Nolan walks through the bathroom and into the room, sitting on the other side of the bed with Dax in the middle.
"This one is yours, Saige," he says, passing me a foil-wrapped burrito.
"Extra jalapeños?" Nolan asks, flashing me a crooked smile that makes me blush.
"You know it."
"Do you remember what we talked about earlier, Saige?" Dax asks. I'm not sure what exactly he means before he adds. "Do you think you'd be up for that?"
I shake my head. "Not tonight."
"Understandable," he says. "What about tomorrow?"
"…Maybe."
"That's my girl." He smiles widely—all teeth—and I quickly look away, shaking my head.
"What's tomorrow?" Nolan asks.
"Something you're going to like," Dax tells him.
He puts on the next episode of the trashy reality TV show we watched this afternoon, and the three of us eat on the bed together in the dark, rain pounding against the window just as steadily as it has been all day.
Once we're finished, I clear away the garbage and take it downstairs. Before leaving the kitchen, I realize the blinds are open in the living room, and stare out into the backyard. My eyes quickly dart to the security panel next to the garage door; it glows red, indicating the house is armed. I look back at thedoor again, ensuring the lever is lowered into the locked position. Then I take a deep breath and approach the glass door panes, grabbing the tilt wand to pull the blinds closed.
Lightning flashes, illuminating the backyard, but only for a second before it all goes black again.
But I could have sworn I saw someone out there, just beyond the fence, dressed in all black, wearing a ski mask with a skeleton face stretched across it. Hands shaking, I flip on the patio light, but of course, there's no one there.
I'm losing it.
I flip it off again, finish closing the blinds, and then head upstairs.
When I get to Dax's room, he and Nolan are reclining on the bed together. Dax has his arm wrapped around Nolan's back and his fingers threaded through his shaggy dark hair.
I wanted to touch Nolan's hair; I wanted to know what it felt like between my fingers. An uncomfortable wave of jealousy washes over me. I feel guilty about it, but I can't help it.
It makes sense that he would trust him like that. He barely knows me. Still, logic doesn't necessarily make it feel better.
"I want to take you both with me to Paris this summer," Dax says. "Have you ever been to Paris, Saige?"
"No." I laugh a little before climbing into bed next to him. Of course, I haven't been to Paris. I'm also not so far gone that I actually believe Dax is going to take me there—or that he even wants to.
Not yet, anyway.
"You'll love it," he says. "I took Nolan with me this year. Don't you think Saige would look good in Paris?"
"Saige looks good anywhere," Nolan says.
I shake my head. "Yeah, right."
"It is right. What a nice compliment. Isn't that nice, Saige?"
"Yeah. Super nice."
Dax narrows his eyes and nudges me. I realize what he's doing—he wants me to just accept the compliment, like he said earlier.
"I mean it," Nolan says.
