Faulty Trust || Katie McCabe

30

"When did you think clubbing the night before having to pack for an out-of-country trip was a good idea?" Elaina mused from beside me, "Also, where was my invite?" She gave my shoulder a light swat, and I groaned, pulling the blanket around myself.

She'd shown up at my apartment bright and early, waking me up way earlier than I wanted to be woken up, but it wasn't exactly her fault. I had forgotten she was staying with me the day before we left for Norway. Though I didn't think she'd show up at 8 in the morning.

I should've known better, though, because it's quite on-brand for Elaina to pull something like this. "Give me ten more minutes," I grumbled as the headache I had still raged on.

"Sure thing, babe." Elaina's hand combed through my hair in a comforting way as the soft sounds of TikTok came from her phone. I needed some painkillers, but the feeling of Elaina brushing through my hair was enough to soothe my headache just the slightest bit. I was also extremely comfy on my couch, and I wasn't moving until I milked every last second of those ten minutes.

"Okay, my arm is sore, and I'm also hungry. And it's been ten minutes. Do you have any food here?" Elaina's voice cut through the serenity of the morning, and I let out a sigh. She always wanted the food in my flat because it was apparently better than the food in Liverpool. I think she just liked stealing my home-cooked food because she couldn't cook.

"You're so demanding," I muttered before sitting up slowly and rubbing my temples. My headache hadn't eased at all, but I'd have to deal with it until I made it to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom.

"So tell me," Elaina followed close behind me as I walked towards the bathroom. She leaned on the door frame as I searched the medicine cabinet for Panadol. "What's got you drinking until you're passed out on the couch? Because to my knowledge, you don't drink to forget often." I narrowed my eyes through the mirror, a subtle smirk playing at Elaina's lips when I met her eyes.

I didn't answer; instead, I shut off the light and squeezed past her back towards the kitchen to get a cup of water. She chuckled softly before following me yet again and this time took a seat at the bar top while I filled a glass of water and took a sip. With painkillers in my system, I turned to my fridge, grabbing the last few eggs out of the carton to scramble this morning. Even with a headache I'd still make a mean breakfast because I loved to cook.

"You still haven't answered my question, Em," Elaina mused from behind me, and I refused to turn and face her because she was right. I didn't want to talk about the events of last night and the way they pulled at my heartstrings. Or the way thoughts of Katie still lingered in my head this morning, only adding to my pounding headache. No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, I would never be able to stop thinking about her because I didn't want to stop thinking about her.

I just wish things weren't how they were right now.

"Is it about you and Katie?" My gaze snapped to Elaina quicker than my mind could even catch up. "Is that a yes?" Her brow raised slightly, a curious look filling her eyes.

"We aren't..." I trailed off trying to find the right words for what was happening right now. "We aren't on the best of terms. That's all I can say," I mumbled before turning back and cracking the eggs into the warmed skillet. Elaina didn't respond immediately, a quietness filled with the smell of eggs the only thing keeping me semi-grounded.

I risked another glance over my shoulder, and the look on Elaina's face told me to keep talking; despite my reluctance, I did. I spoke softly, hoping that Elaina could hear my mumbling to begin with, but I caught her up on the last month or so of drama that had filled my life. I caught her up on the Bayern fiasco and the fight I had with Katie. She didn't seem very happy about what Katie had said, but I'd sort of made my peace with it for the moment, which wasn't easy. I tried my best to communicate that to Elaina, but I wasn't entirely sure she heard me because she was busy typing angrily at her phone.