Using Ren's phone to log into my Messenger account, I shot Leigh a text. Then a call.
Then another call.
I must admit I was a little... wounded that my friend didn't leap at the chance to interact with her presumed-dead best-pal after weeks of heart-staggering silence. I understood being busy, but seriously? That girl was always on her phone, posting one thing or the other. What were the odds that the one time I tried to get into contact with her, she was indisposed?
Whatever. Traitor.
Annoyed, I called up Nicole, who soothed my bruised ego by picking up before the first ring even finished sounding.
"Lily?" she asked, slightly breathless.
"Leigh better be in a coma or on a romantic date with an A-list celebrity," I said by way of greeting.
"You're alive!"
"I'm also serious. How rude. If I was on the verge of death, she'd feel sooooooo guilty later at having dodged my calls."
"She... does have a good excuse," Nicole said carefully. "Have you checked the local news?"
"Yeah, yeah, they all think I'm dead. I know," I replied, dismissive. "Back to why Leigh is leaving me to die in a ditch somewhere, does this excuse involve a romantic getaway with an unexpectedly divorced Hugh Jackman? A Chris Evans, mayhaps? Heck, I'll even settle for a Florence Pugh but anyone below that strict standard and we'll have problems."
"I'm being serious," she scolded. "She has her own stuff going on right now, and no, she isn't dating anyone, let alone a celebrity."
I frowned. Now she had me concerned. "Is everything alright?"
"She's fine!" Nicole was quick to assure. "More than fine, especially now that you're back, but I'll let her tell you herself when you see her. Are you alright, though?"
I hummed the affirmative. I'd said I was fine to so many people in such a short time it was beginning to sound false — disingenuous — and made me question how true the statement even was.
"I know this is short notice," I began, "but do you mind if I stay over tonight? I'm kinda trying to prove a point to my dad, so I can't come home, and if I stay in the hospital he's just going to come track me down."
Her voice rose up an octave. "You're in the hospital? So you're not alright at all!"
"My injuries are only mildly fatal. So is that a yes?"
"I mean, yeah, you can go to my house and I'm sure my parents wouldn't kick you out, but I'm not... I'm not there," she explained haltingly. "I'm at Orientation for my uni. I signed up for this specific date before you disappeared and when I called they said I couldn't reschedule, that all the other days were already booked—"
"You really don't need to explain," I cut her off, her obvious guilt making me feel guilty by proxy. "I get it. I never expected you to put your life on hold for almost a whole month. You couldn't have known this would happen and, besides, I'm fine." There was that cursed word again... "I'm fine, so it doesn't matter. I'll figure something else out for tonight, don't worry. Going to your house and spending the evening with just your folks sounds unbearably awkward, if I'm being honest."
She laughed. "Sorry. We'll hang out when I get back in a few days."
Before I could respond, Ren cleared his throat and looked pointedly down at his wristwatch, tapping it in the universal sign to hurry up.
Fine, fine. I rolled my eyes. Message received.
"I have to let you go, but when I get my phone back I'll fill you in... or you can just watch the press conference tomorrow and I'm sure that will fill in a few blanks."
ΔΙΑΒΑΖΕΙΣ
Super•Villainous
Φαντασίας"I've been looking for you." There was an unexpected rasp to his voice, a hint of desperation. He stretched out one hand, as if to brush it across my cheek, or perhaps wrap it around my throat. Oddly enough, I didn't know which option frightened me...
