Page 42 of A Whirlwind of Color (The Light to My Darkness 2)

“You don’t look good, James. Honestly, you look terrible and…”

“How do you think you’d look if Josh almost died? I’m dealing as best I can. And I’m not using.”

“Do you swear?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Because you’ll need your A-game tonight. Penny’s lost her freaking mind. She stole Josh’s pants and then pretended it wasn’t weird at all and then ran away to take a bath because apparently she’s freezing cold.”

“She never takes baths.”

“Yeah, well, she’s not exactly acting like herself. God, I barely recognize her. I’ve known her longer with you two together than I ever knew her when she was single. I’m used to you two being solid.”

“I’m going to go check on her.”

“Let me,” Melissa said with a sigh. “She used to always wear Tyler’s sweatpants when she’d come over. I may have snapped at her because it reminded me of that.”

Man of my dreams Tyler? I bet I did want to be in his pants. I almost laughed at the thought. There was no way I had tried to steal Melissa’s boyfriend. She had to know that.

James laughed. “Yeah. I hated when she’d do that too.”

“Why didn’t you tell her to stop then? You could have saved me from a huge fight we had.”

“I was trying to be less...possessive. I trusted her.”

“So not cool, James.”

There was a pause.

“I noticed that you used the past tense there,” Melissa said.

“I’m trying to hold on.” He sounded so defeated. “But I’m tired. I want to wake up and for all of this to be over.”

Me too.

“Well, let me go check on her. Sit down and relax. That’s why I came…to help.”

“Thanks, Melissa.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Oh my God. I looked both ways and then ran to the hall closet and jumped inside. I didn’t even have time to close the door when I heard her footsteps on the stairs.

“Penny?” she called as she went into the bedroom.

Please work. Please don’t see me.

I heard her knock on the bathroom door. “Penny?”

Silence.

“Penny!” she screamed at the top of her lungs and banged on the bathroom door. “Penny, let me in!” She banged harder. “Open the fucking door, Penny!” More banging. “Josh! Josh, get help!” she screamed down the stairs. “Someone help!”

Commotion, shouting, footsteps pounding on the stairs.

“Penny!” James yelled. “Penny, open the door! Baby, please.” It sounded like he was dying. Like his heart was breaking.

I thought about what I had written and cringed. I told him I was sorry. I told him couldn’t do this anymore. That this was better for both of us. That he needed to forget about me.

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