Chapter 17 Sleeping Beauty
Chapter seventeen
Sleeping Beauty
Icalled Kat to make sure it was okay for Angel to hang out at the apartment. “He wants to get breakfast,” I told her.
“For all of us?” she questioned.
“Um, I can ask. Or I can order a box of donuts to be delivered by the time we get back,” I said.
“Ah, don’t worry about it. Victor and I have to go to work soon, anyway. Maybe Angel can get us some discount cake another day.”
“To celebrate me moving out,” I joked halfheartedly.
“Yes! Speaking of, we’re gonna be at the house in a minute,” she said.
“You brought Victor?” Did that mean I should put on a bra, or was he considered more ‘casual’ company? I pulled Angel’s hoodie tighter around me.
“He’s here just in case we needed some muscle,” she said. “Are you meeting us outside or should we come in?”
“I don’t know. I’m a little overwhelmed, at the moment.” I scanned the room and hooked my hair behind my ear, sure I’d forgotten to pack some key item. What about the things I left? Would Jen do something to them?
Kat’s hum drew my attention to the call. “Okay. I’ll either see you out front, or we’ll knock when we get there. See you soon.”
“Thanks, Kat.” I hung up, then flew through the room, trying to pack more into my bags until four sharp raps on the downstairs door caught my ear.
“I’ll get it,” I called, struggling to close my bloated suitcase. By the time I dragged my stuff into the hall, Dad had gotten to the door. “I’ll get it,” I repeated, slightly shrill as I attempted to hurry down the steps, but the extra weight slowed me to Jen’s pace.
Dad’s dry, sleepy voice cracked with surprise. “Kat? What are you—”
“I’m here for the exorcism,” she said.
“The what?” he asked loudly.
“I’m here for Tori.” She slipped by him and flashed me a disarming smile. “You ready?”
“Y-yes.” One step at a time. I wobbled with urgency to make my escape.
“Where are you going?” Dad asked, reaching to help with the bag.
“With Kat,” I said, nearly throwing out my shoulder just to handle it myself.
He eyed my backpack. “Big trip planned?”
I plopped the luggage wheels on the floor with a huge huff. “I can’t keep living like this. Jen’s treating us like her servants. And it’s not just hormones. It’s a pattern of disrespect. It’s an unhealthy environment for you, me, her baby…even her, probably.”
Kat nodded.
Dad studied us with tired, foggy eyes, like he was mourning us as the cherubic girls framed in the hallway. “When do you think you’ll be back?”
“I don’t know, Dad.” I didn’t have anything left to give.
His whole body sagged. For the first time in my life, he looked like a sad, old man.
“Love you,” I said, then shuffled out to the front step with Kat. Into the sunshine. Into the next phase of my life—the one where I’d finally get it together.
A tall figured emerged from the shadows of the overhang. “Would you like assistance with those bags?” he asked.
I flinched before I recognized that rumbling timbre. “Oh, sorry Victor. I didn’t realize you’d be…there.” In the bushes.
“I am the muscle,” he said dryly.
“Hell yeah, you are,” Kat said, squeezing his arm.
He smirked at her, his eyes bright with affection, and I couldn’t help but smile at them both.
Staying with them would be a lot different than living with my parents. And Jen.
I explained the gist of what’d happened in the car, and although they showed understanding, they let me quietly absorb the aftershocks of what’d happened without too many questions.
Once we got to Kat’s apartment, I clutched the straps of my backpack, carefully navigating around her curious, sniffing cat as he wound through our legs. “Um, hello, Jinx. Are you sure you don’t mind me crashing on your couch for a bit?” I asked.
Kat scooped up her black cat and kissed his head. “He loves to see his auntie.”
I was pretty sure the cat was purring because of her, not me. But it was nice to be welcomed by somebody.
I followed her to the bedroom. “I’m not putting you out, am I?”
“Kat can always stay with me,” Victor purred, his fingertips grazing her hip as he slipped by us with my luggage.
