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Chapter Thirty-Four

THEODORE

“ C an you move? Like just an inch?” I groan, shifting on my bed and making more room. How can such a small thing take up so much damn room? It’s insane, honestly.

I haven’t spoken to Aurora since she stormed out on me. She’s like a scared deer, and I pushed too hard too soon, but I’m so tired of waiting around. She’s the only person I want to call and tell the news, but I’m trying to give her space.

When we had that conversation during the storm, talking about our other passions, I mentioned animals. Specifically cats.

I adopted a kitten.

Her name is Rumour. She’s this small, black furball that is currently somehow taking up my entire bed as I lounge on it. Sun comes in through the curtains of my bedroom, but I don’t want to get up. I already did my workout of the day. For now, I just want to relax.

And think about my Roo. About how to fix things and make her see once and for all that we could be good together. I scare her, but all the best things in life are frightening, aren’t they? I don’t know how to make her understand that.

When my phone rings, I almost jump to answer it, hopeful that it’s Aurora.

My face falls when it’s not, and I debate on not answering it at all, but I’m terribly curious as to what it’s about.

I pick up, and before I can even say hello, Juliette is demanding, “What did you do?!”

I blink a few times, really fucking confused, because for once, I have no idea what I’m being accused of. “Um…clarify?”

She makes a noise of frustration then pulls the phone away from her ear, says something to someone—probably Hext—and then I hear a door slam. “You can’t be serious, Theo. This has you written all over it.”

Sitting up, I rake my fingers through my disheveled curls. Freshly showered after my workout, they’re a little messy. “Juliette, I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about. You know when I do shit, I own up to it. Can’t own up to something I don’t know.”

I don’t know whether she believes me or not, but she sighs. “Have you not been on social media?”

“I hate social media.” I really do. I use it to promote things that I have to, like big matches or shows that need tickets sold, but I don’t spend a lot of time scrolling through it. Most of it is people telling me how awful I am or whatever. I don’t want to deal with it.

“Aurora’s nudes were leaked.”

My brain goes blank for a second. Aurora’s…nudes? I didn’t even know she took them. Who was she sending nudes to?

Once I get over that, the reality of the situation begins to set in. “Oh fuck.” My hand goes through my hair again. As if she senses my stress, Rumour comes over and curls up by my thigh. “Is she…fuck, is she good? What happened?”

“I can’t get ahold of her. I sent Kai over because he lives the closest to her, but I don’t know. All I know is that they’re spreading like wildfire online. Dirt sheets are posting them, social is going crazy. I—fuck. I’m in West Virginia right now. I’ll get a flight—”

“Send me her address,” I cut her off. Aurora is mine to handle. All I can think about is making sure that she’s okay. Getting off the bed, I pull a t-shirt on while keeping the phone to my ear. “Seriously Juliette, send me Aurora’s address. It’s like four hours from here. I’ll drive up and check on her.”

She lets out another heavy sigh. “Okay, yeah. I’ll text it to you. Theo?”

“Hm?”

“You really weren’t the one who did it, right? I know that you two have something going on, and I know you—”

“I would never, ever hurt Roo like that, Juliette. You’ve known me for how long? I’m a bastard. I would get her fired before I tried to ruin her damn life. I don’t want to do either.”

I’m met with silence, which I know is just Juliette trying to figure out whether she can believe me or not. Finally, she responds. “I know, Theo. I know.”

With more pressing matters at hand, like getting to Aurora and making sure she’s okay, I hang up the call. Stealing a glance back at the bed, Rumour is still curled up on the duvet, right in the center of the bed as if she already owns the place. Cats . She’s looking at me and I roll my eyes. “Don’t give me that look; you’re coming too.”

The four-hour drive turns into a three hour one. Can’t guarantee that Rumour isn’t a little car sick, but she’ll be fine. I pull into the parking lot of a red brick apartment building. Looks as normal as possible.

I get out, grab Rumour’s carrier, and start up the stairs, stopping at the unit that Juliette had texted me. I gently tap my knuckles against the door a few times. When no answer comes quickly enough, my knocking turns into pounding.

Right before my fist slams into the door again, it’s flung open. I stop just in time so I don’t connect with Kai’s stupid face—even though that’s all I want to do.

Why is here for her? It’s my job. Aurora is mine.

He looks almost annoyed that I’m here. His dark hair is shelved, he has his stupid glasses on. “Theodore?”

“Juliette gave me the address,” I say. “Is Aurora okay?” Without waiting for a reply, I push past him and into her apartment.

It’s simple, but just the living room feels very Aurora. The couch is olive green and looks as if it was thrifted. The rug is brightly colored flowers on a white background and is admittedly an eyesore. At least compared to my simpler tastes. There’s a small TV, a few wrestling DVDs scattered by it. A coffee table, a lamp. Her kitchen is off to the right, but there’s more pressing matters than investigating what she keeps in her fridge.

Pictures line the walls, mostly ones of what I assume is her family and of Aurora from various indie shows. The fact that she has framed photos of herself makes me smile, and I’d tease her about it if the situation was different.

Kai closes the door behind me, eying Rumour’s carrier. “You brought a cat?”

“It’s my cat and yes.” I don’t need the fifth degree from someone who doesn’t matter. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“She’s…not okay. She hasn’t gotten out of bed since I’ve been here.” He crosses his arms over his chest as I put the cat carrier on the couch, opening it so Rumour can come out and explore her surroundings. Kai continues. “She’s going through a lot right now, Theo.”

“As if I don’t know that,” I scoff, turning to face him. He’s an inch or two shorter than me, which makes me feel like I have a little more ground than I do. “Did you see them? The pictures? ”

I don’t know why I need to know, but I do. Aurora’s nudes are evidently everywhere online, yet all I care about right now is if the man who’s annoyingly close to her has seen them.

I don’t want to think about anyone else I know seeing her like that. I’m supposed to be the only one.

He shakes his head. “No. And before you ask, because I feel like you will, I’m not going to look for them. It’s not like that with Aurora.”

I don’t believe him, but it also simultaneously relieves me of an insane amount of paranoia that I don’t want to acknowledge. “Oh, it’s not?”

“It’s really not. Rory’s a friend. That’s it.”

As much as I want to press him on that, I don’t. Not now. There’s something much more important to tend to. “Good,” is all I say before I gesture toward a closed door. “Roo’s room?” Without waiting for an answer, I start toward it, then pause. “Rumour, come.” I snap my fingers at the cat who stops sniffing curiously as a fake plant in the corner of the living room and just looks at me.

Listening is not her strong suit. I opt to walk over and pick her up instead of bickering with the kitten in front of Kai. She looks incredibly displeased as she struggles to get out of my arm. I wrap both of my hands around her tiny body, lifting her up in the air so her face meets mine.

“Listen, this is important, okay? Roo is sad. I’m shit at cheering people up. This is going to be on you, okay? Because I’m sure I’ll say some shit that makes it worse.” Behind me, Kai snorts and I shoot him a look. “Didn’t ask you, asshole.”

Then I head back toward the closed door and turn the doorknob. Darkness greets me, only a sliver of sunlight coming through closed curtains. “Roo?”