Exchange

I pedaled hard up the hill. I felt the buzz of my phone in my pocket.

*outside of 303. am I right?*

I balanced biking and texting.

*315. be ther*—

Swerved away from a parked car. I finished the text.

*315. be there soon.*

She waited and I flew around the next corner, and pedaled the last block to my apartment. I skidded in the driveway, and bounced my head back and forth. I heard the cocking of a gun — door shut.

"Hey."

I turned.

"Oh, hey. Sorry. I didn't see you."

"That's okay. Do you have it?"

I pulled out the collected works of Neil Simon and handed it to her.

"Here you go. Sorry it took me like, a year to get it to you."

"That's okay. I just needed it for a class and didn't want to buy a new book."

I laughed.

"Okay."

She went back to her car and opened the back door. She pulled out tupperware.

"Here you go. I just baked some apple crisp."

I jumped.

"Yeah! Oh my god, thanks!"

She laughed.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I'll get the tupperware back from you in a year."

I smiled, and with that, she got in her car and drove away. I stood in the driveway, and felt warmth from the apple crisp container in my hand.