Page 19 of Quarantine Crush
“What are you doing?” I try to resist, but his grip is firm, his expression determined.
“Quit fighting me, Hess,” he says, dragging me toward the door.
“Knox. Wait! I don’t even have my shoes on yet.”
“You don’t need them,” he says, stopping barely inside the door. He places his arms on my shoulders, positioning me just so. “Stay right there.”
I watch, utterly confused as he walks out the door. A second later, there’s a knock, and I open it to find him leaning against the wall across the hall.
His eyes brighten when he sees me, and he takes two steps across the hallway, picking me up and spinning me in a circle.
“Emy,” he says, setting me back on my feet. “Long time no see. I’ve missed you, stranger.”
His words tug at my already fragile heart, but I know what this is. A do-over. So I smile up at him and think of what the old Emy would have said.
“Damn, Jacobs. You got hot. Should we make out or something?”
His mouth falls open, and I punch him in the stomach.
“Gotcha, nerd. Come on. Let me show you the luxurious accommodations that await you inside.” I turn on my heel, marching back into the apartment. “You’ll be sleeping on chez Lazy Boy,” I say, motioning to the couch with a smirk. “Bet you five bucks you can’t make it three nights without complaining about your back like an old man.”
Knox doesn’t say anything. Instead, he leans against the wall, watching me with a small smile on his face.
“Just like old times?” he asks.
I nod. “Just like old times.”
He sighs, drawing us back to the present. “I guess we better get to the store and gather some supplies.”
“Sure thing,” I say. “Give me a sec to change into something more comfortable. There’s no way I’m wearing this if we’re not seeing the parental units.”
I turn toward my room, desperate for a moment alone to collect myself.
“Hey, Hess?”
I pause, glancing back over my shoulder and raising a quizzical brow at him.
“You’ll always be the Tori to my Andre,” he says with a grin, referencing one of my favorite shows from when we were kids. A show I’d forced him to watch on more than one occasion until he could sing all the lyrics to the opening theme song. A fact that I’m sworn to secrecy about to this day.
My laughter turns to sobs the second I lock myself in my bedroom. I know he was trying to be sweet, but his words are like a dagger to my already shredded heart.
I pull my phone from my pocket, sending my friends a 23-19 text before closing myself in my closet. I prop my cell up on my dresser, starting the Skype call for our group before stripping off the sweater dress I’m wearing.
“Ow, baby! Take it off!” Hadley’s catcalls sound too loudly through my phone, and I rush to turn down the volume.
“Oh, no. What’s wrong?” Taylor asks, her voice worried as she catches sight of my tear-stained face. “Why are you crying? Is everything okay?”
I shake my head and bite my lip to hold in a sob. They already know about the failed FlipFlop challenge. Hell, they saw it before I could figure out how to remove the video. What they don’t know is how bad it’s really gotten these last couple of days. Or how much Knox’s little comment a moment ago has sent me over the edge.
“Breathe,” Nina says. “In and out.”
“She’s not in labor,” Hadley snorts.
Nina rolls her eyes. “Maybe not, but she looks about one peanut short of a Snickers.”
“Not helpful,” Taylor chastises. “What’s going on, Em?”
I pull on some torn jeans and let out a shaky breath.
