Page 30 of Aftermath
It was a hot summer day, and Calvin had invited me to join him for a midday swim in the ocean.
“That wasn’t your fault,” I shrugged.
Mallory had joined at my invite, which Calvin didn’t mind at all. It wasn’t until Calvin invited Mallory to hit the volleyball he brought back and forth that the day took a turn.
“I broke his nose,” she said.
“It wasn’t broken, just slightly bruised and bloody,” I laughed.His nose bruised with a lump for days following. His fiancée? She had thought he’d been in a fight.
“He’s been weird to me ever since,” she pouted.
“He’s not weird to you,” I sighed. “I’m sure he’s forgotten all about it.”
He hadn’t, but I wouldn’t admit that. Although, the beach incident wasn’t the reason he avoided Mallory. Their personalities just weren’t meant to mesh.
“So, this FBI agent,” she pushed. “How long is he here?”
“I don’t know,” I answered as I realized the credits were rolling on the television. I’d missed a third of the movie entirely.
“You didn’t ask?” She raised a brow. “I saw you looking at him like you were ready to take him to bed, and you didn’t bother asking when he was going back?”
“I was not-“
“He’ll just break your heart. It’s for the best,” she added.
“What?”I pulled my legs in close, knowing what Mallory meant. She had her quirks, but I owed everything to her.
Without her, I’d still be living in my brother’s home or possibly without a home, and I’d never have thought life was worth pulling myself out of the depression I’d fallen into.
My life had taken a turn three years ago, and soon after, I’d met Mallory.
“You don’t remember what you were like right afterhim,” she hissed the last word. Mallory refused to say his name, like it was a poison.Honestly, it was. The toxicity I had to purge from my life, my mentality, was pure poison fed to me by the person who destroyed my life.
I didn’t want to think about him.
“I’m not in that place anymore,” I promised.
“And I never want you to be again,” she said with a sympathetic smile.
Mallory may have been a pain at times, but I knew she was always looking after me.I didn’t care how much she bothered others with her confident attitude and never ending sass.She’d been there for me when I most needed a friend.That was what counted.
“Mal, I promise. Never again.”
She stood from the chair and walked over to the couch, sitting down next to me. Her arms wrapped around me, and I could smell her vanilla chai perfume.She pulled me close and squeezed me tightly.
“You’re going to suffocate me,” I giggled.
“I just needed to remind you how much I love you,” she teased.
“I love you too, Mal,” I answered as she let me go from the hug.
I leaned my head onto her shoulder and pulled the remote out of the crack of the couch cushions. A list of movies popped up on the streaming service as I clicked through and found one that looked interesting. I turned it on and let myself become completely lost to it.
At some point, I started to doze off from the combination of wine and the time growing late. Mal carefully slid out from under me and lowered me onto the couch. I could barely keep my eyes open as I let her tuck me in. A blanket was tossed over me and a pillow slid under my head. I pulled my legs in and cuddled up with the warm blanket.
The television still played, and I heard Mal tiptoeing her way out of the apartment.
“Goodnight,” she whispered before opening the door and slipping out.
