"You were all busy. And I've got a lot of catching up to do."
I look down at her, splayed across the floor. "You've been in here all this time?"
"Gloria and I worked on music and then we ate. I thought I'd try to practice what Levi and Jasmine showed me earlier."
I cock my eyebrow. "So you're going to stay then, I take it?"
She closes her eyes, a faint grin spreading across her face. "You knew it all along, so don't sound so surprised."
"Well, I'm heading to the dorms. You coming?"
"Do you even know where I'm staying? I don't."
I sigh. I see how this is going to go. "I'll show you. I think there's a bed somewhere. Let me text Grayson to see what room you're in."
While I'm on my phone, I see her get up from the floor slowly. She's definitely moving gingerly. Her arms are hanging down, but slightly away from her sides. I follow her to the dressing room where her bags have been shoved in a corner. Leslie stands there, staring at them.
"Okay, Grayson says there's an empty bed in Amy's room. You can stay there."
"Okay." Her voice is quiet. She's still just staring at her bags.
"Are you trying to move them with mental telepathy or something? Let's go. Tomorrow's the last day beforeKateopens, so it's going to be a long one. I'd like to go to bed."
Shit. I shouldn't have said it like that. What if she thinks that's an invitation? There's no way in hell that's happening … again. That was then, and this is now. She is dead to me as far as I'm concerned.
She turns to look at me, her dark eyes wide. "What?" I ask, not bothering to hide my impatience.
"Give me a minute. I'm trying to work up the strength to pick these up. I'm not sure I can."
I look at the bags, knowing how heavy they were. I also think about what I saw her doing on the silks. "How long were you in there for?"
Her shoulders lift up and then quickly sag. "Well, I did about an hour and a half earlier with Levi, Kori, and Jasmine, and … what time is it now?"
"Twelve-thirty."
"So yeah, about three more hours."
"Jesus, Leslie, what were you thinking? You're going to die tomorrow."
"Nah, the day after that will be much worse. Do you know if there's a bathtub here? I'm probably going to need to soak a bit."
"Why did you do that? Practice so long?"
Leslie tilts her head. "Come on, I know it's been a while, but do I really have to tell you?"
"Yes, because I'm not sure I even know you."
"Josh, how can you say that? Of course you know me."
I raise my eyebrows. "Do I? You certainly weren't the person I thought you were. Now tell me, why would you push yourself like that?"
"I'm behind. I have to learn. I can't get out there and fail. Not again. So I'll put in the hard work if that's what it takes."
"Don't you think this is a little extreme? Three hours?"
"If it's what I need to do to get the job done, then no. If it's what The Edison needs to make this show a success, then no."
You gotta admire that work ethic. I bend over, picking up her bags. "I'll show you to your room."
