NASH
“Hey,” I yell, dropping my wrench and walking over to her. “You want some help?”

She’s standing in front of her garage, trying to lift up the door.

“No, thanks. I’ve got it.” She’s struggling to make it move even an inch off the ground. Her knee must still hurt because she’s trying to open the door while balancing on her good leg.

I reach down and lift up the door. “You going to work?”

She turns to me, putting her hands on her hips. “Stop doing things for me.”

“Why?” I smile at her.

She seems surprised by my question. “Because I can do things myself.”

“Maybe before your knee was hurt, but now, you need some help.”

“Actually, I don’t.” She glares at me.

I lock eyes with her. “I think you do.”

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m never wrong,” I say in a cocky tone. “Ask anyone.”

“I don’t need to, because I’m telling you right now that you’re wrong. I don’t need your help or anyone else’s.”

“Really?” I wait for her to admit she’s wrong and when she doesn’t, I say, “Okay.” I reach up and lower the garage door back down. Then I walk back toward my house. “Have a good day.”

She mumbles something and I hear the squeak of the garage door as she attempts to lift it. I get back to work on my lawnmower, sneaking glances at my neighbor as she curses to herself while yanking on the door, balancing on one leg.

“Hey!” I hear her yell.

“Yeah?” I keep my eyes on the lawnmower handle, tightening some bolts.

“Could you come over here a minute?” she yells.

“Why? What do you need?” I yell back, my eyes still on the lawnmower.

There’s a pause, and then, “I need some…”

“Some what?” I almost laugh when I say it.

She’s mumbling curse words again. There was a ‘damn’ and a ‘shit’ and I might’ve heard something about a lunatic.

“What was that?” I yell. “I didn’t hear you.”

“I need some help, okay?”

I finally look at her and see her standing as she was earlier, her hands on her hips. It’s supposed to be an angry stance but given that she has all her weight on one leg and her other leg is bent slightly with just her toe touching the ground, she looks like she’s posing for me.

My laughter can’t be contained as I approach her.

“What’s so funny?” she asks.

“The way you’re standing.” I motion to her. “You look like you’re posing for something.”

She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest. “Would you just open the door for me, please?”

“I thought you didn’t need help.”

She narrows her eyes at me.

I give her a big wide grin. Then I open the door with one hand. “Was that it?”

“Yes,” she mutters, as she glances to the side.

“Just call if you need me for anything else. I have many different skills.” I said it flirtatiously just to see how she’d react. I’m not trying to go out with this girl, but I’m finding it fun to rile her up.