Complicated Read Online Free PDF

me at my apartment. That settled, I get up and steal one of Trish’s beers. She doesn’t mind so long as I chip in for a replacement six pack and I’m too tired to put on real pants and go out to get my own.  
    Tomorrow is my day off, so I stay up late playing a video game where I build a digital city and then get to attack it with spaceships.  

    The next afternoon I’m dressed in one of Trish’s dresses. It’s forest green jersey material that hugs my curves and the color, I’m told, brings out my eyes. It also brings out my cleavage or at least does good things for it. The skirt is bouncy and light and it makes me feel pretty. Due to Trish’s advice (“guys dig long hair”), I leave my tangle of rust-colored hair down, managing to tame it with some product Trish hands me. I’m putting the last touch ups on my makeup when Trish, who’s on her way out the door, calls “Buzzed your friend in. Have fun!” before the door shuts behind her.  
    I give myself a last glance in the bathroom mirror. Not bad. Good, even. If Trish doesn’t make it in fashion design, she has the chops to become a fairy godmother.  
    Right as I’m stepping into the hall, there’s a knock at the door. I open it and see David. Not Zach. For a panicked moment, I wonder if I accidentally made a date with the wrong guy, except that I can’t imagine David accepting. Besides, he’s in a bleach-stained hoodie and has stubble on his chin like he didn’t bother to shave.  
    “You look hot.” He grins.  
    “Thanks. What are you doing here?”  
    He hands me a thumb drive. “This is the stuff you asked for.” I gape at the tiny USB drive in my palm. “You know, for the gig poster.”  
    “You could have e-mailed it.”  
    “Some of the images are too big.”  
    “Okay, great.”
    “And I wanted to apologize for being so wasted the other night.”  
    “It happens.” I put the thumb drive on the stack of plastic storage containers we keep in the hall like a table. It’s where we throw mail, keys, and take out menus. Originally we planned to replace it with a real piece of furniture but it never happened. “Besides, that’s your house. No need to apologize to me.”  
    “I know. But you had to deal with me.” He glances down at my chest again. “And, we never got around to that talk you wanted to have. I was sorting of hoping—”  
    “It’s not a good time. I’m on my way out.”  
    As if on the cue, the white phone that acts as our apartment buzzer rings. I pick up. “Great,” I say to Zach on the phone, my voice so high it sounds like I’ve been huffing helium. “Be right down.”  
    David watches me, tugging absently on the frayed wrists of his sweatshirt.  
    “That’s my date.” David stands as if frozen to the spot, staring at me like I’ve just spoken in Latin.  
    I usher him out and lock the door behind me, making sure Ariel is still sleeping on the sofa. The cat sometimes tries to bolt out the door. David’s expression is heartbreaking, like I sucker punched him. Not your problem, I remind myself, but I can’t hold back the flood of guilt.  
    “I didn’t know you were seeing someone else.” His words are crestfallen and his body is tense. I’m actually surprised Katy didn’t tell him but it’s obvious this is news. His eyes flit back to my dress. “I thought…” He trails off.  
    Thought what? I want to demand but it’s not the time to have that fight.  
    “I’m not. I mean, I wasn’t,” I say, thinking of our recent tryst and wanting to make it crystal clear I wasn’t “seeing” anyone else when we last hooked up. Not that it matters, given our situation. “This is sort of new.”  
    We reach the lobby door and David breezes past me. “See you later, Hannah,” he calls back. His tone is casual, friendly, but there’s an edge to the words.  
    Zach’s head follows David’s progression and comes back to me. He starts to say something but stops and takes me in.