Without Me

Chapter 4

Lizzie ran her fingers over the top of her nightstand. She had painstakingly rearranged Hope's things to all fit on one, killing as much time as she could.

It seemed silly to dwell on that of all things, but Lizzie missed her stuff. She wanted to crawl into her own bed with her sheets that were much fancier than these school-provided ones and admire all the plants she'd been growing since freshman year. She wanted her jewelry and her diary and all her clothes. She would have to get a job to afford new everything. Maybe at the grill or the smoothie bar -

Her plans were interrupted by a knock at the door. 

"It's open!" Lizzie called before she remembered whoever it was wouldn't be there for her. Sure enough, it was Landon who swung the door open.

He smiled wide, mouth a little open, when he spotted Lizzie. He hastily dropped the box of things in his hands onto Hope's dresser and stuck out a hand.

"You must be Hope's new roommate."

Lizzie furrowed her eyebrows and shook his hand slowly. "Lizzie."

"Lizzie." Landon kept smiling and staring at her eyes. He finally snapped out of his trance, shaking his head clear. "I - I'm Landon."

Lizzie looked down at where he was still holding her hand. "Uh … nice to meet you."

"You too!" Landon jerked his hand back, wiping his palms on his jeans. "Sorry, um, I was just bringing Hope's stuff back."

"Ah. The ex-boyfriend." Lizzie said like she was just now connecting the dots. 

"Yep." Landon pressed his mouth into a flat line and looked down at the floor. 

Lizzie nodded. "Well, she's not here right now."

"Yeah. I sort of planned it that way. I know she has class."

Lizzie's eyebrows jumped. "Bad break up?"

Landon considered it for a moment, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Messy. And complicated."

"And personal?"

"No, just … someone sort of possessed me and pretended to break up with her. And once he was gone, we decided to keep it that way."

"Sorry to hear that."

"No you're not." Landon laughed. "You don't even know either of us. And honestly … I think we're both better off this way."

"Ah." Lizzie didn't really know what she could ask that wouldn't seem suspicious. Even though she was itching to get the full gossip, she had to bite her tongue and wait until it was natural for her to ask. 

Right now, she was focusing on rebuilding relationships.

Not with Landon Kirby though.

"I was just about to catch a nap before Hope came back from class to show me around." Lizzie motioned to her disappointing bed.

"Oh - sorry! Sorry. Yeah, I'll just leave this here -" He motioned to the box of stuff. "- and if she asks, just …"

Lizzie arched her eyebrows. "Tell her it was you?"

"Yeah. Yes! Thank you." Landon was backing towards the door. "Um, happy sleeping? Sweet dreams?" He tripped over the threshold. "Oops. I mean, I'll see you around, Lizzie."

"See you, Landon."