Page 56 of Love in Development

Charisse’s fifty million bottles fell to the floor when I knocked one with my elbow, and I bent to pick them up.The shampoo burned my eyes.“Ow.”I rinsed my head.Maybe a little too vigorously.

He was fine.I was fine.Nothing had really changed since yesterday, except now I knew that I was in love with him.How had he become so important to me without my realizing it?I placed each bottle back on the shelf, then rolled my shoulders back and let the tension and thoughts melt with the heat.

Leaving my mind blank, I went through the steps of drying off, combing my hair, dressing, brushing my teeth, then French braiding my damp hair.I left the bathroom feeling much more myself.Back in my bedroom, Charisse and Lin were gone—hopefully arguing over Shakespeare or love lives or whatever Charisse was mad at, in Lin’s room.Seeing the house divided would make Stephanie too happy.

I tossed my dirty laundry into the hamper and sat calmly at my desk.I swallowed my anxiety and responded that I would meet him.And I waited.And I waited.He wanted to tell me why he had missed our meeting yesterday, and now he was gone because I had made him wait twenty minutes to respond?Yesterday I had waited for hours!Hours!

Irritated again, I stood up and went to the kitchen to make myself lunch.I wasn’t going to wait around for him again.

Lin and Charisse stood next to the stove, stirring a pot and whispering.What were they, witches?They must’ve made up.

“Don’t you two have classes or something to get to?”

“Did you already meet online?What did he say?What happened yesterday?I hope you gave him a sound tearing-into.He shouldn’t have left you hanging like that.”Charisse was off like a witch on her broom.

Lin just raised an eyebrow at me; her soda tipped against her mouth.

“No, he didn’t respond to my message.But he’s still signed in.”

Lin clanged her can on the counter.The hollow echo told me she must have finished it.Was she finished with me?Had I gone too far earlier?I’d tried not to make things difficult for her.Was she mad at IK?

“He might have gone to the bathroom.”Lin’s voice was level, but my reaction told me I hadn’t calmed down nearly as much as I thought I’d had.

I boiled water in an electric tea kettle for some ramen and sliced a pre-boiled egg from the fridge.

“Are you going to talk to him?”Charisse seemed afraid to ask more.

“Yes.But I’m hungry now, so it can wait.”

As the noodles absorbed the hot water and seasoning, I sprinkled some furikake, a seaweed and sesame seed seasoning, on top.Pork and the sea wafted up to my nose.Delicious.My stomach rumbled in anticipation.

Charisse’s face puckered, but I ignored her.It was my food.Not hers.

They stood at the counter silently and watched as I sat and devoured the whole bowl.The salty brine balanced with the richness of pork and egg.

“Are you going to burn your witches’ brew?”I said.

Lin cursed and pushed Charisse out of the way to turn off the burner and stir.

No sign of the dragon.Stephanie had been spending less time here with her closing date approaching.

Both my friends’ heads followed me as I stood, rinsed my dishes, and dropped them in the dishwasher.Then I went back to my room—mine and Charisse’s for the time being—and shut the door.

I organized my things.Not that they needed much organizing.But it was something to do to delay looking at the screen again.I even made my bed and had plenty of time to lament missing my classes today.Plus, a realization had crept in as I replayed my behavior this morning.Everyone was going to think I was upset about Ni‌.Thinking back on it, I was concerned that he had been so badly hurt.But football was a dangerous sport.I needed to find out which hospital he was in.

Finally, out of distractions, I collapsed into the gaming chair and woke up my computer.His message told me he was waiting at the willow.

For the first time, I hesitated about going there.My avatar opened a chest, and I put the ring in my inventory.The time it took to get there seemed to pass in the blink of an eye and take forever all at once.

IvoryKnight: Are you very mad?Im having a face off with my parents, and it isnt going well.I chewed out the guys when I found out they hadnt told you.Im so sorry.

ScarlettSaber: I was worried.

IvoryKnight: Im really really really sorry I worried you.Do you forgive me?

I’d already forgiven him.That was why I was here.It was still possible that the three of them were setting me up, but it didn’t feel like that.I liked that he could apologize.It was a good attribute to have.

ScarlettSaber: Of course.What happened?