Madison
My brother really needs a place to stay, Angie.
Madison
Can he stay with you?
Madison
It’s only for a couple of months.
Madison
You’ll barely notice he’s there.
Angie
No! Come on, Maddy!
Angie
I finally have my own apartment.
Angie
And I really like living on my own.
Madison
So you can keep licking your wounds over Nathan?
Angie
No! I’m over him, I swear.
Madison
How long has it been since you broke up with him?
Madison
Geez, how have you not died of sexual starvation?
Angie
Nathan cheating on me kind of turned me off to relationships.
Madison
So it’s a good time for Jude to be here, then.
Madison
You’re not looking to hook up.
Madison
And he’s readjusting to civilian life.
Madison
He’s been honorably discharged from the Marines.
Angie
It seems like he just JOINED the Marines.
Madison
Nope, it’s already been four years.
Angie
Man, a lot has changed for your little brother.
Madison
Yeah, he’s really grown up.
Madison
So, bottom line, can he stay with you?
Madison
Please. I’ll owe you one.
Angie
I guess I can let him stay here.
Madison
Look at you, servicing your countryman.
Angie
You make it sound so dirty.
Madison
Which brings me to my next point.
Madison
Please. Whatever you do…
Madison
Do NOT sleep with him.
Madison
I’m serious, Angie. Don’t do it.
Angie
Jude once shoved a tadpole into my shorts.
Angie
Trust me. I’m not interested in him.
Madison
Okay, then. I’ll send him over.
Just a few minutes later, the doorbell rings.
I’m about to start living with immature, annoying prankster Jude Latham.
My best friend’s kid brother, and a thorn in my side.
It wasn’t just the tadpole that made me hate Jude.
It was him cutting my doll’s hair off.
And teasing me about my glasses.
And always trying to peek at my underwear.
Standing there is six feet of soldier.
Broad shoulders. Solid muscle. All man.
What on earth happened to little Jude Latham?!
Jude
Angie? Is everything okay?
Angie
Sorry. That’s a weird thing to say.
It’s not a mean laugh, but it gets to me.
Jude
It’s true. I did grow up.
Oh geez, what’s gotten into me?
My face turns scarlet and Jude laughs some more.
His voice is deep and it makes me shiver.
Jude
Thanks for letting me stay here.
I definitely don’t remember Jude Latham being polite.
Angie
The Marines taught you some manners, I see.
Jude
Yes, ma’am. Certainly did.
Now Jude is staring at me.
He smiles at me. I bite my lip.
Jude
Um, Angie? You think I can I come in?
How big of an idiot can I be?
Angie
Your room’s the one on the left.
Angie
I still need to get it set up for you.
Angie
But you can put your stuff in there.
Jude
Cool. Where’s your shower?
Jude
You know, the place with the water.
Jude
Where you clean yourself.
Jude
I’ve been on two planes and a bus.
Jude
I probably smell gross.
Angie
No, you don’t, actually.
Jude
Are you smelling me, Angie?
Angie
Bathroom’s that way.
Jude
Thanks for letting me stay here.
Jude
I promise to be the model roommate.
Jude
No loud parties. Clean up after myself.
Angie
No trying to peek at my underwear anymore?
I mean it as a joke, but it doesn’t land.
I can’t read the look on Jude’s face.
Jude
I can’t promise that, Angie.
Did he really just say that?
He heads for the bathroom.
Which means he’s…showering.
What the heck has Madison signed me up for?
I call her, ready to scream.
Angie
Why didn’t you tell me your brother got…
But I can’t bring myself to say it.
Madison
You’re lusting after my brother.
Madison
This is terrible.
Madison
He was way too excited about seeing you again.
Madison
Angie, you promised me!
Madison
This is just because you haven’t gotten any in a while.
Madison
I’ll be over later. We’re going out.
Madison
For now, remember the tadpole, Angie.
Angie
Right. The tadpole.
Angie
Remember the tadpole.
I turn around and practically drop the phone.
Jude
Angie, did you hear me?
Angie
Um…you put a tadpole down my shorts once.
Jude
Are you still mad about it?
Jude
Because I did a lot of stuff back then to get your attention.
Angie
To get my attention?
Jude
I don’t know if you noticed, but…
Jude
I had a big crush on you back then.
Angie
I thought you hated me!
Jude
I was crazy about you.
Jude
I’d do anything to get your attention.
Angie
Even if it ticked me off?
Jude
Attention was attention. I wasn’t picky.
I watch a drop of water roll down his neck.
To where his towel hangs.
Jude
Want to know a secret, Angie?
I feel the heat coming off of him.
Angie
Jude, we haven’t seen each other in years.
Jude
I know what I felt back then.
Jude
And I know that when I was in combat…
Jude
And I got hurt and they dug shrapnel out of my leg…
Jude
And I’d never serve again…
Jude
That it was all going to be okay.
Jude
Because it meant I could see you again.
Jude is an inch away from me.
He reaches for me and touches my cheek.
Jude
Angie, please let me kiss you.
There’s knock at the door.
Angie
Jude, she’s my best friend.
Angie
And we’re supposed to go out tonight.
Angie
She wants me to meet a guy.
It’s animal. Possessive, even.
I shouldn’t like it, but I do.
Jude
Fine. I’ll go get dressed.
Jude
I’ll put on a happy face in front of my sister.
Jude
And when you get home tonight, I’ll be waiting for you.
Jude
Because this isn’t over, Angie.
