24. It's Not Supposed To Be Like This

Aella

I open the door and there he is, standing in the corridor with that signature grin of his. In his hands, a box of sushi from that expensive place downtown. The one I mentioned I liked, just in passing, ages ago.

For a second, I forget about the photo, the ominous note, the feeling of being watched. All I see is Jay and the way he’s looking at me.

“ I thought you might be hungry,” he says, stepping inside as I take the box from him.

A wave of conflicting emotions hits me. His presence instantly melts away some of the anxiety I’ve been feeling. But then I remember the photo, the warning, the lurking doubts. I push them aside, at least for now.

“Thank you, Jay,” I reply, momentarily pushed back into the comfortable groove of our relationship, or whatever it is we have.

We sit on the couch, the coffee table between us now a makeshift dinner setting. “Something on your mind?” he asks, peering into my eyes. “You seem a little distant.”

I hesitate, my eyes flicking to the phone and th