Chapter twenty-six: Hanging by a thread
O L I V I A
I had taken the day off and called in sick. Jessica could kill me if I weren't already dead by then. I'd claimed that I had the flu. Kai had to do his physiotherapy but he did not want to leave me alone so he stayed and video-called his PT. While they did that in the spacious living room, I ate comfort food and slept a lot.
When Kai was done with that he took a shower. He was skipping gym that day. We sat on the sofa, cuddled into each other, and watched random soaps mindlessly. I stayed the heck away from my ringing phone at all costs.
By the time the evening rolled on, Griffin and George were back home. Kai stayed over and so did George. The boys were stiff around Kai and vice versa, but they put up with each other as I decided that we would all watch a movie. I made movie theatre butter popcorn and we wiled time away till midnight. That's when we all retired to our rooms and slept.
In the morning, I settled that since it was Friday and the weekend was already a holiday, I could have flu for one more day. But then, our project was coming to an end. After a small internal debate, I emailed Jessica to inform her that I would work from home. I had a lot of leaves stacked up since I rarely ever took any, so she couldn't really do anything. Just shout around a little more than usual for not being physically present. I could take that. I said I'd work from home and she had to agree when I didn't give in to her convincing. Forcing me would've been illegal and I bet even she wouldn't dare to do that.
I finally called Samantha back. She was furious that I had not picked up her calls. She was also very worried. When I had calmed that storm down, I texted back Brian and Jane, telling them I was alright and that they needn't worry.
Contrary to my initial thoughts, they had been nothing less than concerned and supportive.
The next morning, I had woken up before the rest of them so to keep my mind occupied while I received what I was supposed to do from my teammates, I resorted to making breakfast for all of us. I made waffles. The aroma of the delicious chocolatey goodness had all those suckers out of bed in no time.
Kai kissed me good morning, while George and Griffin hugged me. I made them some chocolate milk, too. Safe to say, they devoured it all. Kai ate three servings before he finally waved the white flag.
Even though I was full after the milk and waffles, I had to make myself some coffee because my head was starting to ache a little. It went away soon after the caffeine kicked in.
In the afternoon I did my work while Kai worked with his PT and then curled up next to me. We ate our lunches in our rooms, everyone being busy with their own stuff. Griffin was packing. He had talked to me in private and told me he would be more than happy not to shift. He felt like I might need him with all that was going on but I stubbornly turned him down. He and George had been looking forward to that moment for a long while and I did not want to be the reason that their plans crashed.
I shut my laptop at six-thirty, finally done with everything. I lay there with Kai for a while before we both went into the living room. Griffin and George were getting the last of the boxes out of his room.
His departure felt so real then. It crashed down on me like a wave, his empty room. I realized that I was still lowkey hoping that he would not go, that he would change his mind. But he was really going.
I tried not to let my panic seize me.
"I'll miss you," I sighed, hugging him.
"I'll miss you too." Griff hugged me back. "Stay in touch, Olive."
"Yeah," I murmured. "And you don't be a stranger."
He laughed. "I'm literally moving like a few blocks down."
"Still," I mumbled.
"Okay." He kissed the top of my head.
"Now go!" I pulled away, blinking rapidly. "Shoooo."
He laughed again. "Bye, Olive."
"Bye," I muttered, hugging George. "Take care of him, got it?"
"Yes ma'am." He chuckled. "And you take care of yourself, Liv."
"I'll try," I sniffed.
A few minutes later, Griffin was gone. I looked again, and his room was still bare. It would get some getting used to. It was just Kai and me. We made ourselves some mac and cheese and ate in companionable silence while I digested that I would be living alone from that point on. I called Sam afterward and then Kai and turned in early.
The weekend was nice in a way that it was peaceful even in the eye of the storm. Kai had to leave on Saturday to see his PT because his coach was very mad that he had 'missed' two sessions physically. Kai apologized profusely before he left. He came back that afternoon, freshly showered with Taco Bell takeouts and a change of clothes.
