Alpha's Blue (BXB)

Chapter Forty One

"What made you change your mind?" Tay asked as soon as he settled in the seat beside me. 

"Huh?" I glanced at him in confusion before starting the car again. 

"About this job. You didn't seem happy about it." He explained. 

"I thought about it and decided we can do it until we get a better job somewhere else." I shrugged. 

"That's exactly what I said." 

"Yeah." I answered vaguely. Already distracted by my phone placed on the dashboard as I waited for Marco's next update. 

I had heard nothing new about Nicolas since I left other than the few reassurance filled texts I had received from Marco. Though the texts were vague and I was still on my toes worrying about him, I was trying my best to not be obsessive about it. I knew it wasn't going to help anyone yet every now and then my gaze would wander off to the screen, waiting for it to be lit up with Marco's name. 

Tay clicked his fingers right beside my ear and I flinched before frowning at him. 

"I asked how is it going with your lover boy?" He narrowed his own eyes, waiting for my reply. 

I blinked back to reality and faced the road again. "His name is Nicolas." 

"I honestly forgot." He shrugged and I tightened my hold on the steering wheel. "So? How's it?" 

"Good." I lied, gritting my teeth. 

"And how's grandma?" He extended his hand toward the radio and I sighed. 

"She's okay. How are your parents?" 

He paused his hand in his tracks and I stole a glance at him. 

"Tay?" I asked just as he started moving his hand again. 

"Yeah, they're fine." 

His sour expression said otherwise. "Sure?" 

Tay nodded, blatantly struggling to shift his focus on the radio in front of him. 

"I'm here if you want to talk about something." I supplied when his expression didn't change. 

"I know." 

~~~

"Are you going to stare at your phone all night again?" Tay asked and quickly picked up my phone from my lap. 

I didn't even try to get my phone back from and instead slumped further into the couch. Closing my eyes, I struggled to contain my emotions. It had almost been a week since I left and while I talked to grandma and Marco almost everyday, Nicolas still was in no condition to do so. It was the longest we had gone without talking to each other and it was starting to take its toll on me. 

"Did you two get in a fight? Even if you did, why can't you call him first?" Tay suggested and I wished if only that was the case. 

I shook my head, not knowing how else to explain what exactly was happening. 

Tay sighed and poked my arm. "I'll call him. Unlock it." 

"We aren't fighting, Tay. He just can't call right now. We'll be fine. Don't worry." 

"Fine?" He let out a long exhale. "You look like a zombie right now. When was the last time you slept throughout the night?" 

"It's the work stressing me out, not him." I lied again, keeping my eyes closed to avoid looking at him. 

"You can fool your grandma with that, not me. We might not be working on the same project but I know that's not the case." 

I stood up quietly, heading over to the desk in the corner. "I'm fine. Just go to sleep, okay? I still have some data to go through."