Me:*orange heart emoji*
Ems Derek:What exactly does that mean? I’m going to need more information to decipher this.
Me:*Shrug emoji* That’s all I’m giving you. Take it or leave it.
Me:The only reason I’m even giving you this much information is because you found her and saved her. Never doubt that I am Team Ems.
Me:If you hurt her again, I’ll be blocking your number and calling a number from the dark web my sister gave me.
As I scroll, the emojis change, but they are mostly all orange, a few red at the beginning, and more green toward the end. A pumpkin, a pair of shorts, a kimono, a fox, and a few more. Derek must have fucking hated that. The man loves open and clear communication, and he would find getting picture graphs infuriating. Which is evident by his occasional prying questions, trying to get more information out of her. And the few times when she hasn’t messaged by eight a.m., he has, indeed, blown up her phone in his polite but direct way.
By the time I make it to the bottom, my hand is covering my mouth, and I have the oddest sensation of anticipation and a little bit of fear rolling together in my stomach. Kind of reminds me of my visit to Derek’s office when it occurred to me that I may have pushed him too far.
I offer Oakley back her phone. “I’m sorry for doubting you.”
She sniffs, like I royally offended her. “You should be. But, anyway, back to my original question. How’s it going with your daddies? Have you forgiven them yet? Or are you still on theI want to stab them in the facetrain?”
Before I can answer, my phone lights up with a notification from SugarLife, and tingles run up and down my spine.
SugarLife
EyesOnYou has sent you a Private Live request.
As much as the request excites me, I want to stay here with Oakley and her annoying questions. Picking a stranger from the internet over her doesn’t seem right. And besides, we are going to be bosom buddies forever.
I quickly open the request and hit the decline button before sending them a message.
Me:Sorry, not tonight. I am hanging out with my roommate. Hope you have a great night!
Chapter 50
Emery
I crunch on my cereal as I stare at the untouched blanket and pillow on the floor in the corner of the living area. It’s Xavier’s designated spot for his things. Said things are absent.
He didn’t come home last night.
I expected to feel him join me in bed at some point, but I woke up alone, and the other pillow clearly hadn’t been slept on.
An unsettled, restless feeling hums under my skin.
I don’t even have a message from him, letting me know what his plans are. He just…didn’t come home.
Which also means I haven’t received a gift in over twenty-four hours now. Have we reached the end? Are they tapped out on gifts? They’d said there would be seventeen.
Scooping up another mouthful of cereal, I drag my notebook from Hudson closer to me and flip it open, counting each of the notes from him. Some of my gifts have come without a note, so I assumed they were from Xavier.
…Six. Seven. Eight.
Plus the three things from Xavier.
That’s eleven.
Hmmm…
And then, not to mention, my sketch pads and graphite set still haven’t been found. I know I could easily go and buy myself a new set, but the thought of replacing them makes my chest tighten.
My entire life is documented in that first sketch pad, if you can even call the mess of scrap papers, receipts, and napkins stuck together like Frankenstein origami a sketch pad. It can’t just be gone.
