“You can’t just call me and expect me to come over at the last minute.”

“Fine. Have fun with your vibrator. Bye.” I was about to press end before she changed her mind.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes.” The self-loathing was heavy in her voice.

I loved girls with low self-esteem. “See you soon.” I hung up and drove home. When I parked into my spot, I spotted Shelly’s bug a few rows away. Man, she really wanted to get nailed. She must have flown here.

I got out of my car then spotted Alaska by the mailbox. She was pulling ads and junk mail out. It was ten o’clock at night. She really thought now was the best time to check the mail? “Are you a vampire?” I demanded when I walked up to her.

“What?” She stopped what she was doing and glared at me.

“You’re always out at night—by yourself. Knock it off.”

She slammed the door to her mailbox. “What I do is none of your business.”

“Just go inside. You can’t check it in the morning?”

She glared at me. “You’re really annoying.”

“Like you aren’t,” I hissed.

“Then why do you care? Get off my case, Ashley.”

My eyes widened. “Say that again and I’ll—”

“What?” She mocked me. “Go tryout for the softball team? Play with your Barbies?” She smirked when she saw the fire in my eyes.

“What kind of name is Alaska? Your parents have a thing for Sarah Palin?”

“Did your parents wish you were a girl?”

Man, I wanted to slap her sometimes. “Fine. Get mugged or raped. Like I give a damn.”

“I don’t want you to give a damn,” she snapped back.

“Um…Ash?” Shelly stood a few feet behind me.

I looked over my shoulder, annoyed. “What?”

“Are we going to do this or what?” The attitude was in her voice.

Alaska gave me a look of pure loathing. “Go have fun with your fuck buddy.” She locked the mailbox then stormed to her apartment.

I watched her go, making sure she got inside without any problems.

Shelly kept watching me. “What was that about…?”

I saw the light in Alaska’s living room turn on. Her silhouette moved behind the curtain. I could still see her curves as she walked across the room, still sorting through the mail. I finally turned back to Shelly. “Nothing. Just my annoying neighbor.”

“For being annoying, you sure seem to care about her.”

Now I glared at her. “How about we don’t talk until we’re done?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and started to brood. “God, you’re such a dick.”

“But as long as I make you come what does it matter?” I walked into my apartment then led her inside. Once the door was shut, I threw Shelly on the bed and released all the frustration I felt. Alaska drove me crazy. I hated her, loathed her, but I couldn’t get her out of my mind. She was everywhere, in my thoughts and in my fantasies. Without meaning to, Shelly changed and morphed into a different version of Alaska. It was low, even for me, but I couldn’t shake it. I fucked her, coming inside her and wishing she were someone else.

The next morning, I got ready for school. I didn’t have a rotation at the hospital, so I got to wear jeans and a light jacket. It was nice not preparing for a twelve-hour shift. I finished my coffee while I looked over my notes. I had an exam in anatomy today. It seemed like I had an exam everyday. My brain was stuffed with so much information that it leaked out in bits and pieces.

I left my mug on the counter then walked out, my bag over one shoulder. Anytime I stepped outside, I subconsciously hoped I’d run into Alaska. It made no sense. I had no chance with her, and every time we spoke, we argued. But I was still drawn to her.

I reached my car then heard the loud sound of an engine turning over. I glanced over and saw Alaska in front of her truck, the hood popped open with grease on her hands. She was digging inside, trying to fix whatever the problem was.

“Seriously?” she spat at the truck. “Today you do this to me? Of all days?” She gripped the sides of the engine then stared down, trying to solve the puzzle. “Dang, I’m going to be late.”

I should just drive away. I had an exam that I couldn’t miss, and that was more important than helping her with her car. I would lose a week rotation at the hospital as a consequence. And I needed all the experience I could get.

But I couldn’t leave her.

I sighed then walked to her. “What’s it doing?”

She flinched when she realized I was next to her. “Geez, you scared the crap out of me.”

“But when I come out of nowhere at night, you don’t blink an eye?” I couldn’t hide my annoyance. She was ignorant to the world around her, particularly danger. I wished she would look after herself better. The last thing I wanted was for something to happen to her…like what happened to my sister.

She clenched her jaw and didn’t look at me. “I’m not in the mood for your bullshit.”

“Neither am I.” I reached inside then opened her oil tank.

“What are you doing?”

“Helping you,” I snapped. I took out the oil drum and realized it was empty. “When was the last time you changed your oil?”

“I don’t know…what does it matter?”

Girls… “Because you’re completely out of it. Driving a car without oil is like running a marathon without water. It could kill you.”

“Are you sure that’s what it is?”

“Absolutely.” I closed the cap then looked at her truck. It was old, ancient. “You should just scrap this piece of junk and get a reliable car.”

“No.”

“No? This thing has to be thirty years old.”

“And they don’t make them like this anymore.”

Arguing with her was giving me a headache. “Whatever. I’m just trying to help.”

“Well, I don’t need your help.”

“I think you do.” I closed her hood then wiped my hands on my jeans. “Can your parents come get you to get oil?”

She looked uncomfortable. “Uh, no.”

“How about your sister?”

“She’s in class.” She stared at her truck while she thought. “I have a photo shoot and I’m going to be late. I really need the money for rent.” She sighed. “Why does stuff like this always happen to me?” It seemed like she was talking to herself more than she was talking to me.

I knew I was going to regret this. “Take my car to work and I’ll take care of your truck.”

She looked at me like I just pulled a snake out of my throat. “What?”

“Take my car, do your thing, and I’ll get your truck the right oil. She’ll be back to normal by the time you return.”

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

Yes. Somewhere very important. “No.”

For the first time, she gave me a soft look. “Why are you helping me?”

“Because despite what you think, I can be a gentleman.”

She didn’t have a response to that.

I pulled out my keys and handed them to her. “Now hurry.”

“You’re going to let me drive your expensive car?”

“It’s just a car.”

She held the keys in her hand then shifted her weight back and forth.

“It’s fine, really.”

She got her supplies out of the passenger door then came back to me. “Thanks…”

“Yeah.”

She stared at me awkwardly, like she wanted to say something else. “I guess I’ll see you when I get back.”

“Yeah.”

She walked to my car then got inside. A moment later, she drove away.

I called the one person who would come to my aid without blinking an eye.

She answered immediately. “It’s way too early to be drinking, Ash.”

I smirked. “What are you doing right now?”

“Having breakfast with the man I’m living with but not married to.”

I laughed at her jab toward my parents. “I need a favor.”

“What’s up?”

“I need you to pick me up and take me to get oil.”

“You ran out of oil?” she asked incredulously. “If you’re going to drive a hundred-thousand dollar car you should take care of it.”

“It’s not for me, brat. I’m helping a friend.” I felt awkward saying the word ‘friend’.