"Livvy?" He called when he arrived.
"I'm in my room," I called back before I realized he shouldn't have been able to get in. I scrambled out of bed and quickly walked into the living room. He was coming that way, too. "How'd you get in?" I asked him.
"Oh, right, that." He scratched the back of his neck. The action drew my attention to his hair which was damp. It was distracting how hot it looked on him. Feeling the warmth on my face, I refocused. "Griffin gave me a key."
"He did?" I frowned. I didn't have a problem with that. I was going to give him the key myself, but still. It would've been nice had I known that myself.
"Yeah. He said that since he was moving out, I should have it."
"Okay." I shook my head. "Whatever."
"Speaking of, I got you the key to my place," he said, fishing a key out from his pocket. It had an antique circular holder with 'Livvy' carved in cursive along its body. "I would've gotten it sooner but it took time to get this made."
Well, damn.
Not the time, butterflies.
"Uh, thanks." I swallowed as I accepted it.
"What is it?" He asked softly.
I looked up at him. "Isn't it too soon to do this, Kai?"
"I don't think so," he said carefully. "Do you?"
"Yes? Maybe? I don't know!" I groaned. "We met again a week and a half ago after six years of having no interaction."
"Not no interaction," he said quickly. An image flashed before my eyes: Kai drunk and crying on my couch in my apartment a few months ago. Another one: us crossing paths at UCLA. Him showing up at my apartment again, and then again, drunk out of his wits every time.
I shook myself, hating the sheer vulnerability and emotional storm that accompanied those memories. If I thought I was in a bad place now, I had been much worse. I needed to remember that. I reoriented my thoughts back to our conversation.
"You know what I mean," I said. He chuckled.
"So?" He questioned. "We know each other and we're in love. We accept each other for who we are. That's all that matters."
"I guess," I sighed tiredly.
"You guess?" He raised an eyebrow.
I rolled my eyes. "You know well what I mean."
He chuckled. "You hungry?"
"Yeah." I nodded.
"Then let's eat." He raised the taco bags with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
I nodded with a small smile and we collapsed on the couch before eating like there was no tomorrow.
* * * * *
I video-called Sam that evening at her request. She looked giddy despite her visible efforts to contain it.
"What is it?" I asked her. She was practically bouncing in her seat, which was weird given our situation.
"I have good news!" She declared.
Ah, that explains it.
"Hun?" I bobbed my head to show that I was interested, running my spoon along the rim of the container of my ice cream tub. "What is it?
"Guess!" She squealed.
"Don't." I shook my head, curbing a laugh. "I don't have the energy."
She pouted. "You always hate it when I pull a you on you."
"That because a me isn't meant for me, it's only meant for you," I replied smoothly.
Her face went blank. "What?"
"I don't know," I answered, scooping a huge bite of my dessert. I was past all the brain freezes at that point.
She gave a slightly disapproving look. "Wow. Okay. You don't even want to try?"
"You got that car you've been vying for?" I threw blindly.
"I wish." She pouted. "No; wanna go again?"
I groaned. "Nope. Just tell me."
"Arrrgghhh." She groaned. "You're not gonna believe this, Liv!"
"Hmmm?"
"Listen closely," she paused to build up to the moment, "I am moving to New York!"
My hands paused.
I looked up from my tub. "What?"
"I've been trying to get a transfer to NYC for ages now but there were no options available. One of them popped up today and I immediately said yes. Bitch, I'm coming to you!!"
"Holy shit! Yes!" I cheered, keeping my tub on the table. "Griff just moved out so you can move in with me!"
"Oh, my God! Fucking yes!" Sam laughed. "Oh, this is our dream come true, isn't it?"
"Better late than never," I breathed out a laugh. "This feels surreal. When are you coming?"
"Technically I wasn't going to come till October first but I sweet-talked my boss and made him agree to send me early. I don't have the details, but if all goes well, I should be there by next Sunday!"
