It was so much worse in a public bathroom. Mainly because there was always more than one commode.
I had to flush all of them. Which could get tricky if it were busy. I tried to avoid public facilities if I could, but there was no way in hell I could hold it all the way home.
Bursting through the door, I found an empty stall and did my business.
The door swung open again and multiple people shuffled in.
Great.
“I’ve got the hottest date for Perry’s wedding, girl. You’re gonna die when you see him. I swear it.”
Amelie. Evergreen Queen of ’18. I’d know her chipper voice anywhere.
“I’m jealous,” someone else said. Dasha? “Enri says he’s busy. I’d give my left ovary if I could just find a guy who wanted to spend time with me outside the bedroom.”
No idea who Enri is but, Dasha, you can do better.
Not that I should give advice. I couldn’t stop compulsively flushing toilets and creeping my ex’s social threads.
Which, I’d only checked twice today during lunch hour.
Huh. That was a record low, shamefully.
“Did you see Holly?”
My spine instantly stiffened and I held my breath, like they’d discover their new subject was in the stall behind them.
“Yeah,” Amelie said, and made a pitying sound. “She was checked out the whole meeting.”
“I would be too if my man left me for my cousin.” Dasha giggled. “Can you blame him though?”
“You’re so mean.” Except Amelie giggled too.
“Truth hurts. Perry’s gorgeous. Pity for Holly though. Perry said she hasn’t moved on. They all walk on eggshells around her.”
Pity.
Pity for Holly.
My eyes burned. I hadn’t blinked. Pity was something I couldn’t deal with. I didn’t want people pitying me. I could deal with my problems on my own. Maybe I needed a therapist to help me, but that was my business.
It gutted me to think my family felt that way. It shouldn’t, but it did.
Was it true? Or was Perry spinning webs?
“Wow, what a sad existence. Like, move on already.”
Thanks Amelie. What a novel idea. Hadn’t thought of it.
Not gonna lie... it hurt. Embarrassment and shame shot through me until my hands were trembling and my heart was racing by the time they left.
And as I went down stall after stall, triggering each sensor, I hated myself the whole time.
Pity for Holly.
Pity!
I washed my hands, dried my face since I didn’t realize I’d been crying, and left.
To my complete and utter mortification, Dasha and Amelie were in the hallway, still chatting.
They hushed as soon as they saw me. They knew. We shared a look. One that conveyed I’d been in the room while they were shit-talking me.
I brushed past them, grabbing my coat and bag in silence. When I rounded the corner, I heard Amelie whisper, “Was she there the whole time?!”
Yep. The whole time.
I know I shouldn’t let it ruin my day, but I’m human.
When I got in the transport, I didn’t say anything to Kye. Just set the destination to home and kept my mouth shut on the way.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” I fibbed. “Think I’m just tired.”
When we got home, I led us up the back. I didn’t want to see anyone, and I didn’t feel like explaining why I had a giant alien following me to my apartment.
I still didn’t know how I was going to explain that—him.
Locking my door, I hung up my stuff, kicked off my boots and turned on the projector vid for Kye.
Goodnight was all I said before retreating to my room.
Maybe tomorrow would be better.
NINE
KYE
Last night was altogether weird. I’d pegged Holly as a tightly wound individual, but once she got out of her meeting, her mood had completely flipped. She’d almost seemed comatose.
Don’t know what was up, but it didn’t take a genius to know she lied about being tired. Upset? I’d believe that. My gut said it had something to do with Perry.
I rubbed my neck, grimacing, trying to work out the kink. Think I’d need more than a decorative pillow to prop my head up if Holly expected me to sleep on the couch for the next few weeks.
I perused the kitchen, noticing the tech hadn’t changed much since my last waking. Which made my current situation even more confusing.
What the hell happened to the last berchta? And who was Holly? They looked nothing alike. No familial resemblance whatsoever.
Sssssss!
I jumped back at the hiss. The device on the countertop lit up and started releasing hot liquid into a collection pot.
Leaning in, I sniffed, realizing it was coffee. Huh. Must’ve been on