V chewed her lip, glancing at her watch. She wore a fucking watch, instead of relying on her phone like most of us do.
“It’s after ten, Rocket. Nothing will still be serving food.”
Fuck.
“We have a microwave. We could get some from the supermarket. Any allergies or dislikes?”
She shrugged, so I demanded a couple of fucking frozen curries and a few beers to be delivered to my room, because that’s what prospects are for. They should be glad I’m not making them clean up after Nixie. Huh. I actually could do that, couldn’t I? Why was I being so nice to them?
“You wanna watch something?” I pointed to the wall-mounted TV, the only real thing of value aside from my ride that I owned.
“I don’t know.”
She was looking conflicted, either that or grossed out by being here. Maybe my room just wasn’t conducive to her wanting to hang out in it. I could understand that, I mean, the first time I saw it, I thought Micro was taking the piss. We live in windowless fucking rooms? It’s like a cell.
“What do you want?”
V groaned and shook her head.
“I don’t know. Why am I here right now? Why am I hanging out with you when we barely know each other? I just don’t fucking know. I’m such a mess right now, and tonight hasn’t helped. I mean, it’s reminded me that a failed marriage isn’t the worst that can happen to a person, but it doesn’t fix my life, does it? I’m still unwanted, having to start afresh at my age, and still living in my aunt’s house, like I didn’t have everything planned out.”
Fuck me. Ask a question and get brain-dumped on, right?
“I meant, for right now, V.” I sat beside her, and caught Nixie as she leapt on me, tucking her face in my neck and probably slobbering on me.
“I… sorry…”
“No, don’t do that. Look, we don’t know each other incredibly well, that’s fair. We really don’t. We get on though, well,occasionally. Like now and then. Like pockets of getting along, and a whole lot of arguing. I dunno. It works, doesn’t it? It was really kind of you to be here for me tonight, and I didn’t miss the fact that you’re hurting too. That you were crying too. I want to be there for you as well. That’s what friends do. I mean… I think it is, I don’t really have that many. Sometimes feel like I don’t have any at all.”
V sighed. “Wow, that started out pretty well, but soon made me want to go order the world’s smallest violin from eBay, and play you a fucking dirge.”
Fuck me. This woman. The laughter burst out of me, and I couldn’t fucking fight it. Where does she get this shit?
V
I’m a bitch. Iknow it, we all know it. Hell, even Caroline finally got over herself, and all her manners, and said it. So why is it that Rocket seems to relish that side of me? I’ve always been a little forthright, maybe occasionally acidic or harsh, but for some reason he doesn’t take it to heart, he seems to thrive on it. He bounces it right back at me, and it makes me feel like maybe I’m not as awful as I think I am.
I mean, my ex-husband made sure to tell me what a bitch I am. How unappealing I am. How it’s a wonder he could even get it up, to try and impregnate me. I’d use that word Rocket keeps using, to describe him, but I can’t bring myself to say it. I swear a lot, but that word is too far. It makes me shudder.
“If you’re done chewing me new assholes, let’s get comfy while we wait for the prospect to do his job. I’ve got some streaming subscriptions. I’m sure we can find something we both like.”
“Debatable, but we’ll give it a shot.” I settled back on the bed, against the leather headboard, but an awkwardness was settling in. We barely knew each other, and we were huddled on his bed together, in his room, like we were more than just friends. I could feel it, how we were both edging past friends, and into something more… I don’t know, physical, maybe? I shouldn’t be doing this. He didn’t deserve rebound girl, did he? He was worth more than that.
“Prospect is on his way back, apparently found a takeaway still open,” Rocket said, checking his phone as he pulled Nixie up to his face and made cooing noises at her.
“When’s her next feed due?”
He eyed me over her furry head.
“What time is it?”
My watch told me it was time I should be going home, but would I listen?
“Ten fifteen just gone.”
He grinned. “Aw baby, it’s time for more of your stinky milk stuff. Do you want it? Yes you dooooo.” I couldn’t help laughing, because this huge muscly man was holding a puppy small enough to fill his hands, and he was clearly her bitch now. If I’d worried about him being a furbaby father, I didn’t anymore. Maybe hadn’t for a while. Hadn’t he done everything he could to look after and protect her? He was clearly infatuated with her, and who could blame him?
“Want me to do it?”
