Chapter 191.

Two days later:

Kylie lay across her bed with her phone practically glued to her face.

Her thumb moved endlessly across the screen.

She checked the apartment listings, the studios, one-bedroom apartments, furnished apartments, unfurnished apartments, luxury apartments that made her scoff at the prices, and places so tiny she wondered if the bathroom doubled as the kitchen.

She kept scrolling.

She needed a new place. Not eventually, but now. Every corner of this apartment reminded her of what happened.

The bathroom. The stairs. The front door. Even the hallway made her chest tighten sometimes.

She didn’t want to keep waking up and remembering. She wanted somewhere that didn’t know her fear.

Somewhere she could breathe.

She returned from the hospitql five days ago, and still haven’t found a place she would love.

Emilia sat beside her on the bed, watching her quietly. After a moment, she reached over and tucked a strand of Kylie’s hair behind her ear.

"I’m so sorry, Khy." Her voice softened. "I never imagined Noah being that inhumane."

Kylie looked up from her phone. Then she smiled. "I’m fine now."

Emilia frowned.

"It’s been eight days," Kylie continued. "I just need to leave this place to come back to my senses."

"You don’t have to do it alone."

"I know."

"Come and stay with me while you search."

Kylie raised a brow. "You are going back to school in two days, babe."

Emilia opened her mouth.

Kylie pointed at her. "And don’t even say I’ll be fine alone."

Emilia closed her mouth.

Kylie grinned "I can’t live with you in your dorm."

Emilia frowned. "You could try."

"And get thrown out?"

"I’d hide you."

"You’re terrible at hiding things."

Emilia gasped. "Excuse me?"

Kylie gave her a look.

Emilia paused.

Kylie laughed. Then she tossed her phone onto the mattress. "Besides, I’m not spending the next two weeks hiding in your room."

Emilia’s expression softened.

Kylie caught it immediately.

Emilia laughed.

Kylie stretched her arms above her head before flopping back against the pillows. Then she looked at Emilia.

"You know what I need?"

Emilia waited.

"A club."

Emilia blinked.

Kylie sat up. "A very loud club."

Emilia stared at her.

"With music, and dancing."

Emilia remained silent.

"Drinks."

"Kylie—"

"And absolutely terrible decisions."

Emilia raised a brow.

Kylie smiled. "I need to remember what it feels like to be ordinary."

Emilia studied her. Then she asked carefully, "What about Christian?"

Kylie turned toward her calmly. "What about Christian?"

Emilia shot her a look.

Kylie shrugged. "He comes and goes."

She picked up her phone again, checking another apartment listing.

"His men are stationed before my door."

Emilia’s eyebrows lifted.

Kylie continued casually. "He’s a friend. That’s all." She licked her lower lip. "I need to go back to being ordinary, Em."

She looked at her best friend.

"Are you coming?"

Emilia hesitated. "I..."

Kylie waited.

"I have nothing..." Her voice trailed off.

"Nothing what?"

"Nothing to wear."

Kylie stared at her. She looked stunned for a second, and then she burst out laughing. She threw the blanket off her legs and jumped out of bed.

"Are you serious?"

Emilia smiled.

"You are in my house," Kylie said, walking toward her closet. "My closet still exists, babe."

She yanked the doors open.

Clothes immediately spilled into view.

Dresses, tops, skirts, jeans, and leather jackets.

Things Emilia had borrowed before and conveniently forgotten to return.

Kylie looked over her shoulder. "You have approximately three hundred outfits available to you."

"Kylie."

"Fine. One hundred and fifty."

Emilia laughed.

Kylie grabbed a black dress from the rack and held it against Emilia.

"No."

She tossed it onto the bed. Then picked up another.

"Kylie, you’re throwing your own clothes at me."

"Because you’re making this difficult."

She pulled out a tiny red dress.

Emilia stared at it.

Kylie grinned. "Perfect."

"Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"Because I will freeze."

"That’s what jackets are for."

"Kylie."

"Emilia."

They stared at each other.

Kylie didn’t back down. "Go shower."

Emilia blinked. "What?"

"You heard me."

"I thought we were choosing clothes."

"We are."

Kylie pointed toward the bathroom. "After you shower."

"Why?"

"Because if we’re going out tonight, I refuse to let you walk into a club looking like you’ve been emotionally babysitting me for eight days."

Emilia gasped. "I have been emotionally babysitting you." She reminded.

"And you’ve done an excellent job."

Kylie walked over and pushed her gently toward the bathroom. "Now go."

Emilia laughed as she stumbled toward the door. "You are not perfectly fine, Kylje."

Kylie smiled. "I’m getting my old life back."

Emilia stopped.

She turned around. For a moment, her smile faded.

Kylie saw it. She walked closer. "I know I’m not magically okay."

Emilia’s expression softened.

"But I’m tired of being scared." She squeezed Emilia’s hand. "So tonight, I want loud music."

A grin slowly returned to her face.

"I want terrible dancing."

Emilia laughed.

"I want expensive drinks." She nudged ber head towards Emilia. "And I want you to embarrass yourself on the dance floor."

"Absolutely not."

"Then I’ll do it for both of us."

Emilia shook her head.

Kylie released her hand. "Now go."

Emilia finally walked into the bathroom.

The moment the door closed, Kylie turned toward the mirror. She looked at herself.

The faint bruising was almost gone, but the exhaustion remained around her eyes.

For a moment, her smile disappeared.

She remembered the water, his hands, and the darkness.

Her breath caught.

She slowly exhaled. "No." She shook her head.

She woukd not remember that imbecile tonight. She reached for her phone again.

The apartment listings could wait.

Tonight, she wanted to feel like Kylie again.

The loud one, and reckless one people were so quick to judge. She received an email, but she gently pushed it aside.

Everything would wait tonight.

She walked back to her closet, and pulled ojt a dress.

Picking up her curler, she walked over to the vanity table, sat before jr, and began to twist her hair.