Fatal Flaws

chapter 46

Maybe he has a good reason for last night and today. Deciding to be the bigger person and give him the benefit of the doubt, I text him, asking where he is. Not expecting an instant response, I pull a handful of hangers from the closet. Unzipping my bags, I sigh before unpacking.

None of this seems real. It's like a dream. I'm only eighteen, living on my own with Hayden. It makes me feel grown and independent. It was one thing moving into the dorms, but this is a whole new level. Taking my time, I hang the shirts and hoodies I'd brought, keeping them separate from his.

Once again, I'm getting nervous. He still hasn't responded. The stress of everything is giving me an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Maybe I should try out the shower. It's a good thing I brought towels, I think to myself, grabbing the small stack of them from my bag. I have to make two trips back and forth. One to take the towels and things he purchased. The second involved taking my personal items.

The bathroom is decent-sized with a standard tub. He's already hung a blue and green shower curtain around it. It's partially open, revealing a silver shower caddy, loaded with men's body wash and shampoo. Two loofahs, one blue and the other red, hang from its hook. I wonder if he stayed here last night? Did he already try out the shower? I'm getting frustrated the more I think about it. Trying to take my mind off of it, I continue inspecting the bathroom.

A small sink sits inside the door to the left. An oval mirror hangs above it, with three brass light fixtures dangling over the top. The toilet beside it has a teal seat cover with a matching rug surrounding the base. There's a small silver trash can on one side with a matching toilet bowl and brush on the other. A large teal foam squish mat lays in front of the tub.

The thought of taking a bubble bath never occurred to me until now. It's been such a long time since I've been able to soak in a tub. I make up my mind quickly, deciding a nice hot relaxing bath is exactly what I need. Using the shampoo, I dump a small amount into the running water. My hand swooshes through it, mixing it in, creating the perfect amount of foam. I'll need to buy some candles for next time. I mentally make a note in my head.

By the time the tub is full, a thick layer of steam rises off of it. Stripping my clothes off, I notice a small bamboo hamper tucked behind the sink I hadn't noticed before. Tossing my clothes into it, I step into the water. It takes a few moments to get used to before sinking, allowing it to cascade over me. It feels amazing. Every muscle in my body relaxes. Leaning my head back against the cool tiles, I close my eyes. I could get used to this.

A while later, after several refills, my fingers and toes have wrinkled. Grabbing the loofa, I wash my body and hair. Quickly shaving everywhere, doing a quick touch-up. By the time I finish, the water has once again lost its warmth, as I reach down to unplug it. Standing up, I reach for a towel. The wetness from my hair runs down my backside, plopping into the water below. After drying completely, I wrap the large white towel around my naked body. Before bending down and using the second one to twist around my drenched hair, flipping it back up.

A gush of thick steam rolls out into the hallway as the door opens. It's dark, the only light comes from the bedroom. The door is slightly ajar, like I had left it. The house remains silent except for the furnace. It doesn't appear he's here yet.

Entering the room, the first thing I grab is my phone, letting the charging cord fall. Nothing, still no word from him. Instead of worrying, I'm getting aggravated, my anger rising with each passing minute. Judging by the things that he's left here and the one text message from him, I know he's alive and, more than likely, safe. He's choosing to ignore me.

Tossing my phone onto the bed, I slide into my silk purple pajama shorts and top, along with my fuzzy socks. After putting effort into brushing my hair, I go with a lazy, loose braid off to the side.