Supernova

Chapter Three | There's always harm in knowing someone

Sterling

"And you broke your nose...?" Patty questions before she downs her now third glass of wine.

Patty and I have wine night every Tuesday. We watch cheesy rom-coms and pretend they're the greatest movies ever to be made. They usually make me wanna shove a fork into my eye, but as I said: we pretend. I think it started because Patty's cat died, but if I'm being honest, I can't remember. I've had too many glasses of wine here since then. All I know is that we drink wine. And lots of it.

"No, Patty. He broke my nose!" I exasperate. "I know you see the band-aid. I know you see it, Pat."

"Star baby, I see the bandage," she shakes her head and pours another glass.

Star baby is what she calls me. Or Star. She only calls me Sterling when she's mad. She hates calling me Sterling. She tells me she treats me like her own, so she calls me what she would if I were her own. I guess "star" is close to the "Ster" in my name. Maybe that's part of the reason I took a liking to supernova. Just for Patty. I have other reasons, but in a way, Patty keeps my liking to it strong.

"My nose is broken, Patty," I hiss.

"My goodness, you are impossible tonight. Here I thought some alcohol would calm you down but it just gets you more riled up," she huffs. "Go to the roof and relax. Come back when you cool down," she waves me off.

I raise my eyebrows at her. "What?"

"Did I stutter, young lady? That wild man has your panties in a twist and not in a good way. I think it would be better if it was a good way, but you have too many sticks up your ass to count. You need to relax. I know the only male interaction you receive is with your colleagues and patients, but, my God, you need to take a breather. So go to that roof. Now!"

I hold my glass in my hand with my mouth hanging open. Patty bustles out of the room and I hear the TV click on and she begins to surf the channels. She just kicked me out. I am not heated about stupid Xavier Gonzales. I don't even know the man well enough to be mad at him like she thinks I am.

I fill my glass up more before I wrap myself tighter in my blanket and walk out the door. The hallway's carpeting is prickly even through my socks. I take a big chug of my wine. It's only 9 o'clock but the hallways are empty and silent. I head toward the end of the hall and step inside the elevator. I hit the roof button and the doors begin to close.

Until they don't.

I swear to God if this is-

"Floor girl," he says in a low voice and his presence fills the whole elevator as he steps in. I hate this man. It has been decided. I guess I can't hate him since I don't even know him. But as much dislike as I can foster for a stranger. How do you just show up so often at the worst times?

"What are you doing?"

He smiles. He has a nice smile. "I saw you and wanted to check up. You know, the whole nose thing."

I glare at him. "I'm great."

"I can see by the bandaged nose. Glad you got that checked out," he tells me.

I scoff but say nothing, hoping he will leave me alone.

The elevator dings and the door opens to the roof. "Your stop is the roof?"

Okay, he does not plan on leaving me alone.

"Yes."

"With a huge glass of wine?"

"Yes."

"And a blanket?"

"Yes."

"In the cold of October?"