Do I talk to her now? What if she gets pissed at me and tries to leave or something?
Stop being a pussy, Nox. Just ask.
‘Hey so I noticed your eyes were red—’
No, no.
‘Jae thinks you got attacked by a bird but I’m assuming your eyes are like that ‘cause you were cr—’
The bathroom door opened so I tried to look casual as I smiled at her from across the hall, my arms crossed over my chest. My clothes were a little baggy on her, especially the pants, which now that I thought about it, I probably should’ve given her something from Esty’s closet. She looked like she’d fit into her clothes with how petite her frame was.Too late now.I smiled to myself in some weird sense of pride that she was wearing my clothes.
“Nox?”
“Uh, hi. Sorry. Um…everything okay?” She narrowed her tired eyes, and I backpedaled. “I mean, I just, um, the clothes…they’re okay?”
Her face relaxed and she nodded, looking back into the bathroom at the floor where her dirty clothes were.
“I can put those in the wash?”
“Um.” She bit her lip momentarily before nodding. “Sure…Thanks.”
“No problem,” I smiled. I pushed off the wall and motioned for her to follow me with her things.
Our laundry machines were in the garage, so I led us downstairs and let Jae know we’d be right back. I checked to make sure the washer was empty before stepping back.
“All yours.”
She tossed them in the washer and silently asked for the detergent on the shelf above my head. I grabbed a pod and tossed it in, letting her find the setting she wanted.
“Hey.” I leaned my hip against the washer, crossing my arms as I looked down at her. “Are you okay?”
Her body froze for a moment before she closed the lid. She didn’t respond, but I figured I would wait a little bit longer and watched as she adjusted the settings.
“I’m fine,” she said as she turned her body to face me.
“You don’t…exactly look fine,” I challenged, giving her a‘don’t bullshit me’gaze. “You showed up to my house clearly having been crying, you were pale and shivering uncontrollably. And then you ask to use the shower. So, please…tell me. Didsomethinghappen with your boyfriend?”
My heart was racing as I stared at her, wishing I could read her mind. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, wincing.
“I’m sorry for being weird,” she eventually said. “I had a bad migraine. Which is why I was crying. I asked to shower because it usually helps me feel better, you know with the allergy reaction and everything. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable or anything. And I’m sorry for being late tonight.”
There was a beat of silence while I studied her, trying to determine whether she was lying to me.
“Shit. I’m sorry,” I frowned empathetically.
I relaxed a little, maybe too willing to believe her, but it sounded more believable than Jae’s theory that her boyfriend was her drug dealer. And most of all, it explained why she had wanted to shower, allowing the worry in my chest to subside.
“Do you want me to take you home?” I offered.
“No,” she said forcefully. She sighed. “I’m okay. I’ll be okay.”
“Did you take something?”
Her body tensed and her eye twitched. “What?”
Okay, maybe Jae wasn’t too off with his ‘vibes’. Shit, why was I looking for lies? I should just trust her.
“Medicine? Did you take any medicine for your migraine or your eyes?” I clarified, watching her intently, trying to figure out everything she wasn’t saying that seemed to be hiding in her body language.
