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How did I forget about his busy nights? Why didn’t I realize that someone had to be filling that time? They didn’t just disappear into the ether. They were around.
I wondered what they talked about. If Levi was like this to me for a fake marriage, what was he like to someone he really wanted to be with?
It might not have been a woman. It might have been something else, but theguiltin his eyes told me it was something I wouldn’t like.
I slowly got out of bed. My first stop was to my purse to take my medicine, but I groaned when I only saw one pill left.Shit.I knew I was running low, but finally seeing one left was scarier than I wanted to admit. The medicine I took every day was key to preventing migraines, and going off of it wasn’t advised.
Too many things were going wrong.
I turned to Levi, wondering if there was something he could do, but after the quiet awkwardness of our entire night, I couldn’t ask him to shell out the thousands it would be for me to go to the doctor.
I took the last one and checked on my emergency stash. I had enough of that to prevent an oncoming one. All I could do was hope that my brain worked with me until I could get back on my usual medicine.
I put on a robe so I could go outside and think. The air was cool, but the view was worth it. And I needed the quiet time after spending so long in Levi’s orbit.
For a long while, I sat in silence. Then I pulled out my phone and opened the chat with V.
I think I was right about this one.
V
About what?
That I was doing something stupid.
What happened?
It’s gonna go pretty deep into my personal life if I tell you, but I’ll leave it at this. If there are signs not to trust someone, then don’t.
What if you’re reading the signs wrong?
I huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, what if.”
I doubt it. But at least I can kinda vent to you. I know you’d never make me feel like this.
V typed for a long time. Stopped. And then started again.
I hope whatever this person did is simply a misunderstanding. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone hurting you, because you don’t deserve it.
His reply was too sweet. Just like he’d been this entire time.
Do you ever wish we’d met a different way? Like we had classes together and became friends in person?
Every day.
I know we have an unspoken rule against this, but maybe we COULD meet in person. There’s no harm in it. You’re probably the only guy I ever talk like this to.
I waited a few minutes for a response, but I didn’t even see him start typing. My heart pounded in my ears, and I was desperate to know what he was thinking.
Then the door opened and I turned to see Levi had gotten up. He had two cups of steaming coffee, and I took mine gratefully. It melted some of the ice that had gathered in my chest.
“Hey,” he started. “About yesterday.”
Oh no. I didn’t want to talk about this.
“I thought I said I didn’t see anything. I’m basically blind, actually. Especially when it comes to catching people doing things.” My tone was all wrong and my joke came out more bitter than I meant it to.
“We’re married, though. And I wouldn’t?—”