“Probably because you just stole his pot stash to make brownies,” Javi finally smirked.
“Fuck off,” I mumbled, annoyed that he was trying to blame me when he was the one that wanted brownies in the first place. “It’s not my fault that I’m better at snooping and found it first. I just wanted enough to smoke, you’re the one who took the whole bag to make these,” I pointed to the now empty baking pan.
Javi chuckled, his eyes closed and features suddenly boyish again like they were before he started growing facial hair.
“Yeah, and who ate half the pan?” He teased.
“I like chocolate,” I shrugged.
Javi shook his head, a smile still playing on his lips as he closed his eyes.
“Goodnight, güerita. I love you,” he mumbled almost incoherently, and I stared at him, stunned, unsure what to do.
Of course he loved me. I didn’t think he had ever said it aloud before.Do I say it back?
I sidled down the bed so we were lying next to each other, his body heat radiating against me.
“Goodnight, Javi. I love you too,” I whispered, unable to control the smile on my lips.
I shoved the memory away, not before savoring the fact that he had told me he loved me, and that I had said it back. I hoped he had heard me. That he knew that I loved him, that if he was still alive, I’d love him too, even knowing the truth about his work for Carlos.
The brownies still had a while, so Jae suggested we go ahead and start the show. I honestly had no idea what the show was about because Jae refused to give any details in order not to accidentally spoil the plot. Jae plopped down on the chaise section, Nox on the opposite end, leaving the small middle section empty.
“You gonna sit?” Nox asked, eyeing the couch.
I licked my lips and hesitantly took a seat between them. I settled onto the couch trying to relax my aching muscles into the cushions without disturbing my sore ribs. The food was hitting me like a truck, and I was suddenly getting sleepy. Jae reached over to turn the lights off and I stopped him.
“No, don’t!”
“Afraid of the dark?” He teased, making me give him the finger. He feigned hurt, holding his hand over his heart. “Alright, alright. But if you get scared, I’m sure Nox wouldn’t mind you holding his hand.”
“Shut up and start the show already, dip,” Nox said.
The jangling of a dog collar sent me peeking around the back of the sofa. A small, fluffy brown dog was wandering into the living room.
“Oh, Shiloh, watch out for Zuko. He’s blind and might freak out because you’re a stranger.”
“Is that, like, Korean?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the furball sniffing the air.
“No,” he chuckled. “It’s from the Avatar TV show. I was ten and obsessed, so naturally that’s what I named our dog.”
The dog hopped up onto the sofa and settled in Jae’s lap. He set up the TV and asked us if we were ready before pressing play. I hadn’t thought of it earlier, but the show was subtitled in English. I was grateful, because it was easier to force my brain to stay awake when it had something to do.
I hadn’t watched much TV before, but it was kind of addicting. It was hard to focus on anything else but the show, which meant I couldn’t linger in the dark corners of my mind.
The show was intense and sometimes a little too relatable, but I tried to ignore that fact and was fully immersed in the fictional reality. Well, as immersed as I could be with Nox interrupting to ask questions or mumbling to himself nonstop. Zuko had ventured into the space between Nox and I, resting his head in my lap. I was stunned still at first, unsure if he would bite me should I pet him. I eventually took my chances when he licked my arm. It was soothing to pet his soft fur. An easy, constant motion that kept me from falling asleep and was surprisingly making me feel less twitchy.
???
The sound of the oven alarm made me jump. Zuko sat up and shook out his little body. I hissed, clutching my side as Iremembered where I was. Nox jumped up, sliding across the floor in his slippers as he rushed to remove the brownies.
“So, what do you think?” Jae asked, turning to face me on the couch.
“It’s pretty good, I guess,” I shrugged.
His eyes bugged, “Pretty good? That’s it?”
He sighed and shook his head. “Just wait, it gets even better. You’ve gotta give it at least two or three episodes before you make your judgements, okay?”
