Chasing Memories

[15] Admitted

    A look of shock jolted through Cadence's eyes, reflecting like fireflies in her pooled tears. "You really mean that?" she asked, sniffling as she managed a weak smile. "Because I'll hold you to that, killer. I'll bring the grump right to your door if I have to!"

    Snorting suddenly, Elise hid her face behind her hand and keeled over in a fit of giggles. "Imagine Robin's face! Do you think he'd kick me out right away or wait until he'd found someone else to move in first?"

    "Yeah, right. Like he'd ever kick you out." As her heels bounced off the wall, Cadence looked out into the night and followed the progress of a lone pair of headlights across the lone valley road. "The guy cooks for you, lets you use his stuff, and he even forgave you right away for breaking his super-private fancy wine. It wouldn't surprise me if he was secretly way into you."

    "Robin? No way," Elise said, curling a stray lock of her hair around her finger. "He's nice, but we don't actually hang out all that much. That's probably the only reason he puts up with me, I think."

    Distant bats assembled in the night sky, a lively, leathery cloud flocking from tree to tree with keen coordination. Swallowing down another swig of coffee, Cadence allowed herself a fiendish smirk. "Please. Why wouldn't he want you around? In a town full of weirdos and assholes, getting a chill girl like you as a roommate must have been like winning the damn lottery."

    "I guess." The events of the past few days had provided more of a glimpse into Bosmouth's worst side than Elise had wished for. However annoying she may have been, she was not blatantly rude and she was definitely never dangerous. "I don't know how chill I am to live with, though. I feel like I'm moaning to him about something or other every evening."

    "That's every person ever. Everybody's bitching all the time, whether they like it or not," Cadence said, fiddling with the collar of her jacket. She pulled herself along the wall until her shoulder bumped against Elise's, and her gaze honed the edge of her serious expression. "You're a great person, Ellie. You're fun, you're cute, and you're a damn good writer too."

    "I..." Elise said as her mind froze on the compliment bombshell Cadence threw her way without a care. After a breathless moment, the last of Cadence's statements entered her thoughts. "How do you know I'm a good writer? I've never shown you any of my work."

    Cadence's eyes widened. "Uh oh. Busted."

    "Cade, have you read my articles?"

    Clearing her throat and tugging on her beanie, Cadence avoided her friend's stare as she chose her words. "I might have come across a couple here and there, just to see what you wrote about Flo, you know?" she said, rubbing at the back of her neck. A single harsh blink from Elise's stern eyes shattered Cadence's charade. "Alright, I've read them all. When I first found out you were getting published, I went back and read all your old stuff. I even get notifications when one of your posts goes up so I can read it straight away. Happy?"

    Thoughts flew from Elise's mind as she sat in silence, transfixed by the flurry of rose hues that coloured the curves of Cadence's cheeks. She took a lungful of air to clear her woolly mind, thankful that the breath also cushioned the sudden lift of her heart. "That's...I don't know what to say. I didn't think you'd be interested in anything I put out there. I didn't think you'd care."

    The beaming whites of Cadence's eyes outshone the feeble oil lamp mounted beside them. "You did not just say that."

    "I thought you hated me," Elise protested as she drummed her fingers against the topside of the wall. Though embarrassed enough to hide away, warm wisps filled the feather of space between them to keep her in sight of Cadence's shimmering hazel stars. "I thought you wanted to forget about me."