I Look In People's Windows

Chapter 20

Red

"Lover?" It was nearly noon as I stood outside her door with a tray of food in my hand. I was hoping she'd let me in although I suspected she wouldn't. She didn't reply at first so I knocked a few more times. "I brought you something to eat."

"Please go away."

"You need to eat something. You skipped dinner last night too."

"I'm not hungry." Her voice was barely audible but just clear enough to make out.

"Lover, please? At least have the tea I made you?"

"I just want to be alone."

I stood there, trying to think of a way to make her let me in but reluctantly I gave up. "Okay." I couldn't force her to open the door. The best I could do for now was give her some space and check back later.

"If you need anything, just call me." My words were met with silence. With a heavy sigh, I set off towards the stairs, inhaling the scent of bergamot that filled the hallway.

Last night was an absolute disaster. I can't even say that it started off well because that would be a lie. When Speak Now told me that Karma was going to join us, that was the moment I knew things weren't going to end well but I had no idea just how bad it would be.

Rep and her sister kept taking shots at each other. Karma was as smug as ever as I'd come to expect from her and Rep kept getting more and more agitated until it bubbled over. I don't even remember how they both ended up on the floor. They were both arguing, the game board went flying and the next thing I knew, Rep had her hands wrapped around her sister's throat.

If Evermore and Lover hadn't pulled her off in time, I'm not sure Rep would have let go.

I hadn't seen Rep as angry as last night in a very, very long time. There was nothing but hatred in her eyes when she let go of Karma.

Lover had gone after Rep once she stormed off and Speak Now did the same with Karma. While the rest of us tried to clean up all the bits and pieces from the game, we heard a shouting match erupt between both pairs but Lover and Reputation were far worse.

Most of it wasn't clear enough to make out but it didn't take a genius to know it wasn't good. I don't know what happened between the two of them but it was bad. Very, very bad.

Obviously they had arguments in the past. Most couples if not all did. But none of them came anywhere close to whatever happened last night. I'd never seen Lover this distraught. And she hadn't been doing well the past few days either.

Seeing her so down these past few days was disheartening. She was always the one making us smile and lighting up every room she was in and now it was like watching the light in her fade away. I wished I could do more for her than just give her space. I hoped that she'd talk to me when she was ready.

Rep was also a similar situation. 1989 had tried speaking to her earlier but much like Lover, she hadn't even opened her door, much less bother answering 1989. We were used to her mood swings in the past but this was troubling.

The only positive in the house these past few days were that Debut and Fearless were talking again.

I climbed down the steps, last notes of incense lingering, and walked into the kitchen where I was surprised to see none other than Reputation searching through the liquor cabinet.

"Looking for something?"

"Yeah. Everything in my room is finished and I can't find anything here. I thought we had a new bottle of Jack-"

"I got rid of it. All of it."

"What?" I set the tray down on the counter, tea sloshing about in the cup as I fixed my eyes on her. Even now, she couldn't see the fault in her ways.