Page 45 of Glass Wings
“You mean another day,” Hadley corrected.
“Unfortunately,” Hector said, before closing his eyes.
Hadley watched as his body relaxed until it went limp and then curled up on the floor, letting herself fall asleep to the white noise of Hector’s snores.
The next morning, she woke up and was surprised to find herself on the couch. The smell of a slightly burnt breakfast was in the air, and her stomach rumbled loudly. She rolled to the side to face the kitchen, where Hector certainly looked busy, chopping things and pushing something around in a hot pan.
“Why are you here?” Hadley asked, stretching her arms long. “You should be training.”
“Well, I woke up hungover, and I’d count picking you up off the floor and tucking you into the couch an hour ago without waking you up as training. Grace? Strength? Not throwing up? All important things.” He smirked before jumping as hot oil exploded from the pan.
Hadley’s phone vibrated on the floor next to her. She glanced at the screen before flipping the device over and pushing it away.
“Is it from that boss of yours?” Hector asked, raising his eyebrows while scooping some eggs onto a plate.
“Yes,” she groaned.
“You are going to go take a shower, put on literally anything else, and have some breakfast,” Hector instructed.
“Am I? When did you become the parent in this relationship?” Hadley smirked.
“After you eat breakfast, we are going into every theater, dance studio, and gym I know to fill out job applications. We both live here, so we both can split the rent.”
Hadley nodded at the marvel that was her friend, so grateful to have someone looking out for her. She stood up, popping a few stitches in the tight bodice of her party dress, and headed down the hallway to do as instructed.
The hot water washed Hadley’s sins away, giving her a feeling ofrelief and comfort. The shower had always been such a safe space, where she could cry, relax, and sing terribly. Squeezing the bottle of body wash onto her bright blue loofah, Hadley made small gentle circles over her skin. She massaged her legs, letting the soap lather, creating rich, thick bubbles as she moved over her navel, up her chest, and onto her shoulders. She moved to her back and stopped, gasping in pain. The loofah pushed on something connected to her, like a giant splinter sticking out of her back.
She dropped the loofah, putting her hand over the same spot, this time feeling nothing. It was so real, the panic and the feeling of her skin ripping. She stood there for a few minutes, letting the hot water continue to hit her back as she regained her regular heartbeat, not noticing that a richer, darker blue color was mixed in with the suds against the bright blue sponge.
“I think I’m going crazy,” she whispered to herself as she shut off the water and went through the process of drying off and dressing.
“Hey, you alright in there?” Hector yelled from the other side of the closed door. “I thought I heard something.”
“I’m alright,” Hadley yelled back.
“Hey, I’m all for privacy, but your phone was on the floor just going nuts. You have at least five missed calls and ten text messages from a Grant.”
Hadley opened the door, making eye contact with her friend.
“Really?” she asked, holding out her hand as Hector handed the device over.
I don’t know what the fuck you did darlin', but the client from last night . . . is slightly obsessed with you.
Hadley’s heart stopped as she read the succession of texts.
He wants you back today.
Why aren't you answering?
We can’t let people with this kind of money down, darlin’.
Is this what ghosting is?
“It’s about your job, your real job, isn’t it?” Hector asked, still standing there.
Hadley opened the door, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and pushed past Hector, walking into her room and flopping down on her bed. She let her body sink in, the plush blanket enveloping her as she breathed in deeply and closed her eyes.
“They want me back. Last night, I had to go to an awful party in East Sacramento, and I guess they, or he, liked me.”
