up in a frown.
Me: What do you mean? I don’t understand.
Colby: Don’t play games with me, Sally. You’re lying to me. Allison can’t be there!
Me: She is!
Colby: Please, spare me the bullshit. You think I don’t know where she is right now? She’s on a date with Jayden. Don’t play games with me, Sally. Don’t fucking do it.
Me: I’m done talking to you. Bye!
Colby: Don’t you dare go offline, or you’ll see me in your room attacking that dude with you.
Me: Dude? I don’t have any guy here.
Colby: Then why did you lie and say Allison was there? You’re trying to hide the bastard, right? Trying to keep me in the dark?
Me: Bye, Colby. I’m really done here.
Colby: Don’t!
I scoffed and went offline. My phone rang immediately, and when I checked, I saw it was him.
I snarled, switching off my phone, then went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat. I hadn’t gone to the cafeteria, so I was hungry. Thankfully, there were some ingredients available, so I started chopping and cooking.
The next thing I knew, the knife sliced a part of my finger because I shook-all thanks to the loud, aggressive knocking.
Allison, who was already engrossed in her sleep, jerked up and turned toward the door. “Who could that be?” she asked. I peeked into the room.
“Can you check it out, please?” I signed, and she nodded, walking over to open the door.
I smirked when my eyes landed on an angry-looking Colby, whose expression faltered, turning to shock, surprise, and a hint of confusion.
“Huh? Allison?” he muttered, glancing at me.
Serves him right! At least now he knows I wasn’t lying.
“Surprised to see you here, Colby,” she chuckled.
“I should be the one saying that,” he replied with a nervous laugh.
“What are you doing here? Came to see your sister?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest.
Colby nodded, blinking rapidly, and replied, almost stuttering, “Huh? Well, yeah, I… I came to see Sally. After what we talked about, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to say hi and all that.”
“Yeah, true,” she nodded. “She’s in the kitchen right now.”
“I’ll just leave. I’ve seen her already,” he said, pointing at my face. When Allison turned her head, she nodded and said, “Ah, I see.”
“Goodbye, you two. Have a good time,” he said, about to turn away, but I ran to him and grabbed his arm, linking it with mine.
Colby’s eyes widened as he watched me. “What are you doing?”
I mouthed the words, knowing he could lip read. “Don’t leave just yet. I’m preparing a small lunch. How about you stay?”
“I already ate at the cafeteria,” he said, pulling his hand away.
I pouted my lips, wriggled my shoulders, and gave him a cute, pleading look. “Come on, brother,” I signed.
Colby’s face cringed as he watched. “Hell no. Bye!”
“What’s happening here?” Allison asked. I had momentarily forgotten she couldn’t lip read.
“I want him to stay and eat what I’m preparing,” I answered.
Allison turned to Colby, smiling and pouting her lips. “Stay, Colby. Come on!”
I couldn’t believe he actually smiled and nodded like a robot before replying softly, “Yeah, of course.”
Then, Allison led him inside, and he obliged.
Bastard, I thought, slamming the door shut so hard they both turned to look at me, oblivious to the tension in the room.