Page 42 of Buddy System

Skyler

I can’t fucking believeit. Levi…my best friend in the entire world—someone I love to death—actually doubts my whereabouts last night? How could he?

“Soyouthink I’m guilty too?” I swear to God, I feel like crying. Thishurts. I smack the bottles down and turn to go back into the house. I have to get away from him, but dammit, this is my house. Before I grab the doorknob, I whip around and say, “Maybe it’s time for you to leave. I sure as fuck don’t need any more doubters around me.”

Levi looks shocked, but I don’t give him a chance to say anything. I stomp back inside, rush down the hall, grab a pair of shorts, and thunder upstairs to my studio, taking the steps two at a time. My sanctuary ought to provide some comfort, but it doesn’t. Once I hit the attic level, I’m way too upset and out of breath to paint, but I also can’t stick around and listen to howhedoesn’t trust me. I’m too worked up to do anything except pace around.

But…he called me? I wonder why I didn’t know that. I reach into my shorts pocket to check my phone and realize it’s not there. Then I wonder when the last time I saw it was. I scan around the room and see it sitting next to the sink. Oh yeah. The darn battery ran out of juice again, and I’d meant to take it down to the bedroom to plug it in last night. But it was so late by the time I quit painting, I forgot about my phone, and all I did was clean up and head downstairs. Then Levi showed up and we had our fun. Damn. I can’t even power it up to see any missed calls or texts. I need a charger up here too, I guess.

As I stand there contemplating what to do since I just impulsively gave Levi his walking papers—and possibly too swiftly—I hear a noise coming from the stairway. Frowning, I turn toward the door, and in shuffles Levi. He’s beet red and limping worse than I’ve ever seen. This gives me a serious pang in my heart. I can’t believe he forced himself to climb all the way up to the third floor when stairs are so horrible for him. While I appreciate the effort, and I hate seeing him in pain, I’m still furious with him. And I’m hurt.

I glare daggers at him as he takes a deep breath. He’s still only wrapped in his towel, so apparently it was more important to see me than it was to get dressed. Huh.

“Sky,” he says softly through his labored breathing. His beautiful brown eyes are filled with so much sadness, italmostbreaks my heart. Not quite though. I do acknowledge that he must be in considerable pain after climbing up here, but I’m not ready to forgive.

“Save it. I can’t listen to one more person tell me how I did something awful—least of all you!”

“Ican’tsave it. You need to understand that I was not doubtingyoufor one minute. I was just curious about why you didn’t answer my call, that’s all.” His eyes bore into mine intensely. “When I got home, you never mentioned anythingabout it. Why? It’s a simple question. Were you too busy painting something wonderful or…stuck in the bathroom?”

“I never knew you called. Dead battery. I think I need a new phone; this one isn’t holding a charge very well anymore. But you must have doubted my whereabouts to even bring it up, Levi, and that kills me.”

“I swear I never doubted you. I just remembered about the call and happened to mention it to Brooke. According to her, you heard part of that question but not the part where I said it wasn’t any big deal—just something I was curious about. I meant no accusation at all.”

“Oh.”

“You were pretty swift to tell me to hit the road though. Are you having second thoughts about Brooke and me moving in permanently? Are you not ready for us? I thought you loved us, and it was your idea to bring us here in the first place. But if you truly want us gone, we’ll find somewhere else to live.”

Levi has a miserable, pinched look to his face and is having trouble standing up straight, so I tell him, “I think you ought to sit down and rest your hip. You look bad.”

“Yeah, my hip hurts, but not as much as your rejection.” That hits me like a fastball to the solar plexus. It nearly shatters me.

“I can relate to that. The idea that you were throwing me under the bus pains me like hell. I guess it hurts the worst coming from someone I love and assumed trusts me.”

“I do trust you,” Levi says with a grimace as he lowers himself onto the cot that I keep up here for emergency naps. Relief fills his face as soon as he alleviates the pressure of standing from his hip. He’s gonna feel the hike up here for days to come, I bet.

I stare at him, and suddenly I can’t stand it any longer. I take a deep breath and flop down next to him. “Levi, I’m sorry. This whole getting arrested thing has messed with my brain. I know you love me, and I certainly love you and Brooke. I want youhere, and it was wrong of me to jump to conclusions about what you said. Can I get you a pain pill?”

“I’ll get one later, thanks. I apologize too. I shouldn’t have even brought up the phone call. It was just a throwaway thought that popped into my head, and I can see how you could have misinterpreted my intentions. Are we good? I sure don’t want to move out, especially after the amazing things we did after dinner. That kind of lovemaking was transcendental.” He lifts his hand and strokes my arm, then grasps my hand and holds on tight.

I squeeze his hand and ask, “Why didn’t Brooke help you up the stairs?” I hope she isn’t doubting my innocence too.

Levi gives me a rueful look. “She told me I needed to clean up my own mess, so I left her in the hot tub. She’s pretty exhausted from packing and driving all day and then arriving in the middle of our emotional chaos. She said she had faith that we’d figure out our differences.”

“She’s a wise woman then. Are you ready to go back down and join her, or do you need a moment?”

“Emotionally, I want to go back down so all three of us are together, but physically, I need a break from the stairs.”

“Okay. Then lie back and relax with me, and we’ll head down when you’re ready.” I put my arms around Levi, and we both collapse onto the pillow together. It feels so good to spoon him and keep him in my arms. I hated being mad at him. I nuzzle his neck and whisper, “I’ll try to do better. I was a jerk.”

“You’ll have to speak up, Sky. You know…my hearing problem?”

“Yeah, right. You heard me.”

“Yeah, I did. I was a jerk too.”

“I was a bigger one,” I insist.

“Alright, you win.”

---