Kelly’s warm hand reaches for mine on the steering wheel, patting it gently.
“Let’s get back to yours and we can pick it up there.” She reaches over to change the radio station and cranks up the volume whenI knew You Were Trouble,by Taylor Swift, her favorite artist, comes on. It blasts out of the speakers as I turn onto the 405 freeway.
A groan comes from the back of the car as Daniel places his fingers in his ears.
My sentiments exactly.
I go to change the channel, but Kelly bats my hand away.
Haven’t I been tortured enough already these last two months? Does she have to make me suffer even more by making me listen to Taylor Swift?
“Where’s your housemate?” Daniel asks, bringing up the last of the suitcases. He places them underneath a Bartus painting, an open heart made up of hundreds of miniature people, hanging next to the dining table.
“Andrew’s staying at his partner’s place for the weekend. That way you can have his room and won’t have to sleep on the couch like last time.” I close the front door and sling my keys into the bowl on the side table next to the toilet door.
In fact, I’ve barely seen Andrew this last month, what with me mainly staying in my room and him spending most of his time at Liam’s place. His tendency to fall fast and hard for whatever guy he’s dating shows no sign of abating with this new squeeze. Which, note to self, means I’ll need to stock up at some point on ice cream and alcohol for when they invariably break up, his abandonment issues kick in, and I’m left to pick up the pieces.
“That’s super kind of him,” Kelly says as she returns from the kitchen with the bottles of beer I bought for them. “Don’t panic. This one’s zero percent alcohol.” Her tone is firm as she waves the bottle in her right hand at Daniel, while handing the two in her left over to us. Daniel’s protective nature is endearing, yet no doubt smothering for a free spirit like my sister.
“Right.” Daniel grabs my shoulder with his hand. “I want to hear all about this Alexander guy and what’s going on with you.”
My chest tightens and my heart rate soars once more at the sound of his name.
Will I ever not have such a visceral response to it?
“These past two months have been hard.” I take a swig of beer and follow Kelly and Daniel over to the couch. The beer’s coolness pushes down the bile rising in my throat.
Kelly’s heard this all before, but judging by the intrigue written across Daniel’s face, Kelly has clearly honored my request to keep our conversations about that awful day to herself.
“I’ve rewatched his interview a few times now. I was too angry at the time to watch all of it. Part of me wants to believe him.That he just wanted people to leave me alone and not destroy my life. And to be fair, since that point, the vicious comments about me, well about the mysterious guy Alex was filmed with, seem to have stopped.” My heart rate slows slightly as my breaths become more regulated.
“So, no one knows it was you?” Daniel’s brows furrow.
“There were a couple of comments alluding to it being me from some fans who saw me at Abbey Road when I joined Alexander to record his live EP, but thankfully that didn’t gain any traction.” The bile rises once more in my throat.
“Has he tried to contact you since?” Daniel pushes himself up from the couch and heads toward the light switch. The room is darkening rapidly as dusk falls outside.
“Alexa, living room lights, level two,” I command.
“Level two,” Alexa responds. Daniel freezes mid-step as the lights instantly come on.
“That’s so cool! Babe, we need to get this setup in our own place.” Awe washes over his face as he swivels back to face us.
“Maybe we should focus on getting our new home set up for the baby when we get back before getting all these gadgets.” Kelly’s cold tone sends a shiver down my spine as Daniel returns to the couch, tail no longer wagging between his legs.
“Anyway, back to you.” Kelly nods at me, then grabs her Corona and takes a gulp.
“He’s tried to call several times, but always at random hours. Which makes me think he’s either drunk, or horny, or both.” My jaw tightens at the thought.
“Has he left any other messages?” Daniel leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees.
“No. After I decided not to respond to that first voicemail, he’s never left another. Just calls. Never leaves a voicemail. Never texts. Just random calls. At random times. On random days.” My eyelids attempt to blink away my tiredness as I fight back a yawn.
“You don’t want to get back with him then?” Daniel’s gaze catches mine.
The bottom falls out of the pit of my stomach at the question.
The intrusive thoughts I’ve tried to keep filed away in the back of my mind make themselves known upon hearing Daniel’s question.
