“Might not be a bad idea to have a friend there,” Kai agrees.
“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’d rather just get it over with on my own. Besides, Macallan will be there.”
Lyric gives me a knowing look but otherwise remains quiet. While she and Kai may know about Mac’s and my very brief encounter freshman year, my brother is none the wiser, and I’d like to keep it that way. Of course, she knows this without me ever having to say a word. Lyric is very perceptive that way.
“You’re sure?”
“I am.” I force myself to stand despite how my legs scream with exhaustion as I do. After a brutal practice yesterday morning and the less-than-refreshing sleep I got last night, I feel about ready to keel over. “Come on, Jack.” I nudge my brother again.
“Yeah. Yeah,” he grumbles, climbing to his feet.
“You’ll call me as soon as you know anything?” Lyric asks.
“I will.” I nod, my earlier nerves returning with a vengeance.
“And the offer stands. If you need to stay here...”
“I’ll make do. Worst case, I’ll stay at my parents’ for a few days and commute.”
“Well, let me know if you change your mind.” She reaches out, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.
“I will.”
After slipping on my shoes and collecting my things, Istand by the door, waiting for my brother, while simultaneously watching Kai and Lyric in the kitchen.
My heart aches at the sight of them together. The way Kai finds every excuse to touch her. The way Lyric smiles, leaning into his touch when he comes up behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle as she attempts to flip the pancakes cooking on the stove in front of her. My throat constricts as I watch him lean down, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck. She lets out a contented sigh, sinking further into him.
What I wouldn’t give for someone to look at me like that. To hold me like that. To love me like that. To...
“You ready?” Jackson’s voice breaks me out of my stupor, and I straighten, nodding as I turn my attention to him.
After saying our goodbyes, we exit the apartment and make the five-minute drive back to my dorm in silence. My brother is not typically one for unnecessary conversation, and right now, that serves me just fine as I’m rather preoccupied by my own thoughts at the moment.
With each mile we drive, my nerves increase, and by the time we pull up outside of my building, I feel on the verge of expelling whatever still sits in my stomach from last night, given that I haven’t eaten or drunk a single thing today, a fact my body seems all too aware of.
I need food. I need caffeine. But more than anything, I need to get this over with.
Without me having to ask, Jackson exits the car and follows me inside the building and up to my dorm. The door is unlocked when we arrive, which isn’t entirely unusual. I draw in a deep breath and then blow it out slowly as I twist the handle and then push the door open.
My eyes dart around the room, reliefflooding through me when I realize the room is vacant. There are no lights on. The bathroom door is open, so I can clearly see there’s no one inside, and other than the ticking of the clock that hangs on the wall, there’s no sound. I press up on my tiptoes to get a better look at Lana’s bed, not fully relaxing until I see that it’s empty.
“She’s not here,” I tell my brother, kicking off my shoes before quickly moving farther into the room to where my wardrobe sits.
Pulling it open, I grab an outfit for the day, a pair of distressed jeans and a fitted tee, as well as some undergarments. Knocking it closed with my hip, I quickly head toward the bathroom.
“Give me ten minutes to shower and get dressed, and we can get the hell out of here.”
My brother nods as he lowers himself into my desk chair, stretching his long legs out in front of him.
“What do I do if crazy pants comes home?” he asks.
“Act like everything is normal.”
“Normal.” He shakes his head, but before he can say more, I dip inside the bathroom.
“You think they’ll do anything?” Macallan asks as we exit the police station nearly two hours after we arrived.
Jackson stayed with me until Mac got there, and then together, we went inside. It felt weird, walking in with him as a united front. I don’t think he and I have ever been united in anything, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good to be on the same side for once, even if it shouldn’t.
