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“You switched rooms?” For the longest time after his parents died, Lukas chose to sleep in his childhood bedroom, not wanting to move any of their things.
“Yeah. I felt ready, and I needed to switch things up a little. You know, too many memories.” He says it kindly, but I cringe a little, knowing I might have been responsible.
Trying to keep my self-pity to myself, I start to move across the room. “Well, I’ll just… you sure you don’t want to take a shower first?”
“No, that's okay, go ahead. I’ll jump in after a few, I’m going to put something in the oven for dinner.” He jumps, realizing his words and quickly amending, “The other shower, that is. I’ll jump in the other shower. New water heater… we can both shower. Separately.” He rolls his eyes up to the ceiling in embarrassment, and I can’t help but laugh.
“It’s all good, man. Relax.” Walking off to avoid embarrassing myself by inviting him to join me, and head to the shower to… relieve a little tension.
Jane Doe
Restlessness sets in almost as soon as the rest of the guys leave. Yes, it’s only been a day. And yes, it’s pretty pathetic that I’m so attached to them already. But to be fair, I have zero memories of them not being around me. So now, not having multiple men surrounding my bedside makes me feel empty.
I’m having a hard time figuring out Bennet… Once the other guys left, he started to pull the door shut behind him, but changed his mind and left it ajar. Then he chose a chair at the end of the bed and pulled out his phone. His eyes have been glued to it ever since.
I’ve had more opportunities to interact with the other guys. Luis is intensely attentive, Jackson is funny and sweet, and Micah is gentle and caring. Lukas doesn’t seem to like me as much, and I don’t expect to see him tomorrow or maybe ever again, which makes me incomprehensibly sad. But at least I know where I stand with him.
Bennet though - he’s masterminded this whole plan to keep me safe from an unknown threat, spending who knows how much money and I assume breaking several laws, yet has been completely silent the entire time we’ve been alone. It’s a little unnerving.
Fidgeting to get comfortable, I try to relax enough to maybe take a nap to pass the time. I’m not tired though, I’m ready to get out of here. Brain surgery aside, I don’t feel ill enough to still be in the hospital and I’m looking forward to flying this coop tomorrow.
I look up from my inner musings and find Bennet looking directly at me. Technically he’s looking at my hand that was tapping on my thigh, but when his eyes shift up to mine, he has an expectant look on his face.
He smirks, a sort of half smile like he has a secret. It does something to my insides.
“Bored?”
“I mean… sort of. Restless, I guess.”
I don’t know if I expected him to say something else, but he just looks at me, waiting… for what I have no idea.
“So, uh… whatcha working on?”
He smirks again. Stop that.
“Logistics stuff.”
“Mmm, fascinating.” I put an obviously fake look of interest on my face.
He looks down at his phone again.
“What do you do for fun?”
He looks surprised by my question, and maybe the slightest bit annoyed that I’m interrupting him again. I can’t help it though, I’m getting some kind of sick enjoyment out of bothering him.
“I don’t really do fun,” he deadpans.
“That doesn’t really surprise me.”
He looks at me like he hasn’t noticed me before, narrowing his eyes slightly. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know, you seem kind of… wound up tight. Like you haven’t let off steam in a while and you’re about to blow.”
His eyes flash with an unrecognizable expression, but he clears his face and resumes his blank perusal of my features again.
“What are you thinking right now?” I ask him, desperate to know what is going on behind those serious eyes.
“That I’m surprised at your level of perceptiveness, I suppose.”
