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I’d have to be okay with that.

I grabbed my phone and set an early alarm. I’d get her back in her bed and she’d never know.

But for now, we both needed this.

Two brown eyes stared at me when I woke up.

My alarm was going off, and I blindly tapped at my phone to stop it. When I looked over, the eyes were still on me. I could only see the top of her head, but I knew who it was.

“Hi, Beatrice,” I said. “I bet you want food.”

She slowly nodded. “Yes.”

“Just give me a minute.”

“Did you steal her?” Beatrice asked.

“No,” I said. “It’s not like that.”

“Sometimes she glares at you. I think she doesn’t like you.”

“Thanks,” I said flatly. “I know. I’m gonna get her back to her place. She’ll be mad if she wakes up here.”

Beatrice narrowed her eyes at me, and I was sure she was about to start screaming to purposely wake up Jade. Instead, she walked out of my room. Silence followed.

I could only handle one thing at a time, so I focused on slowly getting up. Jade grumbled but stayed asleep even when I picked her up. I got out to the living room, and Beatrice was by the door.

When I got close, she opened it.

“Are you helping me?”

“I help nice people.”

I almost dropped Jade, but I’d rather cut off my own toe, so I kept myself in check.

“Thank you,” I said. “Can you open the other one?”

“Will you get me a rock?”

“Will you eat it?”

Beatrice considered it, then shook her head.

“Then yes.”

She bounced over. I made sure Jade was tucked in her bed before taking a look around her apartment.

It was a mix of colors and candles. It was also a mess.

At least some things never changed.

“Don’t be weird,” Beatrice said.

“Right, sorry.” I walked out of Jade’s apartment and quietly shut the door behind me.

“Do you like her?” Beatrice asked.

“I do.”