Run, Girl (If You Can)

Two weeks before finals Keeley was ready to tear her hair out. Jennica was constantly texting her asking for advice on flowers (the latest crisis) and what would be the best honeymoon destination.

She was agonizing between Gerber daisies and tulips for her orange flower and mums or roses for the hot pink one. How was she supposed to know?!

As for the honeymoon destinations…she only knew about the Caribbean but Jennica didn't want to go somewhere with a beach. She wanted to go somewhere she could 'explore the culture' but where Cameron hadn't already been a dozen times.

She literally did not have an opinion. Stop asking her!

The wedding invitation hung on the fridge next to an engagement photo of Lydia and her new husband. It was that time of life: the marriage apocalypse. What every unattached person dreads. One of Valentina's medical school friends' wedding invitations had also made it to the fridge.

Jennica and Cameron looked blissfully happy as the gazed into each other's eyes in the photo. She was happy for her friend, she really was, but did they have to be so obnoxiously in love with each other right in front of her when she still had her ex-husband to contend with?

Keeley was so tired. She broke down crying when her ancient laptop shut off without warning in the middle of writing a paper and she lost three pages of work.

That was it for the day. She was done.

She would call in sick to work, watch a movie to make herself feel better, and then rewrite the stupid paper. But how was she supposed to do that since her laptop refused to turn back on? 

She texted Valentina to ask if she could borrow her laptop for the night but she said she had it with her and wouldn't be home until 10. It would be too late then; the paper was due at midnight. She was doomed.

Keeley made it home and was curled up under a blanket watching an animated Disney film with Molly before she remembered to text Aaron not to send her food today.

'Are you sick?'

'No, just sulking' She knew he would ask why so she may as well elaborate now. She sent a second text. 'My laptop gave out on me and I lost two and a half hours' worth of work on a paper that's due at midnight'

'Why didn't you save it?'

'It isn't a matter of saving it; my computer is dead and won't turn back on. Everything is gone, not just this paper'

'I might be able to fix this. I get off work in two hours; have your laptop ready and make sure you're not wearing pajamas'

Why did that matter? Was he planning on taking her somewhere to get her laptop fixed?

It was as if the clouds parted and the birds began chirping. Aaron was rich. He probably knew of a good electronics repair shop that she could never afford. She might actually be able to finish this paper on time after all.

Some of the tension in her shoulders released as she sunk back into the couch. She might even be able to enjoy the movie knowing help was coming.

Her doorbell rang one and a half movies later and Keeley made sure she was back in the clothes she wore to school today before then. Aaron stood on her doorstep in one of his signature designer suits and her breath caught in her throat a little. This was how she remembered him best.

"Do you have it?" he asked.

She nodded meekly. The laptop was tucked under her arm. She followed him out to his car and sniffled. Her nose had been stuffed ever since she had cried earlier.

"Relax. It's going to be okay."

"No it's not," she sighed wearily. "I'm doomed."

"You can't ask for a one day extension? I'm sure you're not the only person this has ever happened to."

"My professor doesn't have a merciful bone in his body. He would only berate me for not taking better care of my things."

Aaron made a small noise of acknowledgement before going silent for the rest of the ride. To her surprise, he pulled into the parking lot of a chain retail electronics store in the Bronx.

Noticing the look on her face, his stoic expression cracked slightly. "They do data recovery here. I called Aiden—he's still out of the country but he has a friend who works here who agreed to help without an appointment."

Tears welled up in her eyes again. She was saved. "Thank you."

"You might want to wait and see if we can actually get your paper back in time before you thank me."

She shook her head. "Even if I can't…you still tried. I really appreciate it."

A tiny, soft smile appeared. "It's the least I could do."

They walked into the store and Aaron asked for David. He turned out to be a pudgy young man with braces who ushered them over to his work station immediately and asked to see the laptop.

Keeley held it out as if it were a small, wounded animal. "Can you save it?"

"Let me look at it first. Give me about ten minutes to see what the problem is."

She thanked him and they sat quietly in the waiting area. She couldn't stop fidgeting. This paper was worth about a tenth of her grade in the class. If she couldn't turn it in at all it would automatically bump her down a whole letter grade if not more.

Aaron reached out hesitantly and patted her shoulder. She was too anxious about the fate of her grade to tell him not to touch her. Besides, it was actually kind of nice being comforted, albeit awkwardly.

When David came back he had a smile on his face. "Well the good news is that I can temporarily restore your system long enough to move all the files onto an external drive. The bad news is that it's going to cost you about three hundred bucks and that you seriously need a new laptop. This one could crash again any time."

Keeley was about to open her mouth when Aaron said, "Not a problem. How long will it take?"

"About forty-five minutes."

She was so relieved that she began blubbering instantly. "Thank you so much, you just saved my life!"

He laughed. "No problem. I'm just glad it's not so far gone that it would take days to get everything back. I take it this is a time-sensitive issue?"

She nodded emphatically. "I have a paper due at midnight that's only half written on there."

"Oh man, I'll quit talking and get right on it then. While you wait, how about you look at the laptop models we have here? See if there's something you like. We do offer payment plans if you need one."

Her spirits sunk a bit as he walked off. She really couldn't afford a new laptop right now; they cost hundreds of dollars she didn't have. Even with a payment plan…