Page 28 of Daydream

Russ slow-blinks twice, nodding his head. Surprise, maybe. “Yeah, why?”

“I don’t want to abuse your kindness.”

He stands from the bench, his eyes narrowed as he stares at me. “You’re not, at all. Where’s this coming from?”

“Faulkner. Do you think I’m abusing Halle’s kindness by letting her help me and doing nothing for her in return?”

“Uh.” He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “I honestly don’t, since she offered to help you. She seems like that type of girl, y’know? Rory has been borrowing her notes for years apparently, and she runs the book club and other stuff. I think she’s just one of those people who is generous with their time. She’s your friend, right? Friends help each other. You’re still doing ninety-nine percent of the work, dude. I don’t see how it’s any different from if you joined a study group and you guys shared stuff. Don’t let Faulkner get in your head.”

“She is my friend. I really like her. I just don’t want to take advantage of her. I hadn’t even thought about it until he mentioned that she was getting nothing in return.”

I should have thought more about her when she offered. I was just so relieved to have one less thing to worry about this year that I didn’t take the time to think about it.

We climb into Russ’s truck and he rolls his eyes at me as he slips the key into the ignition. “Ireallydon’t think you need to take advice about friendship from Faulkner. Try talking to her when you get there. Maybe there is something you can help her with, and then you both win.”

“I just want to be a good friend to her,” I admit.

“You like her? As more than a friend?” Russ asks carefully.

“I like being around her.” There’s something about her that I’m drawn to. Something about her that makes sense to me. “She’s so calm. Being with her doesn’t drain me. Does that make sense?”

Russ nods, pulling out of the parking lot. “It does. Talk to her. At least she’ll know you’re thinking about her, even if there isn’t anything she wants from you.”

I rehearse what I’m going to say in my head for the rest of the drive.

IT’S NOT UNTILI’M STANDINGat Halle’s front door with a bag filled with Chinese food that I forget everything I’ve been rehearsing since I saw Faulkner yesterday.

“Hi,” she says softly as she pulls the door open. “That smells good.”

I immediately notice something is off about her as I follow her into the living room, dropping the bag of food onto the coffee table and putting my tablet, sketchbook, and laptop next to it.

She looks the same as usual. Glossy lips, thick dark eyelashes lined with black, a glow to her cheeks. Loose blue jeans, a white camisole with buttons up the middle, the lace of her bra peeking out at the top, finished with the thick, oversized cream knitted cardiganwith stars on the elbows I’ve seen her wear a few times. The cow slippers are new, but still feel oddly appropriate for her.

But there’s something not right.

Halle knocks her laptop closed as she passes it, throwing herself onto the couch on the opposite side of the room. The device snaps as the lid closes, making her cat jump up and move to circle my feet. I catch Halle force a smile when she spots me watching her. “That was aggressive,” I say, taking the seat beside her, trying not to fall over Joy.

“I’m so—wait,” she says, interrupting herself. “I’m not apologizing. It was aggressive, you’re right. It wasn’t intentional.”

I don’t believe that it wasn’t intentional. “Are you hangry? I didn’t mean to be so long. I’ve been trying to actually complete my workouts this year instead of goofing off at the gym.”

She twists on the couch to look at me, pulling her knees to her chest with her head resting against the cushion. “That’s okay. I’m not hangry, but maybe we should eat before we start working. That way it doesn’t go cold.”

Halle is good at diverting conversations like Russ is. Which is why I think there is actually something wrong. “I’d like it if you told me what’s wrong with you. Something is clearly bothering you.”

“It’s silly,” she whispers.

“I don’t think anything you say is silly,” I whisper back.

She rests her head on the top of her knees. “Do you have siblings?”

I shake my head. “Only child.”

“You’re lucky. No, no, I don’t mean that. Ilovemy family, but sometimes.” She tugs at the sleeves of her cardigan and shuts her eyes. “Sometimesthey make me feel like I’m losing my mind. It’s like nothing can happen without my intervention, and it’s so fucking tiring. I thought it’d change when I moved out, but if anything, I feel like they’re worse… Like how is that possible? And they don’t carewhat I’m doing when they call, or even consider that I might be busy and doing something forme.”

When her eyes reopen and she looks right at me, I don’t know what to say to make her feel better. “Keep going.”

“It’s just boring drama, Henry. We should eat.”

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