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That is some other man’s shirt, and I can assume they are discussing the boy who loved her. Jealousy filters into my vision, turning it red, but I don’t move from my spot in the hallway.

“I remember when he put it on you,” Vivian smirks.

“He was so annoying.”

“You barely had any clothes on,” Vivian argues lovingly.

“As was my right as a young woman hitting a bar!” Josie exclaims.

“You did it to piss him off, and you know it.”

“You couldn’t see my scars.” Josie tugs at the neck out of habit. “That was the rule.”

“He went around shirtless for the entire night because of it,” Vivian giggles at the memory.

“Not my fault he was a crazy person. You should have seen him the night he came all the way to Staff’s and dragged me back.”

“I can imagine. I saw him before he left.”

Josie whips around, suddenly interested. “You did?”

“Yup. He paced around for like two hours before storming out. Woke me up with the way those floors creaked. Did he find you with Aedonaeus?”

Now I’m doubly interested. The boy who loved her came and dragged her away that night? I must have just missed him. I remember the guy she calls Stafford giving her the note. It must have been about the dead mystery boy.

“No,” Josie sours. “He didn’t know about that. Probably wouldn’t have told me he loved me if he did.”

“He would have ended up telling you. Love doesn’t work like that. Who would've thought you would be cooking in the penthouse of the guy whose fingers changed your life,” Vivian cackles.

Josie’s face turns red. “Fuck off.”

“So, what are we doing here anyways?” Vivian looks around again. Josie sags against the counter indecisively. She hasn’t told them yet.

Bella returns, seating herself at the counter. “What did I miss?”

“You didn’t have to go to the bathroom to smoke flower, Bella,” Josie tells her.

“I didn’t want to be rude,” Bella says defensively, holding her hands up in the air.

Josie leans over the counter expectantly. “Got any left?”

Bella reaches into the pocket of her sweatpants and pulls out a case. She plucks out a rolled stick and hands it over with a lighter.

“Won’t he be mad?” Vivian asks her warily.

“Don’t care.” Josie lights it, taking a deep hit.

“You’re bold.”

“She doesn’t care because she moved in,” Bella snickers. Josie shrugs and Vivian smacks the counter as her mouth drops open.

“I knew the apartment would be lonely, but I didn’t know things were that serious between you two,” Vivian says.

“I’ll do you one better.” Josie smirks, exhaling smoke through her nostrils like a dragon.

Vivian buries her face in her hands. “You’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“I married him.”