“This isn’t funny.” I pushed him away, scowling as he laughed. “I’m all wet. I’m gonna ruin your carpet.”
“You’ve been wet, dipshit. You jumped in a pool,” Ari said from the couch. She was mostly ignoring us while copying notes from a textbook.
“You’re right. I forgot. In that case, it’s okay. I’ll go take a shower and change. Lemme just strip first so I don’t trail water.” I tried to shimmy out of my shirt but my hands were swatted away.
“Don’t do that.”
“Fine. I’ll start with my shorts.” I bent to pry my shorts off but cried out when Ari’s hands attacked again.“Why do you keep hitting me?”
“Stop doing that.”
“You stop doing it.” I backed up as she crawled across Sean’s lap to reach me.
“Emery VixenRaine, if you don’t stop trying to undress in front of everyone—!”
“Aurelia Elaine Grey, if you don’t stopattacking me!” I dodged as she tried again.
“You can walk to the bathroom in your clothes,” Sean said.“It’s fine.”
“See? Problem solved. Go change in the bathroom.” Ari tossed my bra and I easily caught it.
I twirled it around my wrist and headed down the hall. I was halfway to the bathroom when someone called my name. I backtracked and stopped in the doorway.“What’d you say?” I asked Ari.
“Me?” She looked up from her notes and glanced at Sean, like she thought I was talking to him.
“Yeah. Didn’t you call me?” I frowned when she shook her head. Dennis was rifling through yet another book and obviously hadn’t called me. “Was it you?” I waited for Sean to respond. He said no.“But I heard someone say my name,” I insisted. I definitely heard someone say Emy. And I’m pretty sure it was Ari’s voice.“None of you guys called me? Is Mateo here?”
“Nope. You’re hearing things,” Dennis said.
“Oh. I guess it could’ve been one of the people in my head. I forget about them sometimes.” I giggled. “Kay, I’ll be back.” I resumed twirling my bra and left for the bathroom.
I closed the door, stripped down, and stepped into the shower. A few minutes passed before the sound of footsteps floated toward my supersonic ears. I paused my performance to peek past the sliding door, wondering who was coming down the hall. Right on cue, the bathroom door cracked and Ari squeezed inside.
“Hi!” I thrust my arm out to wave.
“Can you stop with the singing? Please? I think my head is bleeding.”
“That’s not a very happy greeting.” I pouted and retreated back to the warm water.
“I brought you some clothes. Your tiny shorts and one of my shirts because you need to cover up on top for once.”
“But I don’t wanna cover up on top. That’s how people suffocate and die.”
“Too bad.” She laughed and dumped them on the counter.“I’ll put these somewhere, too,” she said, taking my soaked clothes from the floor.“I put your phone and wallet on your bag.”
“Thanks, daffodil.”
“You’re welcome.” She opened the door to leave, then hesitated and closed it. “Emy, were the people in your head really talking again?”
I nodded before realizing she couldn’t see me through the obscured glass. “Yes,” I said out loud. “I guess so. I dunno. Who knows? There were voices that aren’t mine. I dunno whose they were.”
“Will you please call your doctor?”
“No,” I said pleasantly.
She almost responded, sighed, started to respond again, then gave up and left the bathroom, shutting the door on her way out. I went back to singing and dancing. I already finished all the necessary washing my hair and body, but you can never have too much shower time. A while passed before I decided to get out and change into pajamas.
“Horrible,” I grumbled, staring down at Ari’s suffocating shirt. I entered the living room to see her studying, Sean watching the tv, and Dennis scrolling streaming options at an uncanny speed.