“I know,” she said coyly.
They hooked each other’s gazes for a beat too long. When were they officially planning to move in together?
He set my luggage aside and bowed. “Excuse me, ladies. I need to prepare for my shift. Good luck settling in.”
“Thanks,” I said, sinking onto the bed.
“I haven’t changed the sheets yet,” Kat warned.
I launched myself off the duvet.
My sister snorted, then placed her cat down. “It’s not that bad. I just wanted to tell you in case you planned on going straight to bed—which you can use, by the way.”
“No, no, I don’t have time for that.” I yawned at the very thought of a nap.
This was the perfect place for a rest. The curtains were closed, the lights were dim, and Jinx’s purring would be a nice bonus.
Maybe I could use a nice throw blanket as a protective layer.
Later. “Angel’s coming by for breakfast,” I reminded her.
“Oh yeah. Help yourself to anything in the fridge,” she said.
I slumped against her wall. “I can’t impose on you any more than I already have. I’ll pay for groceries—or chip in for rent, depending on how long I’m here, I guess.”
“Don’t worry about that, yet.” She watched Jinx wind himself through my legs, her face etched with concern that seemed to mirror his. “Do you want to talk more about what happened with Jen?” she asked.
I shrugged and stroked her cat. “You know how she is.”
“I do. And it had to be pretty bad for you to move out like this.” She clasped my shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Tori. It’s a big step. But it’ll be worth it. I promise.”
Something tightened in my chest and pricked behind my eyes. “Don’t make me cry again right before my boyfriend comes over,” I joked, my voice cracking.
“My baby sister has a boyfriend. Oh, they grow up so fast.” She clutched me in a dramatic hug and peppered kisses on the side of my head.
“Okay, okay, go get ready for your shift.” I laughed.
She stuck her tongue out, then pranced down the hallway to knock on the bathroom door. “Victor, can I come in?” she asked.
“Be my guest,” he said, and the door creaked open. Had he gotten out of the shower just to let her in? Or…
I flushed at the realization.
They probably showered together.
Not that they were doing anything salacious. I’d considered joining Angel in there for less pragmatic reasons than hurrying to get to a work shift.
I stripped the bed, then put on a fresh fitted sheet. But each corner of that stupid elastic band kept popping up every time I walked away. Jinx judged me from his place by the window. I wrapped myself in the comforter and plopped onto the mattress with a muffled groan. Why was life so exhausting?
Phones pinged in the bathroom.
My alert went off too. I rolled myself deeper into the blanket cocoon.
That was probably Mom texting. Or Jen.
Ugh. I wasn’t ready to talk to either of them.
My phone pinged again.
I groaned and scrunched myself into a tinier ball like a little linen caterpillar.
No more drama. Please. More sleep.
Kat hurried into the room to toss a spare pillow at my butt. “We’re leaving. Text if you need anything.”
I stuck my hand out and vaguely waved. “I’ll be fine. Have a nice day.”
That customer service stuff was really engrained in my brain.
Kat slapped my palm in a high-five, kissed Jinx, then booked it to the entryway to reconvene with her boyfriend.
Victor’s voice rumbled from the entryway, but I couldn’t make out the words.
“She’ll be fine. She’s in bed,” Kat said, her voice fading as they stepped through the creaking front door. “Take good care of my baby sis,” she called over her shoulder.
Who was she talking to? Jinx?
I snorted a laugh and burrowed into the comforter.
She was such a weirdo. I was lucky to have her.
As I nestled onto my other side, I heard soft footfall. Had they forgotten something? Or was I not used to being around Jinx?
A comforting voice drifted down on me. “Hey there, sleeping beauty.”
I peeked through the narrow opening in the blankets.
There he was. My Angel. Smiling, radiant, and sweet. Maybe a bit worried.
But I knew how to smooth that crease between his brow.
I snapped open the sheets and yanked him inside with me.