Jamais Vu

Chapter 16

"I hear you've moved."

Nessa glanced up from her computer, and it took several moments to draw herself out of her work and back into the present. "Sorry, Professor?"

Espino stood beside her desk, his sallow face as sullen as usual. "My TA says your living situation has changed."

"It is." Nessa allowed herself the luxury of a smile. "I've moved in with my boyfriend."

Despite the ups and downs of the last few weeks, Nessa felt a settling in her soul when she thought about living officially with Dan. They'd barely been apart since their first night together, and his little room in the art-filled penthouse had become a safe haven against the madness in the rest of her life.

She and James had tried to limp along, but their friendship had suffered a major hit. Nessa realised everything had changed when she went back to their apartment for the first time since games night. As much as Nessa loved being with Dan, wearing the same wrap dress for three days straight and sleeping in Dan's tees wasn't a permanent solution, and she needed to see where things were at.

"Hello? James, are you home?" She walked through the apartment, which appeared empty. A scrap of lace lay on the sofa, a bustier she recognised as Lulu's, and Nessa just barely managed to contain a harrumph. It's none of my business what she and James are doing together – even if it is on his ten thousand dollar sofa...

"Nessa!" James exited the bathroom, a sheet-sized towel wrapped around his waist. His expression wavered between delight and despair as he said, "You're home? Can we talk?"

"I just came back to grab some stuff," she explained, trying not to make eye contact with him. James had always been comfortable walking around in a towel or boxer shorts in front of her, and Nessa had simply dismissed it as the actions of a man who saw her as nothing more than a platonic buddy. Now she questioned everything. Was it all an attempt to parade his gym-sculpted body in front of her, a lure for her to fall for him? It had never bothered her before but now she had Dan to think of, and all the rules had changed. "James, we can chat, but you need to put a shirt on."

"Oh. Alright." He wandered away forlornly as Nessa began to cram some clean laundry into a tote.

James reappeared at the door, clad in a tee and tailored jeans. "How much longer are you going to stay away?" he asked softly, watching her pack.

"James, you were the one who asked me to give you some space."

"I know, I know, I just... I miss you."

She couldn't say the same, and it made her feel like a bad person. She'd been overwhelmed with Dan, both versions, and James had slipped down her priority list. "I'm not sure," she answered as honestly as she could. "I didn't think it would make much of a difference if I'm here or not – don't you have Lulu and her lacy thongs keeping you company?"

She didn't say it out of jealousy, more out of annoyance; Lulu had used her, and it had worked. But James grinned. "Why? Would you rather have your lacy thongs keeping me company?"

"I don't wear thongs."

"I'm well aware."

"I'm not going to ask how you know that," she muttered, shoving past him into the bathroom, unable to cleanse her mind of the image of James sniffing his way through her panty drawer.

He followed, lamenting as she filled a plastic bag with toiletries. "Of course it matters when you're not here, Nessa. This place isn't the same without you; I'm not the same without you."