Carter looked up, opening and closing her mouth instead of actually talking. There was no way that this guy was talking to her. Absolutely no way. Usually, when she bumped into people, they were either completely rude or just ignored her. But no, this gorgeous guy was kneeling here to see if she was okay.
"Did you hit your head or something? I didn't think that I ran into you that hard," the guy said to her.
Actually being able to say something, "No, it's fine. Just not used to someone saying anything."
Instead of continuing to stare at the guy, she stood up and brushed her clothes off. Turning around, she started to collect her groceries from the ground.
"Do you need any help?" he asked.
"No, it's fine. I can get it." Standing up with her hulking mass of bags.
Instead of leaving, like Carter expected him to, he grabbed some of the bags from her, lessening her load.
"You don't have to do that."
"I know, but you look like you could use the help."
"Thanks, then..." Carter said with a massive amount of blush spreading across her face. "Just know that I have a taser." I'm the taser, she thought to herself.
"Jeremy."
"What?" Carter looked at him with confusion.
"My name. My name's Jeremy."
"Oh, my bad."
"So your name is My Bad," Jeremy teased her.
"No... My name is Carter."
"What way to your apartment?"
"Just follow me, I guess."
Carter was happy that her apartment was close by. It was kind of awkward knowing that there was some guy she didn't know walking behind her. It took everything in her not to stumble and trip onto her face. She could still feel the heat consuming her, but at least, she could blame it on the humid heat that was holding the city hostage.
All too soon, but not soon enough, Carter and Jeremy got to her apartment complex. Never before had she been uncomfortable showing someone where she lived, but that is mostly because no one other than her family knew where she lived.
Walking into the complex, she once again saw Mal sitting at the front desk. Once he saw her, he told her:
"Your sisters are looking for you."
"What do you mean?"
"Your sisters are at your apartment looking for you. The older one said that they knew they were early but had no choice in the matter. Sent them on up because I thought you would still be in."
"Thanks, Mal," she said while pressing the up button. The elevator was thankfully already on the floor.
She and Jeremy stepped in, avoiding looking at each other, causing another awkward moment while Carter pressed the correct floor. The trip couldn't have been any longer for a two-floor ride. When the doors opened, she immediately heard her older sister's voice coming down the hallway.
"Could you be any louder?" Carter called out to her.
"Yes," was the reply.
Rounding the corner stood a tall brunette and a tiny blonde. The brunette had a smirk on her face when she saw Carter that only exponentially grew when she saw Jeremy. She lifted her eyebrow in a silent interrogation that Carter decided to ignore. Handing her sister the groceries, she unlocked and opened the door, ushering everyone inside. Never before had Carter been happy that she was naturally neat. Otherwise, she would have been more embarrassed than she already was. Jeremy followed her older sister into the kitchen, where they quickly unloaded their hands.
"So, why are you here, Nina?" Carter asked."
"I got called into the lab."
"But it's Saturday. They can't make you work."
"But they can apparently. They've started to do it a lot more.
"Can't the university say anything? It has to be considered discrimination."
"I've talked to the head of the department. The reasoning is that since I'm just a student, I can be told to work the harder hours, especially since there aren't any undergrads this semester."
"So, they can't do anything."
"Until I get my doctorate, I'm kinda stuck."
"But that's not for another couple of years."
"Yeah, woe is me. So I need you to watch Danni for me. Mom and Dad are a bust, I already asked them. But, I have to go, and you need to get her to stop staring at your guest like that. Bye."
Nina quickly left the apartment. Carter turned around to see Danni tilting her head while staring a Jeremy, leaning against the wall staring back at Danni with a questioning look on his face.
Carter shook her head. The little telepath was way too curious for her own good. "So," Carter started, knocking the two of them out of their trance, "thanks for the help. You really didn't have to."
"No problem, I'll just let myself out then. Maybe I'll see you around."
"Yeah, maybe," she said to his back. Turning back around, she saw Danni looking at her with a soft smile.