The Pros of Cons

5 | Not an Interrogation

TONI

The next day I woke up with a killer headache and aching muscles. The pain I felt was truly unreal. Simply lifting my head up off the pillow seemed like an impossible task.

The place was quiet. I turned myself over to an empty bed. I must have slept in if Levi was gone for work already. He didn't usually leave the apartment until 11:00 every morning. I groaned in pain while slowly forcing myself out of the bed. This was brutal. I will never do something like this again, I thought. Even though I never actually did anything to warrant this happening to me (except for willingly going on sketchy Tinder dates, I suppose).

I slowly made my way to the kitchen where I found the absence of Levi's keys in his usual spot on the counter, confirming that he was already gone for the day. I was annoyed with myself for feeling disappointed. What was I expecting? That he would take a day off to take care of me?

I audibly snorted at my thoughts. "Yeah, right."

I managed to carry on with my rather slow morning by making myself a coffee and a singular egg. It was quite literally all I had the energy for.

By the time I made it to the couch for a several hour-long rest, accompanied with a RuPaul's marathon, I heard a noise. It sounded like a ringtone, but not one I've heard before. Cautiously standing up, I followed the beeping noise across the room towards my bathroom. It took me another five minutes to actually locate what was beeping —  a cell phone. And it wasn't mine. It was the cell phone given to me by that police officer... Kez, I remembered.

Hesitantly, I picked up the phone. The caller I.D. said 'Blue' which I assumed was code for cops. I took a breath and finally answered.

"...hello?"

"Jesus, kid. Almost had the squad come breaking down your doors!"

Kez, definitely Kez.

"Er, please don't do that," I said.

"You slept in, I see. How ya feelin'?"

Kez's voice was awfully chipper for considering my dire circumstances... and at this hour? I quickly peeked at the time. Well, I suppose it's not morning anymore. More like afternoon.

"I'm feeling... actually worse than yesterday. But considering everything, I guess not too bad."

"And your roommate? Saw him leave this morning. We stopped him for a few minutes for another briefing. I have to ask... do you trust him? Because we can move you."

"What?" I nearly laughed. "What do you mean? Of course I trust him!"

"Just wanted to hear it from your own mouth, Harvie. Listen, we want to bring you by the station later today. Often victims of trauma remember different things after they've had some rest. We want to go over everything and ask you some more questions. Shouldn't take too long. Really just a follow-up."

I groaned. "Do I have a choice?"

"Well, kid, I'm giving you the option to feel like ya do."

I rolled my eyes. "I guess so. Just try and get me home before tomorrow comes this time?"

I heard a chuckle on the other end of the line. "You got it. Say, be ready for about 4:00?"

"Can't wait," I told him before hanging up.

After putting the phone back down, I looked up at myself in the mirror out of habit and gasped. Holy shit. Half of my face was black and blue while the other side was sporting some nasty cuts. I looked worse than I felt. I looked like domestic battery on a plate. Everyone is going to think I get absolutely beaten at home. I can't go out looking like this!