The Expansion of the Universe

Five | "A bit of a Nosy Nancy."

She was still terrified, of course, but now she was terrified by the realization that she was starting to enjoy his company.

"I brought Oreos today," he announced, the crinkling sound of plastic following shortly after. "They're the traditional kind, obviously. Austin says tradition is for whiny bitches—ah, shit, sorry—I mean, uh, pansies." He didn't even seem to realize that he'd cursed when apologizing for cursing, and Liza let a tiny, barely-there smile tug at her lips.

This stranger, who wasn't much of a stranger anymore, she almost . . . well, she almost liked him.

She shook her head to clear it. She couldn't afford to let anyone else unknown into her little world. She hadn't even let Dr. Whitney in, not entirely, and surely if she couldn't let a professional inside, then a random man from the condo next door wouldn't be allowed either.

"Anyway, who cares what Austin thinks, right? He has sucky taste. His last girlfriend was a model, but I swear to god she's the reason that whole stereotype of 'dumb blonde' exists. I shit you not, the woman asked me what she was eating when I had them over for dinner once. Do you know what I served them? Shrimp! She didn't know what shrimp were! After I told her, she asked, 'is it, like, a smaller type of chicken?' I had to complete a damn sudoku puzzle after they left just to bring my IQ back up."

"Who's Austin?"

There was a sudden, gaping silence as they both came to terms with the fact that Liza had spoken.

She was so shocked by her sudden question that she slapped a hand over her mouth, as though the action would somehow return the words to the dark cavern they had stemmed from.

Before she could panic, Elijah was swooping in to reply. "He's my work-buddy. Partner, I guess. Co-captain, if you will. If we've known each other for ages—since high school."

"Co-captain?"

Oh, God, like a ship or a . . .

A plane?

Her heart squeezed in her chest, and she grabbed the back of Milo's coat to remind herself that she was safely inside her condo, and not thousands of feet in the air where a single man's idiotic decision could end in catastrophe.

"Sure, we're partners in crime. I don't like to work without him; I don't trust the other guys, as mean as you might think that is."

"I don't think it's mean," she offered, and she truly meant that.

After all, Liza was well-acquainted with the dangers of putting trust into someone who shattered it into a million pieces, scattered across the dirty and debris like glass, decorated in blood and guts and—

Stop it.

Wait.

Okay, try again.

"Thanks, window-girl," Elijah said. "Glad you've got my back. Do you agree about the Oreos, too? Then I can tell Austin that—"

"No!" she shrieked before she could stop herself, cringing away from the door as though it had been the one to emit the horrible noise.

There was another pause, before Elijah soothed her with the words, "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. Don't worry, our friendship can be our little secret, okay?"

She swallowed down her emotions and croaked, "Okay. Sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry." It was amazing how his voice had changed, going from the light, happy tone she'd grown familiar with to something much sweeter and softer. "I understand. I don't think I want to tell Austin about you, anyway. I like having this special relationship. Say, I've never offered, but are you interested in an Oreo or two?"