Cold Ashes

twenty

Once I left the Agency headquarters, there wasn't much with me. All my stuff was already at my apartment. I still didn't go back there, though.

Instead, I found myself making my way to the on-campus dorm building where Penny lived.

"Coming!" She yelled from behind the closed door when I rapped on it, followed by a few noises like she'd knocked something on the floor, before opening it in an instant, blinking at me. Almost immediately, her eyes widened.

Mine did too. Her lipstick was smudged along her lips, wearing a sweatshirt that wasn't really hers. Too big and from the baseball team. I don't think it was hers.

"Hey, um..." I trailed off, stifling the urge to look over her shoulder. Someone else was in there. "You're busy. Sorry. I...I..."

"Jesus Christ, Dahlia." She whispered--her eyes still wide--before grabbing my arms and pulling me in a tight hug. I tried not to grimace when my throbbing cheekbone nudged against her shoulder. "It's almost been a whole week!"

I almost would've said something but then she pushed me away at arm's length, her gaze raking my face.

"Woah, where are your glasses? You look...weird without them."

I cleared my throat and glanced away. At the floor, at my shoes, and then back at her. Even though I hated wearing contact lenses, it wasn't really a choice at this moment.

"Are you free right now?" I asked her softly.

"We'll talk? You'll tell me everything?" She asked me. "I've been worried, Dahlia."

I nodded. As much as I can tell you, I thought. I wanted to. I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to ask her to pull me in a hug again and let me cry. Just a little. I felt confused and a little scared and a little heartbroken. Orias was mad at me. He'd never been so mad at me.

Penny nodded back, then looked over her shoulder and inside her dorm room. When she looked back at me, her cheeks were flushed.

"You've got a boy in there." I blinked and a small, tired laugh left my lips. "Damn, Pen, why did you not just say--"

And then said boy appeared right behind her, all shirtless and tousled hair, and the smile dropped from my lips.

"Neo." I looked at him, then at Penny. She looked a little sheepish. "I...wasn't expecting this."

"Dahlia." He nodded in a mutual greeting, before grinning. "I see you dragged yourself into a fight."

Penny's eyes found my own before lingering over my cheek. A dark bruise that wasn't so dark, now that I had tons of concealer smeared over it.

"How did that happen, Dee? Are you all right?" She stepped towards me, concerned.

I stepped back and her brows furrowed.

"It wasn't a fight." My words were more towards Penny than Neo. I didn't even care what Neo thought. What I cared about was Penny hooking up with him. How was I supposed to tell her that most of Neo's actions weren't out of good intentions?

"I bumped into something." I shook my head, then crossed my arms before looking between them both. I wanted to frown but I didn't think Penny would've appreciated me being so judgemental. "So um, when did this happen?"

Penny's face reddened again.

"Why? Didn't take you as the jealous type, Winters." Neo was still grinning. That fool.

Penny's face reddened even more as she passed him a quick glare.

"I'm not jealous. This just surprised me." I shrugged, then finally frowned at Neo. "Don't do anything that might drag you into a fight, Neo." With me.