“Well,”—I step towards him while I hug the clothes he gave me—“we still have all those Marvel movies.”
“You like them?” Conner’s eyes light up, making me smile and nod. “Okay! I’ll make my shower quick.”
He goes to move into the bathroom when I reach out and grab his arm. “Conner, thank you for taking me home that night.”
“What night?”
“That first night. I don’t want this to feel like a lot of pressure on you, but you saved me that night…” I bite my lip before breathing out, “Literally.”
He furrows his brow before realising what I mean. His eyes soften, glistening with unshed tears. Blinking them away, he gazes into the bathroom. “I hope that was the last time you thought about something like that.”
“It was.” I lean my head against the door frame. “You and Sammy. You both showed me how much I would have missed. I’m grateful to have both of you in my life.”
Conner smiles. “You should call her off my phone while I shower. I’m sure she’s dying to hear from you.”
He unlocks and hands me his phone before closing the bathroom door. I head into the bedroom, dress, and sit down on the edge of the bed. I touch the background image of us at his mum’s place at dinner. He cropped out everyone else, and it was just me on his lap.
I go into his contact and hesitate at my number when I scroll down. My heart flutters at the orange and green love hearts on either side of my name—our favourite colours. Scrolling further down, I tap Sammy’s number. It rings twice before Sammy answers.
“Conner, how is Noya?” Sammy barks.
“Hey… I’m fine, Sammy.”
“Noya!” she cries. Literally, I think. Then I confirm it when I hear the sobs and sniffles. “How are you? Are you out of the hospital?”
“I’m okay, and yes, I am out of the hospital. I’m at Co—my apartment. I was calling to see if you wanted to come over tomorrow.”
“Yes! Of course! When’s the earliest I can come?”
“Uh… maybe around lunch. We can have lunch together.”
“Sweet! Is it all right if Dylan comes? He’s been worried sick as well.”
“Yeah, I was going to say he’s more than welcome to come.” I hear the shower shut off and turn my head to the door. “I’m a little tired, so I will talk to you tomorrow. I will send you the details of where I live later.”
“Okay! You just rest up, Noya! Bye!” I hang up, and when I open the door, Conner has a towel wrapped around his waist, heading to his room. He pauses when he notices me. “Here’s your phone back.”
“Keep it until you’ve added whatever contacts you want into the phone my mum gave you. I think she put it in the suitcase.”
“Oh… are you sure?”
“There’s no one else I want to talk to besides you, and you’re here.”
The flush moves across my cheeks and neck. “You’re cheesy.”
He chuckles while heading into his room. While he dresses, I go to the TV and figure out how to turn it on. Once I figured out how to turn it on, it was easy to find Disney+ on the home page of the smart TV.
Conner sits beside me after he dresses in a shirt and sweats. His arm instinctively rises, and I move into him and rest my head on his chest. This is it. This is my home, and I want nothing more than to lie here with the one I love in our bubble.
Home.
This is what a home should feel like.
59
NOISE
I wake to clattering.Flinching, I sit upright, tucking the blanket to my chest, my eyes widening. I glare at the door, expecting Dad to be there, a weapon in his hands, blood soaking the tip, and Conner unconscious, bleeding out.