Page 18 of Euphoria
Not even a second later, I hear a small voice. “Excuse me,” accompanied by a sniffle. “Um, can I get through? I just, I’ll leave you guys to it. Can you let me by?”
I know that voice. The same voice that I’ve been avoiding for weeks now. “Get out.” Bowie and I end up saying at the same time. Sometimes, it freaks me out how in tune we are with each other.
“Okay,” Her tiny voice responds.
My eyes have adjusted well to the darkness so as soon as Bambi stands to move, I grab her wrist. “Not you. I mean you, Jessica. Get out.”
Jessica gasps. “Wait what the fuck?”
“Get the fuck out, Jessica. Neither of us will repeat ourselves,” Bowie states just as pissed.
“Fuck you,” she says to the both of us.
I growl and get all up in her face, letting Bambi’s wrist go. “If I wasn’t about to deal with this, I would snap your little neck off. Don’t ever speak to me like that again.”
The fear is evident in Jessica’s blue eyes. She says nothing else as she runs out of the janitor’s closet. I slam the door, locking it, and then I turn the light on. Bambi is sitting in the corner with her knees up to her chest, her head buried in between. “I’m sorry. I can go talk to her for you and have her understand that this was just a coincidence,” she starts. “This is my place and nobody is usually in here.”
Bowie watches her like she’s an enigma. Isn’t it me that’s supposed to be confused with people? Not him. I crouch down and remove her arms from around her knees, then I lift her head. She’s been crying. An unknown source of anger washes over me, one that I know can turn me downright murderous.
“Who made you cry?” Bowie says from behind me. He’s finally gotten the memo and crouches down too.
“Nobody,” she lies to the both of us.
“Don’t fucking lie to us.” I grit my teeth.
She shakes her head. “I’m not lying. I made myself cry because I pushed you both away.” She looks at Bowie, “I waited for you but neither of you ever came.”
I’m stunned stupid. I don’t know what to say or how to react to this. She waited for us?
“I told you not to wait!” I harshly chastise her.
“No, you never said that.”
“Are you fucking arguing with me right now?” I ask. “Is she arguing with us dude?” I ask Bowie.
“No.” She shakes her head. I notice the intricate little braids her hair is in. I love it. I want to pull at them.
I smirk, sitting down on the ground. “You want company?”
Her eyes widened. “You’ll stay? You won’t leave?” She asks and looks at Bowie.
“Nah, we won’t.” Bowie says as he sits on the floor too. “What do you do in here, anyway, Bams?”
“Bams?” Her brows perk up. “I like it. Can I call you Bow?” She asks him and he shrugs. She looks at me, hopeful as hell. “What about you? Can I call you Marky? Or like I don’t know, M.”
“Hell no,” I chuckle and she frowns.
“Okay, Markos it is.”
“Call me, Phoenix.”
“Like the mythical bird? That’s my favorite type of creature.”
I smile. “Oh yeah, guess I’m your favorite then. My name, my real name is Phoenix but you can’t tell anyone else. That’s our secret.”
Bambi smiles wide and scoots even closer. She slaps her hands over her cheeks. “I love your name, can I call you P?” She laughs at her own corny joke. “Wait, no, I know what I’ll call you, Nix or.”
“Or what?” I lean in close to her face, needing to observe her reaction and joy at the simple nickname giving ceremony she’s performing but this is so much better. Her expression has transformed as she zeroes in on my lips, lingering as I watch her. Fuck, she’s so cute up close. “Say it,” I growl at her.
