Page 10 of King of Justice

“No?” I giggled, extending my hand with the can to offer him a sip. “But also, now that you mention it—”

“I don’t do it often.”

“Why not?”

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and as he took a sip, slightly grimaced before handing it back to me. “Jesus, it’s all sugar.”

I nodded, raising my eyebrows and taking another sip. “It is possible that we die in here. C’mon, Wright. Live a little.”

“Oh—Look at you being all wise.”

“Don’t be fooled. It’s the herb.”

“Yeah? I don’t think so. What are you—twenty-one, twenty-two? You’re very mature for your age.”

I chuckled, slapping my hand on my thigh as I threw back my head. This always happened. When I was done laughing, I opened the bag of string cheese and the box of crackers. “Flattered as I am? I hate to tell you that I’m a fool, a fool!” I paused, turning to face him. “I’m twenty-six.”

“Yeah?” His eyes slowly and studiously gazed at my face, making me self-conscious. He then looked away, whispering, “Well, it’s dark. There’s a margin for error,” before popping a piece of fruit into his mouth.

He couldn’t be that much older. My eyes studied his hands, this time up close, yet in the dark. I didn’t know why I was taken with them, trying to guess his chosen sport to stay in shape. Did he use his hands at all? It couldn’t be boxing. “So, roomie.” I clicked my tongue. “We’re gonna have to sleep, eventually. Do you want this couch or the one in Alex’s office?”

When he turned to look at me, his fingers froze near his mouth, and his stare remained blank.

four

The Pull

Nathan

“So, roomie. We’re gonna have to sleep, eventually. Do you want this couch or the one in Alex’s office?” It was clear that she had tried her best to hide her awkwardness by sounding nonchalant, which I found adorable. Yet at the same time, I was beginning to feel the cold. With no electricity, there was no heat, and the only warmth we had was from her coat and mine.

Getting up, I realized that my movement was slower than usual. “Where’s my coat?”

She chuckled. “Uh—In the meeting room?”

As I towered over her, I smirked and pointed a finger. “Observant. I like you.”

She made a goofy face and tilted her head, after which I walked away, heading over to the room. There was my coat, slung over the back of a chair. Picking it up, I pondered her question—which couch was I going to sleep on?

Walking out, I stepped into Alex’s office and looked at the two-seater to which she was referring. Far too small for me. Shaking my head, I walked back out. “Y’know? I don’t think I’d fit in there.”

From across the room, she hollered, “How tall are you, anyway?”

I pouted, thinking. “Six-four?”

“Jeez!” She threw back her head. “Yeah, you get the big couch, alright.”

I lifted up my shoulders, buttoning my coat. “It’s pretty chilly. Why don’t we share?”

She was drinking her soda when I suggested that, so she choked back a laugh and coughed. “Excuse me?”

“C’mon, Jones. We’re talking about basic survival here.” I approached her as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, staring up at me with what looked like exaggerated terror.

“No.” She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

“Why not?” I sat down next to her, picking up what was left of my fruit and offering her one. “Prune?”

“No, thank you.” She bit into her cheese with a hint of aggression. “And you found your coat, so I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

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