TWENTY-THREE
JAX
Sid: I’m not feeling well. Going to stay in tonight.
I barely registered Alex and River’s bickering. I was so caught up in her text. I reread it for the tenth time, and my thumb hovered over the Send button, my response dangling in limbo.
Me: What the fuck, Sid?
It had been three days since we’d committed to being together. Three days since I’d been laid bare, and she’d offered back scraps. Scraps I’d taken and would take again. Tipping my head back, I stared at the stucco ceiling, kneading my fingers into the muscle between my neck and shoulder. I took a deep breath in and exhaled, puffing out my cheeks. Seriously, Sid, what the fuck?
I clicked my phone off and left my message unsent. I wasn’t expecting her to set a ticking time bomb on our relationship, but I’d accepted it anyway. She swore to be mine until the end of the semester. Then boom, radio silence. I was busy. She was busy. Fair enough, but three days without seeing her?
I dug my palms into my eyes and let out a low groan. My girl was freaking out, and if I didn’t stop her, she’d make a run for it. I stood abruptly, and Alex and River looked up at me with matching wicked grins.
Alex started in. “What’s got your panties in a bunch? Not used to being ignored?”
I looked between them with a scowl and landed my jab. “How’s Mia doing?”
They both looked down in unison, not meeting each other’s gaze.
I smirked. “That’s what I thought. If you poke my soft spots, I’ll start poking yours.”
They ignored me, sitting in a heavy silence that had me taking another look between them, but I had enough to deal with without taking on their issues. “I’m going out.”
Unease sat like a stone in my gut when I parked in front of her house. One part of me didn’t want to pressure her, but the other wanted to shake her senseless. I dragged my hands down my face and let out an exasperated growl. Don’t be such a pussy and go talk to her.
I knocked on her door, calling out to her, “Sid, open up.” Rap, rap, rap. “Sid, you can’t avoid me forever. Answer the door.”
The door swung open, and I found Mia’s eyes shooting daggers at me. “Shhh, she’s asleep.”
I shouldered my way inside. “You lack creativity today. Where is she?”
Mia pushed a palm to my chest, making me pause. “You are such a conceited ass. Why are you here?” Her tone had my head tilting, taking an extra second to look at her. She was wound tight, lips pressed in a firm line.
I threw my hands up in exasperation. “I’m sure she told you what went down between us, and now she’s fucking ghosting me.”
Mia’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.
“She didn’t tell you?” Knowing how close these two were, it pissed me off that she was hiding it.
Hurt crossed Mia’s expression at the same realization. She huffed out a breath before continuing. “I don’t know what any of that is about, and it does kind of… and I mean only kind of explains this dumbass display of assholeness, but she really is sick.”
My guts rolled at the thought of her being sick enough that she couldn’t answer my texts. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s rocking a high fever and only wakes up to cough. This is the longest she’s slept since yesterday.”
“Where is she?”
“She’s in her room, but Jax, I’m serious. So, god help you if you wake her.” She looked downright intimidating, staring me down.
I didn’t wait for any more threats and headed right to Sid’s room. She was bundled up in her covers, sound asleep. There was stuff everywhere. Her books and clothes were on the floor. As if she’d gotten home and was too exhausted to do anything but dump it where she stood. There was a small garbage bin beside the bed, overflowing with tissues, and her nightstand was covered with cough syrups, Halls, and ibuprofen. I sat as softly as I could to not wake her and palmed her forehead. Jesus Christ, she’s hot.
I pulled out my phone and started googling what to do with a fever, but it basically said to take some ibuprofen and wait it out. Carefully, I eased off the bed, and shame created a pit in my stomach. When I should’ve been taking care of my girl, I’d been cussing her out.
I’m a fucking asshole.
Not sure what to do with myself, I picked up her things, sorted her books neatly like she liked, and organized her pens in that precise way of hers. I moved on, collecting the clothes from her floor and throwing them in the hamper, then walked into the kitchen. Ignoring the look Mia sent me, I grabbed a garbage bag and strolled back into Sid’s room. I changed the garbage near her bed and carried the laundry bin out, slowly closing the door behind me.
Mia grabbed the bag from my hands and tossed it into the kitchen’s larger one. “How’s she doing?”
“She’s burning up but asleep.” I tugged my hair with my free hand. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
Mia frowned, but I could see the corner of her mouth tip. “I’m sure she did, but you went off into your own pigheaded brain. Glad you’ve pulled your head out of your ass.” She nodded toward the basket. “What are you doing with that?”
“What does it look like?” I shifted the basket to my hip.
She gave me a skeptical look. Damn, Mia had a good poker face. She finished sizing me up. “We go to the laundromat down the road.”
“I’m bringing them home. Text me if she wakes up.”
She smirked and gave me a small nod of approval.
I’d already fucked up the last few days when Sid needed me. I wasn’t messing around now.
Lucas sat with me as I folded Sid’s clean laundry on our couch. We both carefully ignored the fact that her underwear was now layered in a neat pile. I had no idea how to fold her thongs, and hell would freeze over before I asked Lucas for help.
Lucas’s brows pulled together, and his jaw tensed. “So… you gonna tell me what’s happening between you two?”
The laundry should’ve been proof enough, but I knew he wouldn’t stop until I said something. “We messed around. We’re…” I paused, searching for the right words for what was happening. “It’s complicated.”
“Seriously?” Lucas snorted. “Yeah, ’cause that ever works.”
I shot him a glare, effectively wiping the grin from his face. “It’s fine. We’re leaving soon, anyway.” I was careful not to admit that I wasn’t fine with this arrangement either. Softening my voice, I asked, “How’s Pips holding up?”
I knew it was hard for him to admit, but I could see how he looked at her when she wasn’t looking. Like he was terrified he would lose her.
“We’re good. We’ve got it all sorted.” He tried to pass it off like it was nothing, but we’d been friends far too long for that to fly.
I sighed, leaning back. “You know, it’s natural to worry when there’s a big change, but she loves you. You’ve got to know that.”
Lucas looked back at me and visibly relaxed. “Thanks, man.” He reached out and started folding one of Sid’s shirts.
A few hours later, I popped back into Sid’s place. I sent a text to Mia and Anthony before I got there, and Anthony was already waiting at the door. I lugged the laundry bin in with me. “How’s she doing?”