Page 24 of The KING Review

“Shower,” I mutter under my breath.

I try not to think about her while I undress, and I try even harder not to think about her while I’m in the shower. When I step out, I wrap a towel around my hips and smooth a hand over the mirror, smearing away the condensation so I can comb my hair.

I grab the oil from its little green bottle in the cabinet and spread it over my fingers, dragging them through my beard to oil it while it’s still wet, then I pop out my contact lenses and put my glasses on instead. I don’t like to wear them that much, but by the end of the day, my eyes are tired and need a damn break.

I go back downstairs to grab my book, but I can only get a few pages through the meet cute before I’m on my feet again. That’s all I can stand before I go to the drawer and pull my phone out to find that Neve has sent a voice note back—fifty-four minutes ago.

I almost manage to convince myself not to open it—but I’m not that strong. When I do pull up the thread, I stare at the top of the screen for about a minute, looking at her ID in my phone: Don’t.

I snort to myself. Like that was ever going to work.

I thumb the play button, and her voice filters through the tinny speaker of my phone.

“Hey.” She speaks softly, a little raspy. Not like she’s out in public, just subdued. I hate that it might be because of me. “Sorry for dipping out on you so suddenly earlier. You—” She breaks off, laughing softly, but it sounds sad. “Yeah. I guess you hit the nail on the head. I don’t know if Fia has told you much about how our parents compared us, and I won’t go into it now—it’s not really my place—but suffice to say, in terms of emotional expression, I was always too much, and she wasn’t enough.” She scoffs. “Academic performance, though? That’s where I could never measure up. So… yeah. Kind of a downer. Sorry it’s not something more mysterious and sexy.” The voice note cuts off with another forced laugh.

I send back a message without thinking about it, only realizing how it comes across when I reread it.

Me:

I don’t think you need to be any more mysterious and sexy than you already are, Neve.

When she doesn’t reply for a few moments, I consider deleting the message, but then my phone vibrates in my hand.

Don’t:

well congrats doctor king, I don’t think anybody else has had the honor of me admitting they have me speechless

I grin down at my phone like a dumbass.

Me:

So… You’re okay? I’m sorry, Neve. Really.

My heart is in my throat until her response comes through, then another, and another. I smile despite myself.

Don’t:

yeah, of course. We’re okay

thanks for checking in

but yeah I don’t think I feel the need to reward myself for a tiny victory today, we’re good

Me:

Maybe you should. You did an excellent job today.

Don’t:

I thought you weren’t grading me

Me:

I’m not. I just wanted to let you know.

Don’t:

well, I can’t read the intonation in your texts, but honestly I’m lowkey insulted that it seems like you’re a little surprised