Page 8 of Puck My Life

He’ll probably kill me, too.

I bury my face in his pillows, getting soothed by his vanilla scent, despite myself.

I don’t know how long I’m lying there, trying really hard not to think about this disaster that is my life, when the door opens.

I lift my head and watch as he stops dead and then approaches the bed and sits on the edge.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. I shouldn’t have invaded his safe place.

He strokes my hair back from my face and shifts closer so I’m almost curled around him.

“You never come in here.”

“It’s your private space.”

“Why are you in here now? What happened?”

I shake my head, my throat tight. “Can’t talk about it. I just couldn’t deal with all that. So many people. The fridge is empty.” I curse myself for my weak, truthful but evasive answers.

He gets up and crosses the room, shifting black material and revealing a bar fridge. He opens it and returns with a packet of chocolates.

He gets into bed behind me and pulls me up against his chest, then opens the packet and holds one to my lips.

“What are you doing?” Do I sound strangled? I feel like I can’t breathe. Everywhere he touches, my skin tingles, and this is not appropriate friend behaviour when you have a girlfriend.

“Making you feel better.”

Oh. Okay. Well then! I part my lips, accepting the offering, despite the sarcasm and snarky voice that wants me to roll on my back, expose my belly, and purr.

His arms wrap around my stomach, and, after a moment, I lean back on him, eating the chocolates slowly.

“What happened today?”

“The worst day,” I whisper.

Vanilla and chocolate. I’m going to have to move out. The thought twists me up inside so hard. Will I die without them? I think I will.

“How bad?”

“Worse than the day I came here.”

He’s quiet. “That’s serious.”

I nod my head sadly. I put the chocolates aside and wiggle down and roll towards him.

He worms his way down until we’re nose to nose.

“Tell me.”

It’s a command.

“If I tell you, everything ends.”

His frown is serious as he searches my eyes. I love the way he looks at me, like he can see all my secrets.

“No way. We’ll always be the same. Nothing is going to change.”

I shake my head, and I see the moment the concern in his eyes gets really serious.