In The End

Fast Car

"Hi." I timidly spoke as the figure in the doorway looked down at me with confusion.

"You okay?" Cody finally spoke after what felt like a lengthy uncomfortable silence.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." I immediately turned to walk away, realising the audacity I had to show up like this at his apartment when I'd completely cut him off and ignored him since moving in with Axel.

"Liv... wait." I paused as he fully opened the door and I could see his braced-up knee.

"Oh my God, are you okay? what happened? Why didn't you tell me?" I rushed back towards him, stopping just before I knocked him over.

"I'm fine, I was doing some training and I had an accident."

"Some training? What are you training for? why didn't you tell me?" I fired my questions back in quick succession.

"Come in, let's not talk in the hallway." He stepped aside creating a gap for me to pass by and enter.

The soft click of the door closing was the only sound as I made my way along the narrow white hallway and towards to well-lit open space at the end.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Cody's voice was quiet and horse as he followed me into the open living space.

"I'll take a water, please?" I smiled in response to his pursed-lipped smile and remained awkwardly admiring the simplicity of his clinically decorated apartment. No personal items were identifying who lived here, nothing homely to suggest this was anything other than a limited-timed stay.

'Take a seat." Cody silently arrived back making me jump in response to his sudden appearance. I took the glass and edged around the large bulky white furniture, taking a seat on the nearest couch as Cody hobbled behind me and turned the TV to mute before taking a seat on the opposite couch.

"I'm sorry for turning up like this" I paused. "And I'm sorry I've been so absent and you didn't feel like you could tell me about your accident."

He shifted uncomfortably and his eyes jumped away from me to focus on the glass coffee table between us.

"So are you all moved in now or..."

"Liv, let's cut the bullshit and get straight to why you've turned up here?" He cut in, letting out a deep sigh at the end.

"Something happened tonight and I... I just didn't know where else to go." I proceeded to tell him about what I had found out and how I panicked and fled. He said nothing, happily leaving an uncomfortable silence between us if I wasn't awkwardly trying to fill it by rambling on. "Do you need to get that?" I nodded towards his phone as it lit up for the 10th time since I started talking. I felt myself begin to tire of his lack of engagement as he casually shook his head. "Look, I should go, you're not in the mood to talk to me. I shouldn't have come here."

"Liv!" He snapped as I got to my feet. "Please." He gestured back at where I was sitting. "I'm sorry, okay. I wasn't expecting to see you and I'm just not sure what to say."

"You don't need to say anything, it's fucked up and I'm not expecting you to have any answers, but a reassuring smile, a nod or shake of the head, anything to let me know you're at least listening." I winced at the sudden cramping in my stomach. "May I use your bathroom?" I got back to my feet.

"Yeah, of course, it's just through there." Cody got to his feet as he pointed to where the bathroom was and I nodded before turning and heading towards there.

I closed the door and leaned against it taking in several deep breaths. Although the large space continued with the clinical feel of the apartment it was the only space that suggested anyone lived here with the personalised items neatly laid out on the counter. My stomach cramped again and I headed towards the toilet. Shit! I cursed after wiping and seeing blood on the tissue. Fuck! what do I do, I don't have any underwear on. Shit, shit, shit. My eyes scanned the room and landed on a counter on the other side with a pile of what looked like fresh towels. I headed over and immediately thanked the universe as I spotted several pairs of Cody's underwear neatly folded on the top. I took a pair and stepped into them, folding the waistband over to secure them as best I could before heading back to the toilet and placing tissue in the gusset. Fuck, this is going to be embarrassing to explain. I muttered to myself as I proceeded to wash my hands and straighten out my dress as best I could. Okay! I breathed out heavily before heading to the door.
Cody wasn't in the living room as I returned so I followed the whispered tone of his voice towards the kitchen.