I wrap my arms around her slim waist, initially trying to keep the blood on my hands from touching the fabric before giving in and clenching my fingers into it, since neither of us are ever going towear these outfits again.When my grip just makes her pull me closer, I direct a watery smile up at her.
“Hey, baby girl.”
She lets out a laugh-cry-hiccup and it works.For someone who doesn’t like rom-coms, she sure is a master at it.
“Hey, yourself.”
“You’ve got something coming out of your eyes,” I say, and she lifts a palm to wipe at the telltale signs of her human emotions.
“God, I must be due for my period or something.”
She isn’t.Our cycles synced up years ago and her—our—period isn’t due for another two weeks.I indulge the lie, though.
“That must be it.”
“I—” She stares down at me for a long moment, her eyes tracing over my face, and just when I think she’s going to point out that my winged eyeliner is completely fucked, her breath comes out in a shudder.
“I am just so happy you’re alive.”
“I’m so happy you have a body like a bendy straw.”Even though I’m 100 percent not joking, she lets out another laugh-cry-hiccup before her expression turns serious again.
“Jamie, I…” she says.“You could have—”
“I didn’t.”I shake my head, resting it on her shoulder.I’m getting the most out of this hug while I’ve got it.
“But I just—” She blows out a breath, and I know what’s coming.I’ve been on the receiving end of a few declarations tonight—I think I can recognize the signs by now.But when I look up and she locks her eyes with mine, I know this might be the first time such a declaration brings me to tears, too.
“I just need you to know.If you don’t already, that you—you and me, we’re like—you’re—”
She can’t say it.I think the hug has really taken it out of her, but just like when we were in that bathroom, I know what she wants tosay.I know how she feels because it’s how I feel.I can even put it into words.She’s—
“You’re my favorite,” she blurts out, and I can’t stop the unquestionably ugly sob that tears out of me.The big, fat tears that fall.It’s not like those big rom-com declarations.It is short, simple, straight to the point.But it’ssoLaurie, and that’s what makes it perfect.
“Oh my god, that’s such a relief,” I groan, dropping my head into her shoulder again as she pulls me in tighter.“?’Cause you’re my favorite, too.Like, it really is a tragedy we’re both straight.”
A gust of amused air hits the top of my head and we both fall silent.Still.For the first time tonight, I feel calm.I feel genuinely safe.The kind of safe you feel when you’re with someone you can be your completely authentic self with.The kind of safe you only get with your best friend.
“I love you, baby girl,” I say, still not expecting to hear her say it back.
And when she responds with, “Yeah, I know… And for the record, next time I’m shovingyourass into the vent,” it’s the only answer I need.
“Ms.Prescott?”
I lift my gaze from the folding table that’s been set up in one of the tents.A medic has been working on my injuries while I wait to be questioned and we’ve both been silent as she’s patched up my feet and removed the bandage from my arm to properly treat and suture the wound.The police didn’t let my reunion with Laurie last for too long.After another minute of hugging, where I could feel Laurie starting to get twitchy beneath my arms, a group of officers and medics broke us up.I was led into the entrance of a tent that now frames an older woman with short gray hair and a stern, thin-lipped expression.
“My name is Captain Strode,” she says as she walks toward the empty chair on the other side of the table, and I recognize her voice.She’s the one who told the officers to let me go so I could reach Laurie.And while my ability to trust has been beaten within an inch of its life tonight, the gesture does work in her favor.“I have a few questions for you.”
“Police captains don’t usually conduct interviews with witnesses.”
It’s out of my mouth before I can stop it.A fact I know from a Reddit trawl after a break from slashers and rom-coms led to aBrooklyn Nine-Ninemarathon.It’s probably not the most unbelievable part of the evening, but she doesn’t get offended by the comment.The side of her mouth just twitches.
“No, we don’t.But this is an exceptional case.”
“Exceptional” really isn’t the word I’d use, but to each their own.
“I need you to help me understand what happened tonight,” she says as an officer strides through the tent and places a stack of folders in front of her.The corner of a photo slides out and the glimpse of blond hair and rose petals makes me avert my eyes.At least they’ve already started connecting the dots.
“We will be gathering other witness statements, and we will be pulling as much security footage as possible, but from what your friend Ms.Hamilton has already told us, I think we’ll be able to have better insight based on what you have to say.”
