I've Changed

47. Nemo

"No," I say as I walk through the halls of the Airbnb in Alberta that the department had rented out for us. I look down at the tasks I need to do and realize I've completed them all, which irritates me because I'd do anything to avoid the brat trailing me.

"Have some fun, Ellie," Cassidy taunts, bringing me to a halt. When she gets my attention, I slowly turn around, finding a blank look on her face before a beaming smile approaches. "Finally you decided to listen."

"Never tell me to have fun, Cassidy," I say, a warning note in my voice as I approach her. She rolls her eyes and puts her hand out to stop me, which I push away. "I'm not going to the mall with you, plus it's 30 minutes away."

"Please," she begs as I step forward, attempting to block her irritating high-pitched voice but finding it increasingly difficult as she follows my strides. "Just this once, I'd like to get to know you better."

"Don't you know enough," I scoff as I walk into the kitchen to get rid of her, but she still walks alongside me as I get a bottle of water.

"Even though we've known each other since high school, we've never had a proper conversation."

"I wonder why," I roll my eyes and take a gulp of water, but she rounds the counter and stands in front of me as I close the cap on my bottle.

"How bad will it be to go shopping?" she insists, her false smile on her lips, as I look at her with a straight face, annoyed by every breath she takes. "We're having dinner tonight, and I think going to the mall to relax and shop for an outfit for later will be fun..."

"No," I scoff as I walk away from her and through a corner to walk down a hallway. I can sense her presence following me around, which irritates me even more. "I'll go with you if you stop bothering me," I mumble as she nods and skips away in the opposite direction. My phone vibrates, and as I look down, I see that she has given me the location and time of our meeting. I sigh and knock on the bedroom door until it swings open.

"Sit," I say as I barge into Jae's room, and he looks confused, much to my annoyance. As I hear him close his door and approach me, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, I toss the kit and my clipboard on his bed. I sigh as he kisses my temple and rubs the tension out of my shoulders, calming me down.

"What's wrong?" He whispers to me as he spins me around in his embrace, forcing me to look up at him. I shake my head, observing his plain room, which is close to mine in appearance, with a bed in the middle, a few drawer sets strewn around, and a washroom in the corner. I take his hand in mine and guide him down the bed, while he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me in between his legs, closer to his embrace.

"Can we not talk about it? I've already had my load of Cassidy, and I'm about to get more of it," I say this as I lift his shirt, exposing his bare chest and chiseled abs. I lean over to grab the tape for his shoulder because he has practice in 30 minutes. He kisses my neck and nods.

"What's your plan after college?" He asks to change the subject, and his hazel eyes twinkle with admiration as they watch my familiar movements for his shoulder. As I consider my answer, I rub and assess his joints to see how well he's doing with the therapy.

"I've always wanted to get away," I say, smiling at the prospect of leaving everything behind and beginning a new life somewhere other than the place that causes me so much pain. Jae grins and draws me tighter to his arms, which causes me to send him a sidelong glance because it stops me from properly applying the tape. He pouts and lets go of his hold, allowing me to move back a little.

"Where?" As I apply the first tape, he tilts his head, relaxes his shoulders, and straightens his back for me.

"I'm not sure yet, but one day I'd like to live somewhere far away from everyone and everything. The city is suffocating, and the people are annoying," I roll my eyes as Jae laughs, his hand rubbing my thighs and his attention on me at all times.