Chapter Five: Sloppy Wet?

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The familiar scent of lavender mixed with a banging noise suddenly woke Abigail up.

She sniffed once, trying to remember what had happened. Then, it all came rushing back to her as she buried her face into her pillow.

What had just happened...with Riv and the King...that was a dream, right?

It had to have been, since she woke up back at her apartment. Abby opened her eyes and immediately stared.

"What the -?!" She exclaimed, studying the pillow and flipping it over and over again. Her only pillow, the one she spilled ink on just the night before, was completely clean again!

"Abigail!" The banging noise was back. She jolted out of bed, still dazed at what exactly happened, and motioned to her dresser to find her robe. Where did the ink go? Maybe she dreamed that she spilled it, but she actually hadn't? No, that couldn't be the case. Abigail then looked over to see that the pen and ink pot were there, neatly placed on her dresser next to her robe. She grimaced at the two items, and excused them as the banging noise once again made its debut.

"Abigail, you're really late for work." She recognized that muffled voice that came behind the door.

"Oh, gosh..." Her eyes widening as it occurred to her who exactly that was. Abby tied her robe around her waist, and looked at her analog clock. She lost her breathe when she saw what time it was. She slept through her alarm??? All three of them???

Bang! Bang! Bang! "Ab. I. Gail!" The voice called, this time sterner and louder.

She quickly rushed to the door, a headache forming in her brain, and exclaimed, "What the heck, Duke?! Other people live in these apartments too, ya know! Shut up and get in here!" She grabbed him by the arm and yanked him inside, almost closing the door on her long, brown hair.

With a quiet thud, Abby closed the door and sighed. "How do you know where I live?"

"When I called your office, Genevieve picked up and told me that you hadn't shown up to work yet. When I told her I'd get you, she sent me your address." His smile gave her more of a headache.

Stupid Gen, giving him her address. It was only because she shipped her and Duke together.

"What a creep." Abby managed to get out of her system. "Coming to my home like that, annoying my neighbors." She turned to look his mid-thirties, broad-shouldered self in the eye, "You could have called."

"I did call." Duke sat down - uninvited - and rested his chin on his hand, "Probably a thousand times. Genevieve said she called too, but you wouldn't pick up." His hand fell to his thigh. "Are you hung-over right now?"

"No! Freaking, no! I just slept in for once, that's all." A shiver ran down her spine. Did she get drunk last night? Maybe that's why she dreamed that odd stuff. "Look," She began, crossing her arms, "I had a rough night last night - I dreamed some pretty weird stuff. I'd just really like to get some coffee and go to work, okay?"

A few seconds passed of utter silence before Duke spoke up, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe." She replied immediately and thoughtlessly. "But not right now. Right now, I need a shower and some coffee, and I'd really appreciate it if you'd leave. I mean, we're not exactly on the same side, now are we, Mr. Herring?" Her sudden formality seemed to stagger Duke from saying anything else about the matter.

"Yeah, I guess it would be bad if I spilled anything to you about the campaign. But, we are still on for tonight, right?" Duke stood up and gave her a crooked grin.

Wednesday

How could she forget?? A forced, no-teeth smile plastered on her face as she nodded hesitantly. "Ye-yeah, I'll text you." She said mindlessly. "But for now, I need to get to work. Nancy's going to have my head."

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