"That's it...?" I pressed.
"He also asked for your number," she added, her voice hesitant again.
"And?" My voice was tight now, guarded.
"I didn't give it to him," she exhaled a breath, relaxing her taut stance. "I just said that it wasn't my place. But I would be expecting him on Monday."
"Thanks..."
She gave me a small smile, and it was almost sympathetic, before saying a quick goodbye and heading for the lift. I stood there in the doorway, watching her go, and I realized something.
I had never told Olivia anything about Seth that I was aware of aside from the small details that he was in fact my ex-boyfriend. But based on the way she was acting, I wondered if she knew a bit more than I thought.
---
"I want to go out."
"Look, Al, you're cute and everything, don't get me wrong, but after all this time, I--"
"Not like that," I rolled my eyes and lightly slapped Shane's arm. "I meant I want you to take me out somewhere to help me get my mind off of some things. I need a good distraction."
"Distraction from what?" he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
I had felt off since Olivia visited me yesterday. Not only did she explain that my abusive ex-boyfriend was in town, but she was also acting in a very non-Olivia-y way. It had frightened me almost, her attentiveness and even the tone of her voice: dark and serious. If I didn't know any better I'd have thought she had some monotonous, creepy twin or something.
I had yet to tell Shane about Seth being back though. It all felt surreal. I felt that if I told Shane though, it would somehow deem it true. Seth would really be back. And then all hell would break loose.
On the other hand though, I couldn't not tell Shane. He was my best friend, my brother, and I had to tell him. My only true concern at this point was Elijah finding out. I shuddered internally at the mere thought.
"There's just been a lot on my mind," I replied, telling only half of the story. I refused to lie to Shane.
"Like?" he prompted. Stubbornness was my least favorite quality in him.
"Seth's back." I slapped my hand across my mouth as soon as the words flew out of it. It had been like I couldn't even control the blurt. It just happened.
Shane didn't say a word, which surprised me. Instead he began patting his pockets, frowned when he found them empty, and continued to pillage my house (not really) in search of something. He had already found his phone and had it to his ear when I realized with a jolt what he was doing.
I launched myself at him and grabbed the phone from his grasp, quickly ending the call with a twist of my fingers. He glared up at me from his position on the floor. "What the hell, Alice?"
"You can't call him." My voice shook with fear. If Elijah found out that Seth was back in town my life would be torn apart. I had finally managed to somewhat move on from Seth, aside from the recent nightmares I'd been experiencing. I'd changed my cellphone number and moved into a new flat across town from my previous one. Aside from my job, everything about me had changed. I had even cut my hair some, though I was dead set against dying it.
"He needs to know, Al," Shane replied as he slowly sat up, his voice smooth and what I think he supposed to be persuasive.
"He can't," I deadpanned. Shane was stubborn, but I had to win this fight. There was no way in hell that Elijah could find out Seth was back, at least not until I was one hundred percent positive he had returned and confirmed that he was a threat to me.
