Page 7 of Undone

Lately, though, it felt different—like we weren’t even in the same universe anymore. He’d go an entire day with only a text or two when he was out of town. When he came back, he was distant, short with me, unwilling to talk about anything, and insisted he made every plan, unwilling to compromise on the smallest of details.

I tried to attribute it to his heightened work stress, which is why I’d let it go and was eagerly anticipating our date. I hoped it would give us a chance to reconnect and enjoy some quality time together.

Needing a distraction from my thoughts, I decided to grade a stack of homework, answer a few emails from parents, and sort through other school-related tasks. But when that was done, I still couldn’t escape my mind. I turned on the TV and settled in to start a new show, hoping it would help me unwind.

The light of the screen filled the living room. As the first few minutes played, the sound of Dorian emerging from the room drew my attention. He walked out in gray sweatpants, and I resisted the urge to give him a once-over, focusing instead on the unfolding scenes of the dystopian drama.

I’m taken. I don’t need to be eyeing my best friend’s brother.

“Oh, is this that new show based on the post-apocalyptic video game?” he asked.

“Yup,” I said, attempting to sound casual.

He moved into the kitchen to fill his water bottle, the faded dark green T-shirt hinting at the strength beneath. The dim light highlighted the sharp angles of his face, giving him a strong, masculine look that was striking yet unmistakably reminiscent of Dotty.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked, nodding toward the couch.

“Sure.” My voice cracked, but he either didn’t notice or chose to ignore it.

He sat on the other end of the couch, leaving a cushion between us.

Oh, thank God.

“Have you played the game before?” he asked, as he leaned back, making himself comfortable.

“No, but the show has been all over social media lately, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

“I’ve been meaning to watch this but haven’t found the time,” he said, adjusting the pillows. He rested his head along the back of the couch, exposing the strong column of his throat.

“You used to play?” I asked.

The muscles in his face softened as he gave me a wide smirk. “Yeah. Trent and I did growing up.” His brown gaze drifted to the pictures against the wall. “We would play for hours while Dotty would read.”

“That must have been nice, having siblings and friends to grow up with.”

“Yeah…” His voice trailed off as he seemed to delve deeper into his thoughts. “I guess I never really thought about it, but it was nice to have them around.” He glanced over at me, his smirk turning into something more genuine. “Do you have any siblings?” he asked. I managed a weak smile in return, appreciating the sentiment.

“Nope, only child.” I shrugged, trying not to focus on how intently his eyes seemed to study me.

“Really?” He tilted his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

I wasn’t ready to go into my family dynamics with him, so I instead nodded. We turned back to the show, the storyline captivating me immediately. We ended up watching a few episodes in a row, drawn into the unfolding story until the late hours of the night. The air was filled with a comfortable silence, only broken by our occasional comments about what was playing out on screen.

Eventually, fatigue began to catch up with me, my eyelids growing heavier as the credits rolled for the third time.

“I think that’s the last one I can handle for tonight,” I said, standing from the couch.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

He stood too, but the coffee table took up most of the space, forcing us closer. In an instant, he was only inches away, towering over me. I immediately pushed back, but his presence still loomed over me, bringing a strange awareness to the space between us.

“Sorry. Guess being a little sleepy throws off my balance,” he added, a playful edge to his tone.

“No worries.” I waved him off and walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass to fill with water.

“How about tomorrow night? We could watch another one?” he suggested.

I paused for a second, then moved to grab my keys from the counter. “I won’t be around. Date night.”

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