Page 91 of Shamed
“Yes, girl, who else? I saw you come in here just before.”
I stand, turning to flush the unused toilet as the tap at the sink turns on, then I puff my cheeks before exhaling and exiting the stall.
“Hey.” I step slowly toward the line of sinks, scanning her pretty face through the mirror.
A cheery smile flashes back at me and I relax a fraction. It’s not the face of someone who saw me slicing my arm mere moments ago.
We both have our makeup applied for the night, but have yet to finish getting dressed in our chosen outfits. I have my usual baggy hoodie and sweats still on, while she’s wearing a pretty skirt and top, as if she just came from a dinner date. Maybe she did.
I’ve been careful about not asking too many questions about her life. Not because I don’t care, but because I haven’t wanted to get too close.
“I mean it,” she says, keeping her hands under the running water.
“Mean what?”
“That you seem different.”
“Oh?” I turn the tap on, washing my hands though I didn’t use the toilet. “What do you mean?”
Turning to face me properly, she tilts her head, looking me up and down, possibly seeing something I don’t. The gold shimmer layered across her eyelids glitters with the movement.
“Before, you seemed like a flower that was hidden in a dark room with no water and no light. You were wasting away, honey.” I swallow, dropping my gaze to the faucet. “But now? Now it looks like you’ve been basking in the sun and soaking in the rain.”
Slowly lifting my head again, I stare at myself in the mirror, trying to see what she sees.
I guess my eyes don’t look as dull as they did before, but nothing else stands out to me as different.
“It’s not just what you can see here.” Melody waves a hand around my face. “It’s what you can see here.” She uses both hands to gesture around my entire body. “The energy you put out. The vibe.”
I frown at myself, wondering what the hell type of vibe I’m putting out now. I know I’ve been standoffish for the past two years. Have I really changed that much?
“Has it got anything to do with that mighty fine instructor I’ve seen lurking about at night.” My eyes fling back to hers. “I’ve seen you guys walk together. Are you two a thing or is walking you to the bus stop a perk of the self-defense class that I didn’t know about?”
Right . . . she has no idea who Mase is to me, how we know each other, or that I’ve been staying at his apartment. She has no idea that he’s my personal savior and punishment all in one. No one does.
For a moment, I consider telling her about him, about how I’ve started to feel about him. What would it be like to have a girlfriend to confide in again?
But then I remind myself that I already have one too many friends as it is right now.
Though, his friendship is probably more him seeing me as a charity case, or a broken girl who needs fixing. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself to make it easier to keep a little distance.
“There is nothing between us,” I finally answer.
A perfect eyebrow arches. “No?”
I shake my head. Not when there could be something between him and Heidi. That’s what his mom had said, right? That they could talk while he was there.
That phone call had been a good wake-up call for me. I had been getting comfortable and happy, all the things I shouldn’t be feeling.
As soon as we arrived home that day—correction, arrived back at Mase’s apartment—I had scooped up Lulu and taken her to the guest room, hiding out until I heard the front door open and close again later, signaling Mase left.
He made it easy for me to forget that I wasn’t supposed to like him. And he definitely isn’t supposed to like me.
Besides, there is no reason to think he doesn’t have plenty of women on hold right now while he’s simply helping me out. Just look at him, for goodness’ sake. He draws you in with his looks, then keeps you hostage with his personality.
“No. He’s just being nice.”
A short laugh bursts from Melody’s mouth. “Girl, men don’t wait outside a strip club at two a.m. because they’re just beingnice.”
