Page 52 of Severance

“He moved, right?”

“Uh huh.”

“I’m a bit worried. He hasn’t been returning any of Luke’s calls.”

“Really?” To me this is news. I was under the impression that Mikah has only been keeping his distance with me.

“Is he doing okay?”

I’m not sure how he’s doing. He’s cold and unapproachable unless we discuss literature. He doesn’t want to share his real feelings with me. He doesn’t want to talk about Dakota or anything that happened that night, and worry and fear for him and for us—whateverwemay be now—gnaws at my gut.

“If I tell you something, can you keep it a secret?” I say softly, palming my cheeks, which feel like they’re on fire.

“You’re seriously asking me this?” Jess rolls her eyes. “Of course.”

I scan the sidewalk and the street to make sure no one can hear me when I let these words out into the universe. “We kissed.”

The expression on Jess’s face is one of horror. “You and Mikah?” Her jaw snaps shut and her eyes widen.

I nod, swallowing past the throbbing lump in my throat as I hug myself.

“Are you serious? When?”

“Last week.”

“And you’re just telling me about this right now?” She sounds offended. “I’m your best friend.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I needed some time. We had a few drinks and it just happened, and now I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Crap.” Her shoulders sag.

“Please don’t tell Luke,” I plead.

“I won’t,” she reassures me.

We fall back into a moment of depressing silence and I almost regret my confession.

“Is there something going on between you two?” Jess asks quietly, her voice laced with concern. Her gaze narrows on my face.

“I don’t know.”

“Girl…” she pauses for a second as if searching for the right thing to say, but I can tell she’s struggling with the idea of Mikah and me kissing as much as I am. “Just be careful.”

“What do you mean?” I don’t understand what she’s trying to tell me.

Jess moves closer and whispers, “Just because they look alike doesn’t mean one can replace the other.”

I want to scream at her for saying this out loud, but at the same time, she makes me question my real motives behind the kiss.

“Look, I’m not saying that’s what you’re doing.” She touches my shoulder. “But don’t go there if you don’t mean it. It’d be shitty to do that to him and to yourself.”

I nod in acknowledgment and force a small smile.

Jess and I talk for a while longer, until Blaze comes out to grab her. I don’t go back inside. Instead, I say my goodbyes and head to my car and call Mikah.

He answers almost instantly. “How’s your leg?”

“It’s better. I drove today.” I don’t tell him where exactly I drove.

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