I shoved the apple core in the yogurt container, then tossed both onto the coffee table, where they skittered across the scarred surface.
Not having any friends sucked.
As an introvert with a very limited social battery, I liked being alone.
But I hated being lonely.
I hadn’t always been like this. In high school, I’d had friends. Just a small group of outcasts who ate lunch together and hung out during school hours. I’d lost touch with them after grad, and while I’d been friendly with my roommates in the dorms before I’d gotten a single and had done group projects and whatnot, I hadn’t made any effort to keep in touch with people after the fact.
I yanked my phone out of my pocket and pulled up Elle’s contact info.
I was already down. I might as well add more humiliation to my life when she ghosted me.
Jules:how was your summer?
I hit Send, then tossed my phone onto the cushion next to me.
Maybe I should get one of my monitors and set it up out here. Dec might be busy, but I could always play something else.
I was just about to get up when the door flew open.
“What the shit?”
Ash stomped into the apartment and slammed the door closed.
“What the fuck is up with you?”
“Don’t fuck with me right now, Jules.”
Jules? Damn, that was bad. I couldn’t remember a time when he’d used my nickname.
Rather than poke the beast, I kept my mouth zipped as he kicked off his shoes.
He stormed over to his room and keyed his code into the electronic doorknob he’d installed last week.
I’d looked for one online, but they were way outside my budget and my skills as a handy person. I’d never so much as hammered something. My dad didn’t do home repairs—he preferred to pay people—and I’d never been inclined to do any on my own.
I sighed as Ash disappeared into his room.
Fuck. My. Life.
I just wanted to be alone, but now I had to hide in my room rather than chill in the living room.
Today sucked ass.
Ash came out of his room.
“I’m leaving,” I told him before he could kick me out.
“So soon?” He smirked at me, his eyes flashing with something dark.
It wasn’t anger.
Was it heat?
“What do you meanso soon?”
“I mean, you just got back from your dick appointment. You off to find another?”