Suicide Watch

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Temi POV

I am woken up by my phone ringing. I glance at it to see that it's my mom calling. She hasn't called since our "altercation" back in New York City.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Isa asks from next to me. Her hair is falling into her face, and her eyes still have sleep in them. 

We slept in my bed together last night. We spent the night cuddling each other softly.

"Yeah, it's just my mom. Go back to sleep."

I kiss Isa's head softly before detangling myself from her, heading out of my room.

"Hi mom," I say, settling down at the kitchen table.

"Temi," my mom says. As usual, there is some scrambling in the background before her voice comes back loud and clear, "my campaign is going so good. The stats are looking good. I actually have a chance of winning this."

I'm not surprised that my mom is calling me for the first time just to talk to me about her campaign. I rub my nose slightly as I listen to her talk.

She sounds excited, happy. And despite everything, I am genuinely happy for her. I want her to win. I know it means she would spend even less time with me than she does already, but I think it's for a greater good.

"I'm really happy for you, mom," I say.

"Thank you, honey, but I'm not in the clear yet. The only actual competition I have is Jack Craigler, and he is very adamant on doing whatever it takes to win."

My mind wanders off to my politics class from a few days ago. Craigler is the Republican candidate running for New York State Governor, no doubt the incel guy in my politics class would vote for him.

At that moment, Isa appears in my doorway. She has her long hair packed up in a bun away from her face and sends me a smile when we make eye contact. I return the smile, feeling slightly shy, and avert my gaze from her.

I pretend to be invested in what my mom is saying on the phone, but from the corner of my eyes I watch as Isa moves around in the kitchen. She is humming slightly to herself as she cooks.

Isa is dressed in a white tank top and sweatpants that hang rather low. I try to avert my gaze from her Calvin Klein underwear peeking out from the top. Instead, I get distracted staring at her bare slip of skin, just below her hips.

I'm thinking back to kissing her on the Forever Bridge yesterday, and laying in bed with her all throughout last night. I can still smell her scent on me, and an unfamiliar feeling courses through me.

"Hey," Isa suddenly says to get my attention.

I rip my eyes away from her body, bringing them to lock with her eyes.

From the smirk that plays lightly on Isa's face, it's clear she already caught me staring. A shiver of embarrassment passes over me.

"Bacon?" Isa mouths at me.

I simply nod and avert my eyes once again, looking anywhere but at Isa. My mom is now breaking down the stats of her campaign county by county, which is honestly something I could do without.

The smell of frying bacon draws my attention back to Isa. I watch the way she moves as she cooks. She's relaxed and seems so comfortable.

My eyes linger for a moment longer on her toned arms.

Isa turns around suddenly and I avert my eyes.

"Mom, I've gotta go," I say, as Isa drops a plate of breakfast right before me. It has bacon, eggs, and toast, and my stomach suddenly rumbles loudly.