Page 166 of The Baby Bargain
I sit. "But you're still here. He's upstairs, showering, naked—" I fight my cringe. "And you're here. Not…"
"Touching myself to the mental image?"
"No"
She laughs.
"I just mean… isn't it worse, being that close?"
"Worse than what?" Her gaze shifts to the stairs.
"Being far."
She shakes her head. "He's my best friend."
"But…"
"What am I going to do? Ghost him?"
"No, but you could get some space. Leave. Fly to the other side of the country for grad school. Spend the summer in Europe and find some French dude."
"Don't speak French."
"You can speak with your body."
"Like a gender reversedBefore Sunrise."
An older independent film from the golden age of indie. I know that much. And only that.
Skye is really into movies.
Whereas I stick to animation and comic books.
Her laugh is equal parts happy and sad. "You have no idea what I'm talking about."
"None."
The shower turns off. Her shoulders tense. Her gaze shifts to the stairs. "You loved Phillip?"
"Of course."
"You know that feeling, when you're around someone? Like you're dizzy because you're floating so high above the ground?"
"But when they don't want you back… doesn't that hurt?" I bite my lip.
"Mystery Guy or Phillip?"
"Both," I say. "You know Forest so well. That must be harder?"
She nodsyeah. "Like a stone in my stomach, yeah."
"So why do you…"
"Wouldn't you rather have something than nothing?"
Maybe.
The door upstairs opens. Footsteps move into the hallway.
