BLEACHED

53: A worried Lawyer

Just as Walter had denied with all his might, he didn't let her even catch a glimpse of the office building.

He simply texted one of his old colleagues to inform that she's ill.

Clearly not wanting to text Domen when he has his number after he called him in.

As much as he appreciates Domen calling him, he still hated him.

"You can sit on the couch, I'll make lunch." Walter says as he holds Lavender's shoulders and brings her down to the couch.

She glances up to meet his eyes and can see the familiar gaze he's had on at one point. It used to scare her, seeing him eaten from the inside, but now she knew what that look meant.

She had been hurting him for a long time and he sucked it all up as though it didn't bother him.

A frown carved it's way on her lips and she looks down to her laps instead, getting him to sigh out and move from the couch when he knows she's aware he's not okay.

Once he disappears through the arch, Lavender leans back into her couch as  her back blends into the soft cushions.

What do I do with Walter? She thinks to herself as she glances down at her hand, clenching her jaw tightly and bites her lower lip. I can't see past the friendship.... Not at all.

"Uh... Lavender, I forgot to ask, what would you like for lunch? Looks like you've got a packed fridge." He chuckles when he's well aware she's never had a full fridge.

All thanks to Cameron.

"Anything will work fine." Lavender sighs as she glances back down at the bandaged wound, still pondering on why Domen had stayed ten minutes well after he was supposed to be gone.

Don't think too into it, Lavender. It means nothing.

Feeling her tears begin to itch her eyes, she blinks rapidly as the feeling of rejection resurfaces.

As much as it was doomed from the start, it was better to catch a small chance of hope.

Now it's nothing.

Her phone suddenly buzzes beside her, getting her eyes to glance down at it as her tears are on the verge of pouring out, only to notice it is Cameron.

A video chat.

Well that's unusual.

Lavender glances towards the kitchen and noticed Walter is well into the cooking, too concentrated to notice anything.

She gets up from the couch and pads across the floor to the bathroom, making sure to lock it shut before walking to the toilet and dropping the lid down so she could sit.

She wipes the back of her hand against her eyes as she holds the phone up while staring at her face.

Not that noticeable.

She clicks the answer icon and slides it to the right until it disappears, bringing Cameron's face into view.

Lavender smiles slightly, almost forcing it as she notices Cameron hasn't really noticed she's answered yet as his eyes are staring elsewhere.

It doesn't take long for him to hear the ambiance of the speaker from her head, getting him to glance down at his phone, finally meeting her eyes.

"Were you crying?" Is the first thing he asks the moment he notices her unusually glimmering eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I got hurt. Glass night stand." She smiles as she holds up her hand and shows the bandage. "It hurts." She clears her throat and glances around the place before glancing at him.

A slight frown forms on his lips as he drops his eyes from hers to the bandaged wound rather slowly before glancing back at her.

"What happened?" He asks, though not sounding too alarmed by it. Almost as though it's not that much of a deal. "Is that why you weren't home yesterday? We were supposed to have dinner."

"Yeah... It's because I kind of felt dizzy and fell. When I did I hit my head too hard that I blacked out and woke up at the hospital-."

"You what!?" Now the look of concern washes over him as what he had been thinking isn't the reason why she wasn't home or answering his calls. "I... I'll be there in a moment. You're home right?"

"Yeah... But come after you're done with your work." She says as she watches him get up from his desk. "You don't need to rush over, I'm fine."

"... And here I was thinking you were with.... Ahem." He clears his throat and frowns more as Lavender raises her brows, perplexed at the thought. "I'll see you tonight, I promise. I'm just so busy right now..."

"It's okay. Just do your work." She smiles out as he nods his head slightly, getting him to sigh out and run a hand through his hair.

"Are you sick, though?" He asks as his eyes wondering from the screen and towards someone who seems to have entered the room. "Why were you dizzy?"

"Maybe from the wound." She shrugs her shoulders and watches as he reaches his hand out and retrieves it seconds later with a hand full of files.

"Did you check for anything else? An infection maybe?" He asks as he seems to get up from his desk and place the phone down, only giving a Lowe view of his chin instead.

"They said I was burned out." She shrugs her shoulders and watches as he hands something back to whomever is in the room with him. "Looks like you're really busy."

"Yeah, I'll talk to you tonight." He smiles as he lifts the phone back up to his face. "Get some rest and call me if anything happens."

"Don't worry, I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself." She rolls her eyes as Cameron furrows his brows.

"Yeah, I know that." He says with a slight roll of his eyes. "But I care about you, so I want you to call me if anything. Anyway, by for now, I have to get to court."

"Okay." She nods her head and he smiles at her before disappearing from the screen.

She sighs out and leans back onto the toilet as she glanced up at the ceiling.

Lost in thought.

Knowing she can't be in the bathroom for too long or Walter would notice, she decides to press the toilet handle down, letting the flushing sound of the water inside to fill up the silent air.

Just to give herself and alibi.

She gets up from the toilet and walks to the sink, opening the faucet and closing it momentarily as her eyes glance up to her reflection.

Unlike the usual round cheek face she had on, her cheeks are a lot smaller than before, nearly pressing onto high cheekbones.

It's not too dramatic to notice, but she can tell she hasn't been eating a lot lately.

Either it's all too depressing or Desmond finally got to her.

Sighing at the thought of Domen's father, she turns for the door, only to stop the moment her fingers circled the door handle.

She suddenly feels too tired and ready to collapse to the floor.

Drowsiness fills her eyes as she twists the door knob open and steps out, feeling too exhausted as she forces her feet towards the kitchen where the spicy sent of Walter's cooking embraces her nose.