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Chapter fourteen
AVA
Iwakeupin my room at Foster’s feeling rested and energised. It’s amazing how different I feel after those transfusions, and now that no one is watching my every move, I can get them more regularly. My father would not even entertain the idea of anything being wrong with me, somehow thinking that if we admitted I needed some treatment that I was damaged goods or something. He didn’t realise the only way I could function sometimes was because I’d sneaked in a transfusion when he thought I was out with Millie. They knock me out, though, so I’d need to time it with staying at Millie’s or when he was out of town. I stayed at Millie’s the night before last when she picked me up from the hospital, but she’s gone on holiday with her parents for a fortnight now, so I’m stuck without her.
I roll over and stretch, thinking there’s a familiar scent in the air when I inhale deeply. I can’t immediately place it so don’t pay it much attention. This is a new place, after all. What do I do with a whole weekend without Millie? Cole and I have gotten pretty close the last couple days. He was amazing last night, and we’ve been texting nonstop in the evenings. I think I fancy a day alone, though, so I decide to spend it by the pool. I’ve not seen anyone use it except Stone, who does laps in the evenings. I should have plenty of time.
There’s no one around when I venture downstairs, so I set up out on the patio. It looks like I could be at a country club. The house may be small by our standards, but the outside space more than makes up for it. The pool is stunning, designed to look like a natural lake. A huge stone hot tub sits elevated at the deep end, and the gardens go on forever. Looking in the distance, you can just about see the same security wall as out the front. There are multiple seating areas, some for dining and some for relaxing with fire pits, but I stick with the sunloungers on the patio.
I pick one in the middle and lay my things out, ready to settle in, but feel eyes on me. I look around suspiciously but can’t see anyone until a glint of light catches the corner of my eye and I look up. Standing in his window in just some sweats is Stone. His room is the one next to mine? How have I not realised that? Well, they’re massive and have my ensuite and dressing room in between them, I guess. He doesn’t move, even when it’s clear I’ve seen him, standing like a statue in the window with his mask fixed in place. Fine. If he’s not bothered, then neither am I. I continue with what I was doing, arranging my towel before stripping my clothes off to reveal my swimsuit. Do I undress a little slower than I normally would? Maybe. Do I arch my back slightly and puff my chest when it’s revealed? Also maybe, not that it’s anyone else’s business. Then I drop into my chosen lounger and rub sun lotion into my exposed skin, taking my time. I don’t look back up at him once.
There’s no family dinner tonight because Foster has a networking thing that he’s taking my mum to. I came in for the afternoon to carry on with some of my part of the group project, but it’s nearly done now, and I fancy a chill evening watching a film. I remember the movie room Foster showed me on that first day and wander down to it, peeking my head around the corner. I see it’s empty, so I settle in, playing with the sound and lighting so it feels like a proper movie theatre. I love it. No one else seems to be around, so I don’t mind hanging out in the comfy clothes I threw on after my shower, with my hair haphazardly on the top of my head.
I’m so engrossed in the movie that I don’t see him until he’s practically in front of me, dropping down onto the other end of the huge sectional with a pizza box.
“Fucking hell, Stone,” I say as I clutch my chest. “Make a sound, will you?”
“I made plenty of sound. You’re the one with the TV up obnoxiously loud.” It’s really not that loud, but I turned the surround sound on, which must cover outside noise, so I flick the volume down a few notches as he flips open the box on his lap. I start to feel like I’ve invaded his space, and now that I’ve turned the volume down, it feels too quiet.
“That smells amazing. What did you get?” I sit up and involuntarily lean forward towards him. I realise once I’ve done it, but it seems weird to lean right back. He completely blanks me, so I flop back into the cushions. “I would think you’re hangry, but I’m pretty sure you’ve permanently got a stick shoved up your ass.”
“Do you want some?” he asks with as much enthusiasm as if I’ve enquired about his left kidney.
“Nope. Just making conversation. Won’t make that mistake again.”
