Untimely Love (Book 3)

♠Chapter 1♠

"Tell me again why I'm not supposed to tell anyone you've been staying here?" I watched Julia toss her duffel bag and purse onto the couch next to me.

It was the first of August which is conveniently on a Saturday. It had been three weeks since she'd come to New York and started on her summer course. It was two weeks into that, that she showed up at my door with a few bags and a crabby attitude.

She'd been staying with Kolton, her boyfriend, and they got into a huge argument that somehow led her here. It was my fault for giving her my address.

She'd been staying with me for a week now, refusing to go talk to the guy even though he'd been blowing up her phone. She still hadn't told me what happened and I stopped trying to pry a few hours after she'd settled in when she'd gotten here.

I actually didn't mind her company. Half the time I didn't even know she was here. She was never loud, didn't bring anyone over, and she didn't try to decorate the place or move anything.

I knew she'd be a great roommate, however, she was only staying for the remainder of the summer, or until she worked things out with Kolton. Once the fall semester started, she'd be dorming.

"Because I don't feel like explaining myself to anyone," she said, then snapped her fingers. "Almost forgot." She hurried back down the hallway.

I glanced over my shoulder as I called out, "Yeah. I still don't want to know what happened and why you've been in my apartment for the past week."

I waited for a moment to see if she'd say anything. When she didn't, I snickered and shook my head.

I switched the TV off and got up, grabbing her bag. I'd already packed my stuff and put them in my car the night before. I'd told her to do the same because I was leaving at one but she didn't want to listen to me and now she's running around trying to get stuff.

It was a little over a month since I'd moved in and it was a hard adjustment at first. I already hadn't been eating much before, and it was hard sleeping for a while—it still is—but once I got into my classes and the rest of my photography equipment got here, I found a routine.

Just to get my head on right, I'd go to different cites and get some shots and stay out for a while. It helped a lot and I hope this trip back home wouldn't end up being a mistake. I promised my mom I'd come home a few times this summer. It's already halfway through and as much as I thought it would be the best option to stay here, I didn't want to go back on my word.

"So," Julia dragged out, her pace slowing as she entered the room again.

Why is she slowing down? I stare at her with my eyebrows raised.

She tried to act casual by glancing at her nails but the farce was obvious.

"Have you," she started, pausing to shrug, "spoken to a certain someone yet?"

I tried my hardest to keep my expression from changing. "Do you seriously want to have this conversation minutes before I'm going to drive?"

She stomped. She actually stomped her foot like a child throwing a tantrum. "It's been over a month, Chris. At least talk to her-"

I forced a laugh, holding my finger up to cut her off, and said, "We're not talking about this."

I'm already making my way to the door when she called out, "I gave you a whole week."

"Not enough!" I replied, leaving my keys for her to lock the door on her way out.

Julia dropped the topic between me walking out and her meeting me by my car in the parking garage. I might've tried to push it further from her brain by asking if she was sure she didn't just want to follow me in her own car. Then she told me she was staying at my house because her parents were vacationing somewhere in Europe and she didn't want to be home alone.