“So?” I repeat, refusing to let them off easy.
They have to know what I’m really asking here.
Phantom’s gaze shifts from mine before they speak, “Shut up. I can’t say that.”
“Phantom, who are you talking to?” I demand, growing tired of the charade.
They shake their head, tossing a few curls loose. “No one. It’s nothing.”
“No, it’ssomething,” I argue as I rise to stand with my fists clenched at my sides. “Be honest with me.”
Their gaze bores into mine. “It just gets too loud inside my head sometimes.”
I cock my eyebrow at them.
“I’m sorry, it really is nothing,” Phantom says as they shove their hands into their pockets.
I want to continue this confrontation, but a sinking feelingin my gut tells me the moment’s passed. “Fine. Leave if you want.”
The soft sound of their footsteps against the linoleum floor sends my heart sinking, until they say, “You think Iwantto leave?”
“I don’t know,” I murmur dejectedly.
“Maeve.” Their cool hands are on my cheeks, raising my gaze to theirs. “If you’d have me, I’d stay here forever.”
The weight of those words falls on my shoulders like an anvil.
This is it. The precipice.
“Stay,” I whisper, knowing I’d made my decision well before tonight.
“If I stay, I might hurt you,” they whisper back, their gaze still wide and fearful.
“You won’t,” I insist.
Their eyes darken as their pupils dilate. “You don’t know that.”
“You’re right. But I have faith in you.”
Phantom’s eyes fill with tears, but they don’t fall. “No one’s ever believed in me before.”
I gently remove their hands from my face and reach up to push the coat from their shoulders. It falls to the ground as I roll up onto the balls of my feet to wrap my arms around Phantom’s neck. They stiffen for a moment, and then melt against me, wrapping their arms around my waist in return.
“You feel like home,” they murmur against my neck. The silky fabric of their mask slides against my skin as they speak, sending a rush of goosebumps skittering across my skin.
Noah felt like home to me once.
Does he still? Or is this my new home? Here in Phantom’s arms.
I breathe in the familiar scent of them and decide to answer that question later.
This close, pressed flush against them, I have to fight unimaginably hard against the urge to kiss them, to lay them out on mybed like a feast and revel in them. But it’s a fight I have to win. Until I talk to Noah about our relationship. Thankfully, I’ll be seeing him in a few days for Thanksgiving break, so I just have to make it until then.
After a moment, I roll back down on my heels and move my hands to Phantom’s chest. Their heart beats rapidly beneath my hand.
“Let’s just hang out a while,” I suggest, reluctantly moving away from them.
“Okay.”
