Chapter 0252


    Abby


    A curse slips out of my mouth as I lurch across my living room. My fingers are clumsy as I fumble with


    the door handle, but finally, I yank it open. The porch light filters in, revealing Karl, his figure imposing


    even in the darkness of the street outside.


    “What are you doing here?” I’m more tired than angry, and a little too drunk for my own good, leaving


    my voice harsher than I really intend.


    Karl’s eyes scan over me, taking in my haphazard state, before his gaze floats past me and into the


    equally haphazard state of my apartment. “Why aren’t you answering your phone?” he asks. “I’ve been


    trying to call you. I’m worried.”


    I lean against the doorway, partially to hide his view of the mess in my living room but also partially to


    steady myself. “I didn’t feel like talking tonight,” I say, hoping my tense tone conveys exactly what I


    want it to: that I need space.


    Or do I need space, really?


    But Karl doesn’t budge. Instead, he steps forward, brushing past me before I have the chance to stop


    him. He stands in my entryway, looking around slowly at the half-eaten takeout food, the two wine


    bottles, and the blooming red stain on the carpet with the discarded towel before he finally turns back to


    face me.


    “Abby, everyone’s been trying to reach you. Don’t shut down on us.”


    My eyes narrow ever so slightly. “Well, I haven’t been looking at my phone. I’ve been… busy.”


    He folds his arms across his chest and frowns, a look of disappointment crossing his face. “Doing


    what? Watching old movies and spilling wine?” he probes, with a pointed look at the bottle on the floor.


    I cross my own arms as though that will somehow protect me. “Maybe,” I snap. “And so what? It’s my


    house.”


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Karl sighs. There it is again: that defensiveness in my tone. I know I shouldn’t be taking out my failure


    on Karl, who only ever tried his best to help me win today. But I can’t help it. Right now, I’m angry with


    the world, and I don’t entirely know why.


    “Come on, Abby,” he says quietly. “This isn’t you. You know you can talk to me.”


    The softness of his voice creates the tiniest crack in my resolve. My shoulders slump ever so slightly as


    a breath I didn’t know I was holding finally escapes from my lips. “I just... I needed to be alone after...


    after everything today,” I admit, the words feeling bitter to my own tongue.


    Karl moves closer, the space in the doorway shrinking between us. “You shouldn’t be alone. Not now,”


    he insists.


    I shake my head, a mixture of frustration and a sinking, reluctant gratitude roiling inside of me. “Karl, I


    appreciate youing, but I’m not very goodpany right now.”


    “Well, too bad,” he says, a look shing through his eyes that I can’t quite read. “You’ll just have to be


    goodpany anyway.”


    I narrow my eyes. “What do you mean?”


    He doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, he holds his phone up, which has been in his hand this whole


    time.


    “Your friends want to talk to you,” Karl says, noticing my hesitance. “Should I unmute everyone?”


    Co?tent belo?gs to Draм?nоvеls.cоm