"This is my fucking room."
"I know," I say, still catching my breath. "I know; I'm sorry. I didn't think you were here. They told me I had to get all the laundry, and umm…your new fish tank looks nice…" I regret it the moment the words leave my mouth. "What kind of fish are you going to get?"
Fuck. Just ask him where the basket is and get out of here before he eats your damn head.
Even in the dark, I can tell he isn't amused.
"It'll be a while before the environment is established enough to add fish," he says. "Last time, it took me almost two months."
"I'm sorry, Nolan."
"I thought you didn't do it."
"I didn't," I tell him. "But…I was here, and it was hard to watch. I can't get it out of my head; I can't stop thinking about any of it."
"I know what you mean."
"Anyway, if you can just point me to the laundry basket—"
"You don't need to do my laundry, Saige," he says. "You don't need to be afraid of me, either. I won't hurt you."
"I'm not afraid of you…"
"And I didn't eat a bird's head. I'm not sure where that one came from, but that isn't the first time I've heard it."
"Oh…okay…" My cheeks burn with embarrassment. I can't believe Dax told him I said that.
I'm also not sure whether I believe him or not.
"Are you? Okay?"
I laugh a little. "No…not really. I don't think I'll ever be okay again. It's not that I could ever tell a therapist that I…"
Killed someone. I'm a murderer.
"No, you won't, but I know how you feel and…staying busy helps. The busier you are, the more you'll be able to keep your mind from wandering. Find something to distract you."
I wonder what Nolan needs to distract himself from. Maybe that's why he dresses the way he does—constantly overheating would definitely be distracting…at least in the summer months.
"That's hard to do when someone is leaving dead animals in my bed."
"Yeah, but that won't happen here."
"I'm going to go—are you sure you don't want me to take your laundry?"
"I'm sure."
"Okay. Sorry again for just barging in. I'll knock next time."
He ignores me, taking a seat at his desk, and I back out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed behind me. I grab Dax's clothes next, then Elias's, and drag them downstairs to the laundry room.
Dax's stuff isn't so bad, but…
Everything…and I meaneverything…in Elias's bin is covered in cum.
Disgusted, I grit my teeth as I toss it all into the washing machine. I shouldn't be surprised that when I step out of the room, he's staring right at me.
"Encounter any problems in there?" His eyes drop from my face to my tits. It's overt; he wants to remind me that he's seen me half-naked on his bedroom floor, and there is nothing I can do about it.
