The Skylar Experiment : Dead Ending (second draft)

Chapter Three-Past Damage

LUC

I CURSED WHEN my phone vibrated.

Upon reading the screen, the groan died in my throat when her name popped across the ID caller. Riley had gone AWOL since the celebration fiasco despite me trying to reach her, and I couldn't ignore this call. A conflicted ball in my stomach nagged me as I kept staring at my phone wondering what was going through her mind. 

I lifted my ass from the upholstered chair and ambled to the kitchen, away from earshot.

"Look who finally acknowledged my existence."

She laughed but her voice rang off and bone-tired. I pictured her vegging in bed, all sleepy and grumpy. Sunshine wasn't a morning person. Don't let the nickname fool you.

"Sorry," she apologized, and I heard the sheets ruffle. A smirk forced itself on my lips as I recalled the mussy hair and pyjamas she usually sported inside the house. 

We haven't spoken since the ambush at the warehouse, and I'd left probably a dozen missed calls and messages but she didn't reply. I'd considered visiting, but intruding into a girl's room wasn't something I intended to make a habit out of no matter the reason. 

Not that I haven't sneaked around on occasion, but this was different. Turns out Riley hadn't been all too happy the time I showed up smashed and, well, I decided not to repeat the experience. I slacked against the wall.

"How are... things?"

I tried to fathom how she felt about everything. Whenever my mind prodded the can of worms, I just wanted to crane-kick the nearest person next to me, which in this case would be... My eyes flicked to the living room for a second and I turned my back after reassuring myself.

"I'm starting to feel the stuff around me... even the microwave downstairs. It's super annoying."

Ah... that explained why her phone was disconnected. What a piss poor timing. But then again, good timing was rare these days.

"It won't last long," I said, hoping it might cheer her spirits a tad. "It is annoying if you are particularly sensitive—which apparently, you are—but we all end up getting used to it. We tune it out until we only sense huge disturbances or when we try to on purpose."

Riley paused for a second and sighed. This call right now must be causing her a fair level of discomfort.

"Look, there's no need to talk over the phone. If that's okay with you, I'll stop by later."

"Um, okay but wait... I... I wanted to check how you were—"

I hung up and pushed off the wall, pocketing my cellphone before she'd make me open up about things I couldn't even let myself think about. If I let Riley continue long enough, she could have me admit to just about anything, and I wasn't ready to look into all of it through her incessant questions. Anyway, I might have still spared a minute to hear her out if it weren't for another can of worms waiting in my living room. 

My feet padded onto smooth vinyl tiles until I plopped back in front of Chuck. He was shaking on my couch, eyes darting around the room and the floor-to-ceiling glass. The groan I'd suppressed earlier poured out of my mouth in the form of words.

"Now, you are going to tell me everything—and I mean everything you told those freaking agents or so help me." I'd had enough of this problematic kid. The sight of him literally made me want to vomit. How could someone so insignificant bite me in the ass so damn hard without me even seeing it coming?