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I wish I knew what was going on in that head of hers.
We walk for about five minutes in silence before she says, “You should know, my roommate has been trained to hate you.”
I force out a laugh, relieved that she’s said something. “Violet, right?”
She looks over at me like she’s surprised I remember and nods. “Yeah.”
“Is that what you’re worried about?” The sudden conversation after so much silence makes my heart race in my chest.
Claire tucks a loose strand behind her ear. “Yeah—I don’t know. I’m worried about a lot of things, I guess.”
“Like?” I dare to ask.
She sighs. “Trusting you mostly.”
Her words come out sounding tired, like even the thought of doing such a thing wears her down. It feels like a punch to the gut, but I know I deserve it. “I’m sorry.”
She looks at me again, and there’s so much sincerity behind those brown eyes when she says, “I know.” After a pause, she adds, “It’s okay,” and I want to believe her. Then she reaches for my hand, and it feels like a piece of me clicks back into place. I don’t understand why she’s reaching out to me, but I don’t question it. Taking her hand in mine, I give her fingers a squeeze. Claire and I may be nothing alike, but at the root of it, we’re the same. We both grew up with parents that didn’t love us as much as they should have, and have been burned trusting the wrong people as adults.
She’s too good for me. Anyone can see that, but I’ll learn to be better.
I’ll stop running from her.
It took me a while to realize it, but I’ve been guilty of breaking my rule long before she has. I ran from her in high school because I was scared, and as soon as I saw those texts from Garret, I ran again.
My fingers wrap around hers a little tighter, like I’m afraid she might float away. If Claire ever wants me to go, I’ll go, but I’m done running from what this could be. I’m done not trying for fear of failing. She deserves someone who will stay and fight for her, and that’s who I want to be.
We climb the steps to her apartment, but before she puts the key in the door, she looks back at me. “Fair warning, there will be tape.”
My eyebrow lifts. “Tape?”
She nods but doesn’t explain further—she doesn’t have to. As soon as the door opens, I see what she means. There are stacks of different colored duct tape everywhere.
Like if someone was trying to build a fucking fort out of duct tape.
Suddenly, a girl with black hair pops up from behind a literal wall of the stuff. We can only see her from the stomach up, but she immediately points an accusatory finger in my direction and says, “Why is he here?”
I raise an eyebrow before looking at Claire, who doesn’t seem nearly as phased as I thought she’d be. Instead, she just answers, “I’ll explain everything later.”
Putting my hands in my pockets, I lean against the entryway and say, “Hey, Violet.” I don’t remember her from high school other than vaguely being able to picture her with Claire. If I had passed her on the street, I doubt I would have recognized her.
Ignoring me completely, Violet looks back at Claire. “Do we approve?”
Even though the question isn’t directed toward me, a weight lands in my chest at the sound of it because I’m dying to know the answer. I watch carefully as Claire sets her stuff down, the familiar drumming in my chest picking up its pace.
Her eyes flicker to me before saying, “I think so,” and that might as well be the greatest compliment she’s ever given me.
“I see,” Violet says. She then turns to me and points two threatening fingers to let me know she’ll be watching, so I give her a nod in return.
She’s fucking weird.
Claire brushes her hand against mine to get my attention. “My room is this way.”
“Don’t give me a reason to use this tape!” Violet calls after me.
Not sure what she means, I just say “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Once Claire and I round the corner, I lean in toward her and ask, “Did she just threaten to take me hostage?”
“I wouldn’t put it past her,” Claire says with a breath of laughter as she looks over her shoulder at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
