Riley
One year earlier
“What’s wrong?” he asks me, out of the blue.
I’m on the sofa, distractedly watching the TV next to him but he’s not interested.
“You’re acting strange.”
I look at him with an eyebrow raised.
“Are you alright?”
“Uh-huh,” I respond vaguely.
“You didn’t eat tonight.”
“I wasn’t hungry.”
“You haven’t been eating much recently.”
“You’re not checking up on me, are you?”
I stand up, annoyed, and turn off the TV. I shouldn’t have come to his house tonight, just like I shouldn’t have done for the past five nights. The fact is, I need to be here. This is the only place where breathing doesn’t seem so painful.
“I shouldn’t have just showed up at your house like this. You must have your things to do, your…meetings,” I say, feeling jealousy fill my lungs.
“What are you talking about?”
“I drop in at your house with no warning, I make myself at home, eat your food,” I sputter, almost hysterically. “Maybe you’d like to go out with someone or…take her to bed, not hang out with your friend’s sister.” The words come out blunt and angry.
“What the hell are you on about? Did I ever give you the impression that I didn’t want you here?”
“No, but—”
“What’s the problem, then?”
I shake my head, slip on my shoes and grab my jacket.
“What are you doing?”
“It’s late, I’m going.”
“Have I said something wrong? You seem upset.”
“I’m not.”
“You are. I don’t want you to leave like this.”
“Everything’s fine, I’m just tired.”
“Then stay.”
I snap my head up and look him in the eye.
“You said it yourself, it’s late, it doesn’t make sense for you to leave. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
I feel my cheeks go red, my whole body too.
