Grape Field

Chapter 14. Old ghosts, new haunting

TW: mention of abuse, domestic violence.

A pair of amber eyes, breaking off their pensive freeze on the washed-out green couch, squinted at me. "Is that all?" Sasha asked, tilting her head.

"Yes. You're really reading too much into it," I said, dropping mine to the backrest. She had been pestering me with questions for about an hour now. At least it felt like an hour. A long, tedious hour. Somehow I was able to evade her yesterday, but my luck, apparently, had a one-day limit. Sort of a trial offer.

"So, you went for a run. You lost your track. And then you had dinner because you were hungry?"

"Mhm." I nodded, lips pursed.

"And it wasn't a date?"

"Exactly." Another long, deliberate nod.

"I just..." she started, wriggling on the couch as she struggled to calm down her legs. "It still looks like a date."

"How?" I asked, getting weary of the interrogation. "Marco was literally going to be there too. And just because we happened to be alone, it means that something is going on now? Why can't we just hang out?"

"You can. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to question your words." She bit her lip, fiddling with her fingers, before shooting me a timid smile.

"You're fine."

For a moment, silence filled the space, and I breathed out, pleased with this conversation being over. Until it started anew. "Mikasa thinks you're fucking," she said, as if I was supposed to do something about it.

I gaped at her, not sure how to react. That was one hell of a comment to casually throw in a conversation. Almost as out of pocket as her word choice. Since when was she speaking like that? Before I could wrap my head around any of this, the rustling footsteps got my attention. Leaving our room, Annie made her way to the kitchen, her stern face focused on the cupboards and not a glance flicking towards us.

"Are you going out?" Sasha asked her. "Can you grab some chips on your way back, please? We're out of stock."

Sparing her a languid gaze, Annie shrugged her shoulders, grunted "sure", threw a stray biscuit in her mouth, and disappeared behind the front door.

"All this tension kills me," I said as soon as my new roommate left. The thought of us now being four still hadn't quite stuck in my head, and the strained environment wasn't helping with assimilation.

"Give it a few days. It's kinda weird now, but eventually everyone will get used to it. And we're gonna live like one big, happy family." She spread her arms, punctuating her words and making me chuckle. One of her hands found its place on my shoulder, and she gave it a little squeeze. Twisting her legs in a new position yet again, she scooted closer and smoothed the sleeve of my top. "So, about you and Jean..."

"Again?" I shot her a blank stare.

"I know, I know. It wasn't a date," she hurried to say. "I'm just talking in general. Like, do you like him? Because there's something on his side for sure, if you ask me."

"Did he say that to you?"

"No, but I have eyes. And I know him. He's not hard to read. Trust me, he's probably choosing your children's names right now." She chuckled.

That possibility, although doubtful, scared me a bit. I drew my legs in on the couch and put my chin on them, pondering the matter. "You're definitely reading too much into it," I said finally, forming an assuring grin. "Maybe he finds me attractive. Maybe. That's possible." I held out a finger at her raising brows. "But naming children... Come on. And I'm not going there, so it really doesn't matter. His little crush—that's if he even has one, which I doubt—will go away soon anyway."