Read Fragmented for Free Online Page B

heard a familiar voice calling my name: “Harper!”
    Jenn jogged up to me and rested her hands on her knees as she struggled to catch her breath. “Why were you running?”
    I spun on my heel. “Why were you chasing me?”
    “I wasn’t chasing you. I was trying to catch up with you. I called your name. Didn’t you hear me?”
    “Obviously not,” I said, embarrassed that I’d been scared by my girlfriend of all people.
    “Sorry, babe,” she shrugged sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to freak you out. I just wanted to surprise you.”
    “You should call next time.” I puffed out an annoyed sigh and unlocked the entrance to the apartment complex and let us both inside.
    Once inside my apartment, Jenn headed directly for the bathroom to commence her dental hygiene ritual, while I unpacked the contents of my school bag onto the kitchen counter.
    “Are you hungry?” I called out.
    “I can always eat,” she replied through the closed bathroom door.
    My phone buzzed on the kitchen counter with an incoming text message: I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be in class tomorrow after all. I had to reschedule physical therapy.
    My forehead furrowed at the message. I didn’t recognize the number or the out-of-state area code. Who is this? I typed out.
    The girl in the wheelchair.
    I shook my head and chuckled out loud without meaning to. You could have said it was Raleigh , I replied.
    Another message blipped back: I didn’t want you to mistake me for someone else. Who knows how many Raleighs are in your life?
    I can honestly say you’re the only one. I chewed on my lower lip as my fingers flew over the text messaging board. How did you get my number?
    I e-mailed your friend Kelley to get it. I didn’t want you to freak out about getting my notebook back to me tomorrow.
    Heavy steps echoed on the wooden floorboards and Jenn re-appeared out of the bathroom.
    “Who’s that?” she asked around her floss.
    I shoved my phone into the back pocket of my jeans. “My friend Kelley. She wanted to know if I had an extra copy of a book she needs for World Literature.” I didn’t know why I felt the need to lie when the truth was harmless.
    “Kelley, huh? Think I’ll ever get to meet her?”
    “Maybe I like keeping you all to myself,” I countered with a cheeky grin. “Hey, speaking of meeting my friends, did you get my text today about finding a girl for my friend Maia?”
    Jenn nodded. “Yeah. Is she a dog?”
    “No,” I bristled. “She’s really cute.”
    “How cute?”
    “I don’t know. She’s cute,” I shrugged. Maia was lovely, but I’d never looked at her as anything but a friend. “She’s Latina, has a cute Texas accent. Likes computers and video games.”
    Jenn tapped her fingers to her lips, looking thoughtful. “Sounds hot. Maybe I should upgrade from a Harper to a Maia.”
    “Be my guest,” I snorted.
    “Why is it so dark in here?” Jenn complained. “It’s like living in a tomb.” She grabbed the cord for the vinyl window shades and tugged. “Are you a vampire or something?”
    I quickly crossed the apartment to reach the window and pulled the shades closed again. “I don’t want people peeping in here. Haven’t you ever seen Rear Window ?”
    “Never heard of it.”
    “I want them closed. I don’t need people across the street getting a show.”
    Jenn licked her lips. “What kind of show might they be getting?”
    I rolled my eyes. My girlfriend’s libido was insatiable. Most of the time I found it endearing, but sometimes her one-track mind grated on me. “Don’t start something you can’t finish.”
    “I’ll finish you off, babe,” she assured me with a cheeky smile. “When have I not?”
    “I just mean we should to go to dinner.”
    Her hands fell to my hips. “Let’s skip it,” she said, lowering her voice. “We can find something to eat in your fridge later.”
    “No, we have to go out,” I insisted. “I haven’t been grocery shopping in weeks.