Nothing More

Chapter Fourteen.

Songs for this chapter are:

Assassin- John Mayer

Heartbreak Warfare- John Mayer

Waiting Game- Banks

                   

Dakota takes my hands and pulls me out of the kitchen, I follow her like the lost puppy I am.

"Don't forget your water," I remind Dakota as we walk out of the kitchen.

She pouts at me but I point to the water on the counter. She really will need it. With a sigh, she pulls her hands from mine, and turns around to go back to grab her glass. While she's doing that I grab the remote and press the power button on for Tessa.

I always make sure she has some light when she gets home later than me and the lamp on our end table has a blown light bulb that I keep meaning to replace. As I walk through the living room, the door jingles and I can hear the sound of voices.

The key finally clicks and the knob turns. Dakota's attention shifts to the door as Tessa and Nora come walking inside. Tessa takes her purple beanie off of her head and closes the door. Nora pulls her jacket off and her cleavage nearly spills out from her shirt as she shakes her hair around her head.

She looks over at me and catches my eyes on her. Please, let her think I was looking at her face. I have to work on my manners around her. And more importantly, where is that damn portal?

"Hey, I didn't know-" Nora's words stop as soon as she spots Dakota walking out of the kitchen behind me. Dakota approaches me but she keeps her body slightly behind mine and wraps her arm around mine, touching my hand with hers. As her fingers play with mine and Nora eye's stay straight on mine.

She doesn't look down to our hands, though I get the feeling she wants to.

"Let's go to bed?" Dakota walks past me, still holding my hand and pulls me with her.

Nora's eyes are on our connected hands and Tessa is staring with her lips tucked over her teeth and wide-eyed.

I look at Dakota. She's giving me a look. One that says, "you better not stop and talk to her instead of coming in the bedroom with me" I look at Nora again and then Tessa. I'm confused and really, is a portal to disappear into too much to ask for?

"Uh, yeah. Goodnight guys," my mouth says without my permission. I follow Dakota into the room and she closes the door behind us.

Dakota is fuming when she turns to face me.

"She has some fucking nerve," she roars. She tosses her hands into the air and then presses them to her temples.

I step toward her and cover her mouth with my hand.

"Hey, be nice," I softly advise.

Dakota talks under my hand and I bring my free hand to her neck. I spread my fingers wide and cover her shoulder. I rub at the tense muscle there and she stops talking.

"She knew," she half whispers, "I know she did. She had to know your name."

I try to be the voice of reason. Maybe she did, but she seemed just as clueless as the rest of us.

"Are you sure you said my name? Did you have our pictures anywhere?" I shrug.

I don't know Nora very well, but I don't see her as the type of person who would purposely go after her roommate's ex, knowing it would all blow up sooner rather than later.

She huffs. The gray dress she's wearing is falling down on her shoulder. She looks so small next to me.

"I don't think I ever said your name exactly," she looks around my bedroom. Her eyes stop at the picture of us on my dresser.