Luis stared at the window leading out to the backyard. The sky was just beginning to lighten with dawn. He was exhausted, numb. He wanted to lie down, but didn’t know if he could even get up off the kitchen stool.
“It’s late. Early,” Luis said. He sounded flat.
Karim shifted in the seat beside him. “Yeah. We should get you to bed.”
That was so much effort. Luis was already leaning into Karim just to stay upright.
“C’mon,” Karim urged.
Luis didn’t move. He shut his eyes. “Just a sec,” he mumbled.
“Alright,” Karim said softly.
Luis hummed and further tilted his head onto Karim’s shoulder. At some point footsteps came back.
“He okay?”
“Yeah. Asleep I think,” the voice under his head rumbled.
Luis didn’t remember anything after that. He came back briefly as someone laid him in a soft bed and tucked blankets up around him.
A hand pet over his hair.
“Sleep, Luis. Everything’s okay.”
When Luis woke later, it was daytime. He rose slowly, groggy and disoriented as to why he was in Karim and Julien’s spare bedroom. His hands ached and when he looked, one was covered in bandages.
The night came back to him.
Luis went to reach for his phone, but realized he didn’t have it.
Instead, on the bedside table was a note, a tablet, and wad of cash with a black credit card in a money clip. The note was in Julien’s neat, scrawling hand.
We both think it would be a good idea for you to not go outside the wards of this house alone for the next few days. Please use the card and the tablet to order a new phone and any personal items you need.
Beneath that, in a less fancy scrawl was written:
You can argue about paying us back later, but you better buy stuff you need!!
Clearly Karim.
Luis took a shaky breath. Before any of that though, he was in desperate need of a shower and fresh clothes. He could smell himself and his clothing was stiff and scratchy. He’d definitely ruined their sheets, because he’d all but passed out last night before he could clean himself.
Great.
Luis got up and went to the bathroom. On the counter was a stack of clothing–clearly Karim’s–and a sealed, brand-new toothbrush and toothpaste. Stupidly, his eyes welled up with tears. He turned away from it and the mirror, and started the shower.
Thirty minutes later, scrubbed and rebandaged and dressed, Luis returned to the tablet on the bedside table.
His thoughts went to Cassie first. They’d last talked before he’d gone out Friday, and now it was Sunday.
Luis picked up the tablet and navigated to sign himself into his most used social media account. He clicked on Cassie’s name to send her a message.
Luis:I don’t have my phone. Shit happened with mom, and I’m staying at Karim and Julien’s. I’m safe.
Cassie should’ve been in the lab, but immediately the typing bubbles appeared.
Cassie:WHAT HAPPENED!