I looked at her knowingly. "You seduced him didn't you?"
Not that much seducing would've been required. He was known to have a massive crush on her. And she was a known bitch for exploiting it for her favor every once in a while or so.
"Maybe," she sang mischievously. I laughed for the first time in almost forty-eight hours.
"Damn. I'm so happy for you, Sam." I smiled at her.
"I'm happy for me!" She agreed giddily. "I love Chicago, but NYC will always be my home."
"I know exactly how you feel." I chuckled. I loved California, but this city was my home.
"What do you have planned for tomorrow?" She asked.
"I don't know." I shrugged. "Griff and G are probably coming over for dinner."
"Ahh, nice," she approved. A beat of since passed before she spoke again. "What about the media situation?"
I let out a long sigh. "I don't really know. I've been staying clear of all DMs, texts, and news. I don't need that negativity in my life."
"Smart move." She nodded. "You just wait till I'm there. We're gonna teach them a lesson."
"Sure," I chuckled, "Whatever you say."
"I mean it. Chelsea deserves to die and Kaison needs to be set straight, too. What the fuck was he thinking?"
"Can we please not discuss this?" I moaned, feeling my headache reappearing.
"I-," she began to protest angrily but I looked at her with pleading eyes.
"Please," I begged. My mood began degrading again. "I just can't take it anymore."
"Okay," she clipped reluctantly.
I glanced at the clock. "I should go and sleep. It's late."
"Liv," she reproached. "We should talk about this."
"I know." I groaned again. "Just not now, okay? Please."
"You're lucky I love you," she sighed.
"I know." I chuckled weakly for her sake. "Good night."
"G'night!"
I ended the skype and shut the laptop lid, letting my upper body free fall onto the bed. Kai was in the living room to give us some privacy. I expected him to show up any moment. It'd been a while since we were talking and I was sure he would notice the silence now that we weren't.
He showed up less than five minutes later, knocking at my door as if to inform me of his arrival. It was unnecessary because I knew his light tread like my own heartbeat.
The bed dipped as he sat down beside me. "Hey."
"Hi," I forced my lips to move.
"Why don't you go and freshen up for bed?" He suggested.
"I don't want to," I mumbled. "I just want to lay here like I'm dead."
"Livvy." His voice was a soft whisper.
"I'm not kidding," I whispered back.
"I know," it came out vulnerable, "And that's what worries me."
I closed my eyes. "Shut up."
I didn't want to admit it, but I sort of blamed him for it deep down. If we didn't go around the town like fucking fugitives, this would not have happened. If he had roamed around causally with me like he did with Chelsea, most of the stories floating right then about us sneaking around his girlfriend would become invalid and I would be spared from a lot of hate. He could even just release a public statement too. But it was not something I could demand of him.
"Don't push me away," he told me. "Scream at me. Talk. Anything. Just don't subject me to your silence, mon amour. It haunts me."
"Just shut up." I turned to my side as I felt the tears prick my eyes. His hand immediately came to my waist in a comforting gesture.
Did he not love me? Was he ashamed of me? Did he not want the world to know we were together? Was I really his mistress? Why was he hiding us?
"I know you're blaming me deep inside, Livvy."
"Am I wrong to?" I spoke into my arm.
In response, I felt him shift on the bed. A moment later his arm wound itself around my waist and his face buried itself into the crook of my neck. He tangled our legs together and then dropped a kiss on my shoulder. I wanted to resist but I couldn't bring myself to.
He was my greatest weakness.
"I'm so sorry for this mess, but it will be okay," he comforted. "Just give it some time."
I didn't reply. I didn't have it in me. I felt the breath he blew out against my skin in his silent frustration. When I still didn't say anything, he gave up.
"Sleep. Good night, mon amour. Sweet dreams."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A/N:-
Don't kill me just yet.
QOTD: What's the most worn-out thing in your wardrobe atm?
Take care! I'll see you guys tom :)
All my love,
xoxo.