Page 20 of At Your Door

“I swear, I wasn’t coming down here to bother you—they just wanted to check out the coffee shop downstairs,” Griffon explains.

“These are my best friends, Lauren and Monica,” Griffon says, pointing to each of them on either side of her.

“Hiii! It’s so nice to meet you, finally!” Monica says, waving.

“Yes! We both heard about your apartment and feel so bad. Please, let us apologize on Griffon’s behalf,” Lauren adds.

I should say something, but I’m too busy stifling a sigh of relief. Those two girls I saw with Griffon the other night? Just her friends.

“Hey! I’m fixing it, ya know!” Griffon exclaims, and the laughter erupts around us. I can’t help but chuckle, too. It’s nice to see someone teasing Griffon for a change instead of vice versa.

“Wait, you two should come out with us tonight! We’re thinking about going out!”

I can hear Eleanor squeal in excitement as the three of them dive into planning, but I remain completely silent.

It feels like Griffon and I are in our own world for a moment. Everything they’re saying blurs into the background; I can only catch a few words—something about making Griffon pay for all our drinks. But we’re both too distracted to care. Her eyes lock with mine, and she raises an eyebrow, licking her lips.

“Yeah, I don’t know, you guys. They might be too tired to go out. It is only Thursday,” Griffon interjects.

Eleanor protests immediately, but Griffon is only looking at me.

It’s a test, I know it.

For a moment, I’m quiet. Then suddenly, I feel that same surge of energy I felt the last time I was in this position.

Without breaking eye contact, I say, “No, let’s go out

CHAPTER 12

MIA

“Come on, Mia, there’s no point in sitting around now! You already said yes!”

Eleanor’s voice echoes through my apartment as she races down the hallway, searching for something to wear.

“Which I completely regret.”

I should be doing the same, but I settle onto my sofa instead. Luckily, only the bottom portion is still wet. Normally, I’d pace away my mistakes, but since my place is still recovering, I’m lying on my back, staring at the ceiling and silently reviewing my life.

“I don’t get it. What’s the big deal?” El finally reappears.

Her mini dress is tighter than tight, which makes sense since she’s had it since our second year of college. It’s pretty obvious we don’t go out much—we have the same rotation of outfits all year long. If it isn’t our work uniforms, it’s loungewear 99% of the time. That one percentage is saved for nights like this when we decide to go ‘crazy’ and hit the town. And those nights usually end with us leaving whatever party early to come home and watch a movie.

But I’m not coming back to my place tonight. I’m heading to Griffon’s, who I can hear getting ready next door. She offered to help El and I bring our stuff over so all five of us could getready together, but I immediately refused. I’d already fallen into her trap by saying yes to going out.

I needed my space to regroup and figure out my plan because I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to stay at her place. Since we first met, my whole existence has been a hot mess, and now I’m supposed to go out, drink, and hope that nothing else happens?

Yeah, no.

My luck has already proven to be untrustworthy.

“I mean, there are multiple things wrong with this situation. Where do you want me to start? When I stole her package?”

Eleanor rolls her eyes as she tries to shove her left breast into the tiny orange dress.

“We get it, Mia. You stole her package, got off to her, and now you have to live with her—blah blah blah. Are you done yet?”

I’m speechless. She can’t honestly be downplaying this situation right now, but she’s looking at me like what she said meant absolutely nothing.