Chapter 13
chapter
thirteen
Payton
I don't remember falling asleep.
One minute we're on her couch with some heist movie playing that she swears is a classic. She's got her feet in my lap, and I've got my thumb pressed into the arch of her foot, because she mentioned her classroom floor is concrete. I've been thinking about that for two weeks.
Then something pokes me in the forehead.
I open my eyes. Jules is leaning over me, one finger still extended, the credits rolling behind her.
"Twenty-three minutes," she says.
"What?"
"You were asleep for twenty-three minutes. You snore."
I blink up at her. "You timed me?"
"I count things now." She scowls like it's my fault, which it is. "It's contagious."
"Only the stuff you like," I say.
Her scowl deepens. She points at the door. "You can't sleep here."
"I wasn't sleeping here. I was resting my eyes on your couch."
"Payton."
"Going."
I find my boots and my keys. She doesn't walk me out. She never does.
Halfway home, sitting at the blinking yellow light in Limestone with nobody coming from any direction, I text her.
Me: Home safe. Well, almost.
Three dots appear. Disappear. Appear again.
Jules: I didn't ask.
I grin at the phone and put the truck in gear. Before I can pull through, it buzzes one more time.
Jules: …good.
I sit at that yellow light a long time, staring at one word with an ellipsis in front of it.