Always You - A Second Chance Romance

Chapter 24

"I think you guys should wait to talk," I heard Kat say. I rolled over in bed and cracked open my eyes. The bright light of her room through her curtains sent shockwaves through my pounding head.

I slowly sat up and looked at her alarm clock. It was well past noon. My whole body ached. I had some memory of Kat coming and dragging me to her bed, but that was it. We had way too much to drink last night. My stomach churned at the thought of alcohol and I resisted the urge to gag.

"Nick, seriously, you need to leave," I heard Kat say, her voice firm. My heart stopped. Nick was here? I could barely hear his muffled voice through her closed bedroom door. I dragged myself out of bed and opened her bedroom door, peeking out into the living room.

Kat was standing with the door partially cracked open, her head just outside the door. Her body blocked my view through the opening.

"No, you guys need space right now. You both need to calm down and talk about another time," she said. "I'll let her know you came by."

Kat closed the front door and locked it. She jumped as she turned around and saw that I was awake.

"Jesus Christ, Emily," she swore, clutching her chest. "I didn't know you were up."

"I just woke up," I said, my voice was dry and scratchy. "Was that Nick?" Kat nodded.

"I think you guys need space right now," she said. "The emotions are still fresh."

"No I agree," I said. I rubbed my arms, a little chilled suddenly. "What did he say?"

"He wanted to talk to you before he leaves tonight," she said with a shrug. "I didn't ask what he wanted to say."

"You need some time to yourself," she said after a few moments. "What do you want to do today?"

"I just really want some food and a shower right now," I said. I cleared my throat, trying to get rid of the scratchiness. "Do you mind if I shower?"

"Not at all, help yourself," Kat said with a smile. "I can pick up some breakfast burritos for us."

"That sounds great," I said with a smile. Kat grabbed her things and headed out the door, leaving me alone in her apartment. I headed to the bedroom to grab my clothes for the day and tried to find my phone. It wasn't anywhere in the room so I started looking in the living room. The last memory I had of it was fighting with Kat over her wanting to text Luke....

Luke.

My heart leapt in my chest at the thought of him. I had a vague recollection of texting him, but it felt like a dream. I found my phone wedged in the side of the couch and was anxious to see if I had texted him, only to find that it was dead. I cursed under my breath and found Kat's charger, plugging my phone in to charge in the bathroom while I hopped in the shower.

The warm shower comforted my aching joints. I tried to focus on just relaxing while I showered but my mind felt like it was spinning, and not from the hangover. All the conflict over the past months with Nick replayed in my mind - all the anger, all the frustration, all the loneliness. I didn't even feel like I wanted to cry anymore. I just felt empty and yet heavy at the same time like everything was weighing me down.

As I closed my eyes to wash my hair I heard my phone buzz from the bathroom counter. It stopped and buzzed again. And again. I assumed text messages were coming in. My stomach twisted as the vague recollection that I texted Luke last night came rushing back to me. I quickly rinsed my hair and body clean and then jumped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my body. I picked up my phone from the counter, still dripping wet and tapped the screen to wake it up.