I get busy replying to her texts before I get another one claiming that I’m a soul sucking bimbo with a fat ass.
Henley – I’m fine. I’m at home.
Tully – What? I thought you were with Noahsaurus? I’m coming over.
I giggle at the stupid nickname and instantly hate myself for it. Damn it. Why does that have to be so cute and why does it have to tear through me?
Henley – No. I’m fine. Go have a party or something.
Tully – Tough shit. Already on my way.
Damn.
I throw my phone down and do my best to clean myself up. I put the ice cream back in the freezer and make sure there’s no mascara running down my face from the tears that poured down my face the whole way home.
I pull my jeans off, deciding that comfort is the best way to make me feel somewhat human again before I spy Noah’s shirt and sweatpants at the foot of my bed. I’d slept in them last night and I could have sworn it felt like he was with me all night long.
I guess I’ll never know what that truly feels like.
I grab his clothes and toss them into my washing basket, realizing that with one wash, his sweet scent will be stolen from the fabric, but what does it matter now? It’s not like I’d grown particularly fond of the smell. It was more like a comfort that made me feel like there was more to the world.
Fuck, I’m a liar. That smell made my world turn. It drew me in and made me feel like I could finally move on. It made me feel like I had a chance to heal.
I pull on a pair of my own sweatpants and collapse back down into my bed. Tully will know where to find me and if she doesn’t, I’m sure she’ll figure it out.
It doesn’t take long before I hear the front door being kicked in. “Where the hell are you, party pooper?” Tully’s voice rings through my house.
I don’t bother responding because two seconds after barging her way in, she’s standing at my bedroom door, staring at me as though seeing me crumpled in my bed is a sight she can hardly bear to witness.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” she grunts, stepping into my room and making her way around, touching, looking, and snooping at all my things while becoming familiar with my room. “You look like shit.”
I realize this is the first time she’s been here and it’s almost unbelievable. I’ve spent countless hours at her place so far yet this is the first time she’s stepped into the safety of my home.
I’m two seconds from blurting out what the hell went down when I remember this is her twin brother. If she doesn’t already know, then it’s not my business to tell her. If Monica really is pregnant and Tully is about to be an aunt, then Noah needs to sit down with her and their family to talk about it. This isn’t any of my business. I just happen to be the heart that got hurt in the process.
“Thanks,” I tell her. “I love hearing how shitty I look.”
She turns back to me, winks, grins, and then continues snooping through my closet. “Anytime,” she says. “But seriously, what the hell is going on? You and Noah were like fugitives. I swear, I searched for you guys everywhere after the alarm went off. I mean, what was all that about anyway. I wonder who pulled it.”
“It was Noah,” I grumble, figuring if I’m going to blab about something, then this topic would do the least damage.
“What?” she laughs. “Are you kidding?”
“Wish I was,” I tell her.
“Huh?” she grunts, picking up on my Debbie Downer attitude. “Why?”
“Because your brother is an asshole. If he never pulled that stupid alarm, we wouldn’t have had a chance to have the stupid fight we had afterward.”
At that, Tully finally turns around and gives me her full attention. “What are you talking about? Why’d you fight?” she asks, walking forward before dropping down onto the end of my bed.
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess I thought something was happening between us, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.”
Tully’s face falls and I cringe at how it fell in the same way that Noah’s had earlier today, putting me right back in that hallway, finding out that Monica is pregnant and telling him I was done. I guess these two are more alike than I had thought and that’s something I’ll have to be careful to be more prepared for.
“What are you talking about?” Tully repeats. “Noah is the closest person I’ve got. We grew up side by side, telling each other our secrets. I know him more than anyone and I’m telling you, you weren’t wrong. He likes you. Maybe he hasn’t admitted it yet, but I can see it, just like I can see how much you like him too.” She throws her hands up in the air. “What the hell is wrong with you two? Whatever this fight was about, sort it out and get yourselves back on track. You deserve each other. It’s kind of sickening really.”