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5
I woke up the next morning and my side felt like it’d been burnt to a crisp. I was twisted up in the blanket Maria had given me to sleep with. The sun came pouring through the sliding glass doors near my feet, and the tv was still mumbling something too low for me to hear.
Carefully shifting, I tested my arm’s range of motion and sighed in relief. It was still sore, but it felt infinitely better. I had to thank Jamie when I—Thank Jamie? In what world did that make sense?
Shaking my head, I sat up and pulled the hair tie from my hair. I shook out the dark waves, rolled my neck. Sleeping on a couch was going to get old, fast.
“Good morning, Sunshine,” Maria announced appearing over the breakfast bar that divided the living room from her kitchen.
I blinked at her a few times and laughed. From the looks of her expertly coiffed hair, and makeup she’d been up for hours. “Morning.”
“I hope I didn’t wake you,” she said, reaching into her refrigerator. “I just need to have a quick bite to eat and then I’m off to work.”
“Work.” I nodded. “Right. It’s Monday now, isn’t it.”
“Yes, indeedy. You’re welcome to hang out here. I can drop you off in town. Whatever you want,” she said.
“I’m good.” I shrugged. “I was actually thinking about going for a run.”
“You sure?” she asked, pouring herself a large glass of orange juice. “You should have some breakfast at least. After yesterday, your body is sure to need some fuel.”
“Oh, I’ll get some. Don’t worry about me,” I said, giving her my best smile. “I can entertain myself.”
“I have no doubt about that, but don’t entertain yourself too much. Because I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?” I winced, and stood up, padding barefoot to the breakfast bar. “Why don’t I like the sound of that?”
“Because you hate surprises,” she said, sliding her glass across the bar to me. “I know that, but I couldn’t let my girl come home and not throw her a welcome home party. It would just be…wrong.”
“You’re the only one in the pack who likes me,” I said, taking a sip from the drink. “Who exactly did you invite to this thing?”
“Oh, I invited everyone. The pack likes to drink, and they know how to have fun. Don’t worry about it,” she said. “And they don’t hate you. They just don’t know you anymore. I mean, seriously, Annie, Zach, and I are the only ones you kept in contact with.”
“So, really this is just an excuse to get the pack together for some drinks, and music.”
She shrugged. “Maybe. I guess if that makes you feel better, then sure.”
I rolled my eyes. “Alright, what time do you have to be at work. Aren’t you going to be late?”
“I’ve got a few minutes. Besides, the bookstore doesn’t open without me, so it’s not like someone’s gonna steal something.”
“They’d be stupid if they did.” I nodded.
Maria smiled at me and turned away at the exact moment the toaster popped revealing her breakfast bagel. I watched her spread some cream cheese on it, and in a flash she was gone, racing out the door. Leaving me to my own thoughts.
The door closed, and I sank back onto the couch, thinking I’d relax for a few minutes. Why wouldn’t I? I had nowhere to be. I’d lost my job at the bar in New York. I was on the move again. Couch hopping.
Glancing around me, Maria’s house wasn’t all that small. The living room was a decent length. The kitchen was bigger than it had any right to be, and her bedroom was twice the size of any I’d stayed in while I was away from home. Still, something felt wrong.
Putting my elbows on my knees, I couldn’t breathe right. Every time I inhaled my skin crawled. My hands shook. It was as if my body was screaming at me, demanding that I move, run, fight, do something, anything.
I had to get out. Kicking aside my bags, I dug my sneakers out from beneath the pile. I slipped them on, thankful I’d never changed my clothes after training. I stood up and in moments I was running down the road outside.
My shoes slapped against the concrete, and I found myself cutting through the heart of the town. I passed Maria’s bookshop, the local bars and restaurants. I darted across the town square, and then down to the marina. My shoes slipped on the boards, and I slowed to a stop at the end of the main dock. The salt air rolled in, and I took a deep breath. I’d missed that smell. The brine of the early morning.
I knew I’d stayed away too long. Everything in my body loved the feel of being back. I loved the feel of the ground beneath my feet, the air in my lungs. I even loved the people surrounding me. This was home, and I’d forgotten how much it meant to me.
Wiping the surprise tears from my eyes, I took off back down the dock at a slow pace. No matter how much I missed this place, I couldn’t stick around. Regardless of what Adrian wanted. There were too many memories waiting to jump out and yell boo every time I turned a corner.
