Ruin

26

Sunday: 1:15 P. M.
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"Hey, it's me!" the familiar deep voice exclaims. "Sshhh! It's me."

The broomstick falls from my hand and I swivel around to come face to face with a familiar pair of hazel eyes set in a pale oval face and flickering under the lights.

The man before me, holding tightly onto my wrist, isn't wearing anything except for the white bathtowel which is successful at concealing his private area without revealing too much, other than the brim of his pubic hairs.

His top half is glistening under the water droplets which settle on his skin.

"Jesus Christ, Odaine!" I shout, while silently thanking God I didn't call him the name that's at the tip of my tongue. "You a guh kill mi?"

He pulls me to him.

I release the breath I'd been holding and fall against his chest.

He chuckles and the sound vibrates against my temple.

"Dude, why are you so frightened?" he asks, through a grin.

I shake my head against him still, silently willing my heartbeat to calm down. At the rate that it's currently beating, it's as if it plans on bursting my chest plate wide open.

The shower, which is still running, catches my attention and I look toward the door. "Who's in there?" I ask meekly, still out of breath.

I can feel the gravelly sensation in my throat, I'm guessing because of how I'd screamed a while ago, and I clear my throat and swallow hard on a bit of saliva in an effort to soothe the discomfort.

He lets me go and walks around me to the door. I follow behind him but stand at the open door while he goes further inside.

The bathroom is empty, but the shower is on and the steam from the hot water fogs the glass enclosure.

Odaine slides the glass door open and turns the water off. "I heard the front door open and wanted to know if it was you, since I didn't see you when I came in, but I forgot to turn the water off in my haste," he says, turning around to face me now.

I raise a brow. Oh.

"Who did you expect?" he asks, as if sensing my mood.

I don't know. But I was about to find out.

"Nothing," I lie. "I was just surprised, because I didn't know you were here. When did you come?"

He walks over to me and I turn, catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

Kacka fart, the hickey them!

My head turns so quickly, I swear I pull a neckstring. But I'm glad when I see that my hair covers the spots.

Odaine, coming closer to me now, comes up to me and I sidestep him.

He pulls back and frowns. "A while ago," he says hesitantly, watching me. "Literally a few minutes before you got in."

"By the way, where have you been?" he adds, looking me over from head to toe.

Shit, I just remembered that I'm still wearing Lucas' shirt...and underpants.

Rasshole now...

Shit!

Mek up sum'n...

"Oh, I went running," is the first thing that I can think of.

He furrows his thick brows. "Running? You? Why?"