He gives me a look, that charming smile from our laughter gone. “If you were in trouble, you’d tell me, right?”
My cousin, normally happy and upbeat, has a look on his face like someone kicked his childhood dog and underneath it is the suspicion that it was me. It has me crumbling from the inside out. As much as I’d love to brief Sebastian on the theatrics of my life, I can’t tell him about Finn. My entire world would blow up more than it already has.
So would his.
I’m not willing to do that to him.
I give him a nod, and it’s as if my stomach immediately picks up how fucking wrong it is. “I’m not in trouble, Seb. Just two dudes duking it out and one catching a fist to the face. Promise.”
A week later,I notice Aunt Bess’s SUV outside of the complex while I’m on my way out, her retirement-aged driver wearing a stoic expression behind the wheel. I hit up the complex gym again this morning, relieved that I was able to use one of the treadmills without my ribs screaming in irritation. I speed walked for a solid hour until my calves burned and I was breathing heavily.
I feel better after, and my bruised lip isn’t near as bad as what Sebastian made it out to be. Sure it’s discolored, but Jesus, he made it sound like I got my face pounded in. I take pride in knowing that I protected it well—thanks to techniques I picked up at Gulliver’s years ago and pure common sense. Other than hurting while I ate breakfast that morning, I’d say it’s on the mend.
Aunt Bess and Mom are spitting images of one another, a thought that comes out of nowhere as I take her in. Where she loves the fresh air, her waiting outside of the car being a sign of it, my mom loves fresh lines, cut with whatever is close enough to make them happen. A shitty and unfair thought, but that’s how the truth can be sometimes.
Cruel. A slap in the face when you least expect it.
Her auburn hair cascades over her blouse in loose waves. Wearing matching slacks and flats, Aunt Bess cares about how she looks. Not to impress anyone, but in the way that anyone would want to look put together because it makes them feel good about themselves.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I approach, sinking my hands into the pockets of my dark jeans. I’m dressed to show upat Gulliver’s tonight. I even have my dark hoodie on, knowing it’ll be best if I blend in with the night.
“It’s nice to finally see you, too,” Aunt Bess jokes as if she hasn’t seen me in years. “Get over here and give me a hug. Uncle Thad has been away on business. I’ve been lonely and could use more than the one Sebastian gave me.”
I move into her space, wrapping my arms around her and enjoying how it feels to receive one back. It’s sad to say, but I can’t remember the last hug I’ve had, specifically one that didn’t come from her. She seems to get the most out of me.
“You saw Sebastian?”
I’d be worried he called her after I told him not to, but I know better. Sebastian is good at keeping his word. That, and if he had, Aunt Bess would have been over Saturday night.
“I picked him up for an early dinner. He didn’t tell you?”
“No, but we don’t always cross paths.”
She nods, knowing this is true. I don’t attend Chatham U like he does, and while the guys have welcomed me into their apartment, I wouldn’t say we’re best friends. I haven’t seen Tristan in too many days to count, and well, we know what I think about Webber.
“He headed up a minute ago. You must’ve just missed one another. I told him to send you down for a quick visit if he saw you. If he didn’t see you, he was going to message me.”
Just then her phone buzzes in her hand.
“Ah,” she looks down. “That’s him, telling me you aren’t home. Still, it all worked out, didn’t it?” She messages him back and smiles up at me, but then her lips fall flat, and she reaches for my face. “What happened to your lip?”
“I’m still getting used to the layout up there,” I lie, knowing that while my lip doesn’t look as bad as it did, the bruising is now greenish in color. Truth is, I could walk around the apartmentwith my eyes closed and find my way. “Walked straight into the bathroom door last weekend.”
“And it left that bad of a bruise?”
“It was the middle of the night. I had to use the bathroom and didn’t realize the door wasn’t open all the way. I may or may not have had my eyes closed, wishing I were back in bed already. Must have hit at the perfect spot.”
She chuckles. “You did that once when you were a kid.”
Something blossoms in my stomach. Hope? Safety?
“Really?”
She nods. “You were over with Sebastian one weekend. I sent you back to your mom with a bandaid on your chin. It was so long ago that you probably don’t remember it.”
I don’t, but fuck, if it makes my lie more believable, I’ll take it.
“Try to be careful next time.”
