‘Elija.’ My blood freezes at the sound of my name. She said a single word but it hits me like a whole damn train. Florence’s voice is shaky and she sounds so genuinely scared it makes my stomach clench.
I was staring at my ceiling just a moment ago, thinking about what happened tonight and wondering whether I overreacted. Then my phone went off and seeing as it was an unknown number, I was curious enough to pick it up. Thank god I did.
‘Florence, what’s wrong? Where are you?’ I ask quickly, getting to my feet.
‘I don’t know,’ she tells me before taking a shallow breath. I’m already at my front door, putting on my shoes and grabbing my brother’s car keys. Good thing he’s home.
‘It’s okay, deep breaths, okay? Are you hurt? Whose phone are you calling me from?’ I say, trying not to freak out too bad myself. Meanwhile, inwardly I’m losing my mind, making up scenarios of what might have happened.
‘No, and a woman’s that lives near the street.’ Street? What street?
‘Ask her for the address, I’m coming,’ I tell her as I start my car.
‘You can’t, you drank tonight,’ she protests.
‘One beer over an hour ago, Florence. I want the address,’ I repeat.
I hear her talking to someone else in the background while I nervously tap my fingers on the steering wheel. I shouldn’t have left her at the party. I should have let her speak, fucking idiot. I told her I’d make sure she got home safely but was so pissed and hurt, I completely forgot. I just knew I had to get away from Florence before I said something I might have regretted. Look where that got us. Man, I need to know what the fuck happened before I lose my mind.
Finally, Florence tells me the address and I race off, going over the speed limit. The streets are empty at this time of night so I honestly don’t give a shit.
I make the girl stay on the line with me, even though we don’t speak. When I finally pull up to a small house in one of the rougher neighborhoods, I slump against my seat when I see her. I see her talk to another woman, probably thanking her and apologizing for the inconvenience. Then she gets in my car without looking at me.
‘What happened?’ I ask while starting the car back up.
‘I don’t know. I got in a cab and didn’t pay attention. I realized we weren’t going to my place too late and I don’t have my phone. We stopped and I ran away from the driver,’ she explains, her voice growing smaller the more she speaks. I glance at her to find a vacant expression on her face while she holds her left arm above the elbow. She’s shaking.
‘Did he touch you?’ I ask slowly. If he did, I’ll never fucking forgive myself. Florence shakes her head.
I sight. ‘I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left,’ I tell her. I walked home from Jamie’s place since it wasn’t too far and I can’t believe I didn’t think of how Florence might get home.
‘It’s not your fault. I know what you walked into looked bad but I promise nothing like that happened between Liam and me. He spilled his drink on my hoodie and told me he wanted to speak to me. He cleaned my hoodie and apologized for being a jerk. He was at the party with Sarah, Elija. And I want no one else,’ she tells me, finally meeting my eyes. ‘Thanks for picking me up,’ she adds.
‘Don’t thank me. I really can’t stand myself right now, I don’t know how you’re not angry.’ My temples are throbbing and I just wish I could pull the girl next to me into my arms until she stops shivering. ‘Turn up the heat, you’re cold,’ I say instead.
‘Of course, I’m not angry at you. Your reaction was justified, I just got unlucky. It’s fine though, nothing happened,’ she tells me, wrapping her arms more tightly around herself.
‘But it almost did! What if you hadn’t gotten away, huh? You don’t have to be so perfectly collected all the time, Florence. You’re allowed to be angry at me!’ I snap. Then, seeing the girl to my right is already crying silently, I curse. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but that’s no excuse. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.’
‘It’s fine. The night was a mess and we’re both tired,’ she says silently even as more tears stream down her face. She’s still making excuses for me and I hate it. She should just be angry, get it out of her system before it overwhelms her.
Deciding it might be best if I didn’t say anything more, I turn on the radio for the rest of the ride. By the time we arrive at her house, she’s stopped crying. I get out of the car and follow her to her door only for her to ask, ‘What are you doing?’
‘I thought I’d stay here tonight. With you,’ I say. She looks at me for a beat before silently unlocking the door and going inside. I’m too selfish to ask her if she wants me to leave. There’s no way I could sleep knowing she’s alone.
I take off my shoes and get onto her bed as she changes out of her wet clothes. She puts on a big shirt, long pants, and fuzzy socks before sliding beneath the covers herself. I might smile at her fit if it were a different day.
When the girl turns so her back’s to me, I feel like someone just punched me. I lean over and gently lay my hand on her arm, intending to get her to speak to me but she winces before stiffening. I pull my hand back as my mind comes to a halt. Did she just flinch at my touch? I sit up and scoot further away.
‘I’ll just sleep on the floor,’ I say climbing off the bed.
‘You don’t have to do that,’ she says but I’m already shaking my head.
‘It’s fine. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.’
‘You don’t,’ she insists, sitting up herself.
‘Florence, you winced. I understand tonight must’ve taken its toll on you and I’m trying to help you. If you don’t want me to touch you, that’s okay just please don’t ask me to leave.’ I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve at this point.
Florence sighs, looking skyward before meeting my gaze. Then she silently pulls up the sleeve of her shirt and waits for me to look at her arm. I walk closer, turning the bedside lamp on. What I see makes my jaw clench. There’s a bruise in the shape of a hand forming on her arm.
‘That’s why I winced, Elija. Not because I don’t want you close to me. Now please come back to bed,’ she says, letting her sleeve drop.
‘I thought he didn’t touch you,’ I ask.
‘Only there.’ I get in the bed next to her and this time, she lays her head down on my chest, snuggling close.
‘How’d you get away?’
‘I took a self-defense seminar a few years back,’ she says before yawning against me. I run my hand through her hair, holding her tightly as my lips stretch into a smile.
‘My sweet girlfriend’s secretly a ninja?’ I tease her.
‘I’m your girlfriend?’ Oh, I didn’t even realize that’s what I called her. It’s what she feels like but we never actually talked about it.
‘Do you want to be?’ I ask. My heart’s racing as I wait for her response but then she smiles against me and nods. ‘Then, yes. So, do I have anything to worry about?’
‘Not unless you mess up,’ she jokes. That’s really not reassuring but I’ll do my best.
‘Goodnight,’ I tell her.
‘Goodnight.’
