Page 184 of What We Brave
"Did he tell you about the sweater thing?"
"Go away, Reid."
"He washed your clean sweater on purpose. I watched him take it out of your bag."
"I will end you."
"He SNIFFED it first."
"I did not—" I look down at Laine. She's looking up at me. Eyebrows raised. Grinning.
"You sniffed my sweater?"
"I'm not answering that."
"Blake."
"This conversation is over."
Reid drops into his chair, matched socks draped over his shoulder like a medal. "For the record, he absolutely sniffed it."
Laine presses her face back into my chest. I can feel her smile through my shirt.
34
LAINE
I'm leaning against the nurses' station, half-heartedly reviewing charts I've already reviewed, when my phone buzzes in my scrub pocket.
Then buzzes again. And again.
I pull it out.
Reid
LAINE
LAINE ARE YOU AWAKE
obviously you're awake you're at work
ok so I just went to the kitchen for leftover pizza and BLAKE WAS ASLEEP AT THE TABLE
just sitting there. Head on his arms. Pencil still in his hand. Like a crime scene photo
I didn't see him and I turned on the light and he sat up SO FAST and I screamed
like actually screamed. Full horrormovie scream.
and then HE yelled because I scared him and then I dropped the pizza box and now there's pizza on the floor and he's looking at me like he wants to kill me
I clap my hand over my mouth. My shoulders are shaking. The laugh is building and I'm biting down on my fingers trying to keep it in because it's three AM and the hallway is dead and if anyone sees me right now I look absolutely unhinged.
Another buzz.
Blake
I was working.
