All This Time

17 ⦿ in which i admit it

We enter into a small foyer, all of us crowded into the small space before Xander pushes open another door which leads to a spacious living area. A six-seat dining table, small corner kitchen, and a suite of unimaginatively brown couches and armchairs. Levi opens the door next to the entrance, peering in. "Toilet," he announces.

"Home sweet home." Graeme's face looks around unhappily. I can see what's going through her mind: This isn't the Ritz.

"Is this what slummin' it looks like?" Wolf jokes, the first to head up the stairs. "Bedrooms are on this floor!"

We all pile after him and poke our heads into each room we encounter. Two rooms nearly identical with double beds and matching nightstands and a third, smaller room with bunk bed.

"We'll have to share," Graeme says, shouldering her bag.

"I'll take the bunk," Levi says with a shrug.

Eloquent as ever, Xander mumbles, "I need to pee," and ducks down the stairs.

"There's a bathroom up here!" Graeme calls after him, then sighs. "Boys," she mutters under her breath.

She dumps her bag onto the bed closest to the window without asking. "I'm gonna take a nap for a while." Without waiting for an answer, she flops onto the bed, crawling towards the pillow and promptly shimmying under the blankets.

"She's got the right idea. I'm gonna get some sleep, too. " Levi ruffles the back of his head. "And probably get some NyQuil while I'm at it."

His disappearance into his bedroom leaves Wolf and me alone in the hallway. Steven Albright hangs in the air between us, thick and tangible.

"Are you, like, jealous?" The words spill out of me, the spite laden down heavily on my tongue. "Over an ex-boyfriend who is honestly none of your business?"

"No." His face is sullen, lips downturned.

"Then?"

"I don't want to talk about it." His lip warps into a sneer. "Isn't that what you offered me earlier? That we don't have to talk about things?"

My own words hit me in the face and I blanch, almost recoiling.

"I thought you were different." Wolf's voice is low.

"And you're the same," I hiss back. "You know, I thought your attitude towards me had changed, but no. You still think I'm after money."

"I don't."

But his words don't ring true.

"I still like you," he tries again, and at this I can't help but sigh.

"But you don't trust me."

"It's not that," he said, frowning. "It's just that I didn't know you dated guys like that."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes," he shoots back.

"Why?"

He clamps his lips tightly shut.

Suddenly, it occurs to me. "Oh my god," I whisper. "Are your manly sensibilities offended that you're not the first guy in a tailored suit to sweep me off my feet?"