Battle Scars

Chapter 9

Leah

I put the bags down on the counter and head to my room, feeling the weight of the day settle over me. After setting my toiletries on the sink and making a mental note to organize them later, I grab my medications from the small black bag I keep tucked away. Routine helps, even if it's not much. One in the morning, one at night, and another if things start spinning out of control. I take my dose quickly, swallowing the pills dry, and let out a breath as I put everything back in place.

When I head back into the living room, the apartment is empty. Nate's gone, which I confirm by the absence of his keys on the hook by the door. He's obviously left for work, and it leaves a strange silence lingering in the air. I'm not used to having this much quiet in the middle of the day.

That silence is broken when Jay walks in from the hallway, followed by a tall, lanky guy who looks like a lovechild of Machine Gun Kelly and Pete Davidson. He's got tattoos haphazardly covering his arms and a lip ring that glints in the light. His hair is tousled in that intentionally messy way some guys do, and he's grinning like he's about to say something wildly inappropriate.

"Who's this?" he asks, pointing dramatically at me like he's accusing me of committing a crime.

Jay barely gets a word out before the guy raises both eyebrows and shakes his head. "No way," he says, clearly putting on an exaggerated act. "Jay, you didn't tell me your new roommate was a goddess."

I blink at him, taken aback for a second, before realizing he's not actually serious. He's so over-the-top, I can't help but laugh.

"Really?" I say, smirking. "That's your opening line?"

"Hey, go big or go home, right?" he replies, his grin growing wider. He shoots finger guns my way, clearly proud of himself. "Name's Ki, by the way. What's a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Jay lets out a long-suffering sigh but doesn't say anything, his shoulders tense like he's bracing for impact. I can feel the shift in the room, the way he seems ready to jump in and shut this down, but I'm not about to let that happen. Ki's ridiculous—corny pickup lines, exaggerated gestures, and the kind of confidence that only comes from knowing you're being an idiot on purpose.

I decide to play along. "Oh, you know," I reply, leaning back against the counter casually, "just trying to survive in this hostile environment."

"Hostile?" Ki asks, looking scandalized. "That's it, we're going to have to do something about this. You, me, Jay—we'll overthrow Nate and take over the whole place. Sound good?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "Deal. But only if I get to be in charge."

"Obviously," Ki says like it's the most reasonable thing in the world. He turns to Jay, wide-eyed. "Jay, why didn't you tell me she was hilarious? And a future dictator?"

Jay's jaw is tight, his hands resting stiffly at his sides. It's almost like he's waiting for something to go wrong. But Ki's more goofy than anything else, and I can't help but find the whole act endearing.

"Seriously, Jay," Ki continues, grinning like he's already won some imaginary prize. "I love this chick."

Jay rolls his eyes and mutters, "Shut up, Ki," before smacking him lightly on the back of the head.

"Ow! Rude," Ki protests, rubbing the back of his head in mock outrage. "You're just mad because she likes me more."

I raise an eyebrow at Jay, amused by the whole exchange. "Is this a common occurrence with you two?" I ask, folding my arms across my chest.

"Unfortunately," Jay replies, but there's a hint of something soft in his voice like he's not quite as annoyed as he wants to be.

"Hey, don't hate the player," Ki says, still rubbing the back of his head. "Just because you're too cool to make friends doesn't mean I can't spread some joy around."