That forgetting came in the form of one temperamental roommate.
I reached my new apartment and rummaged for my key, but the door opened. Red stood on the other side and glared at me. I glared back.
"What the hell was that about?" I questioned him.
"Where'd you leave him?" he returned.
I pushed past Red and dropped my key onto the small table. "In his apartment. Where else?" I plopped myself onto the couch and stretched my arms over the back. "And why the hell wouldn't you help me? It wasn't like he was going to bite you or-"
"Bite you?" Red interrupted. He leapt onto the couch cushion beside me and searched my eyes. "He didn't bite you, did he?"
I leaned away from him and frowned. "No. Why the hell would he do that?"
Red relaxed and a smile graced his lips. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "No reason. I just thought maybe he hurt you."
"I can take care of myself," I assured him.
Red pursed his lips and shook his head. "You don't understand. That guy's a rough customer."
I snorted. "If you mean roughed up, yeah. The thugs in the alley only had to stare at him to whip him, but they did a-"
"Could we just talk about something else?" Red interrupted.
I studied my roommate and raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem? You act like that guy's dangerous or something."
"'Or something' would be about right," he replied.
"Care to tell me what that something is?" I persisted.
Red stood and shrugged. "I just get a bad vibe off of him, that's all. He's trouble."
"He certainly attracts it," I agreed.
Red studied my face and his eyes narrowed. "I'm serious, Leila. You should stay away from-"
"I know, I know, stay far away from him because he's trouble," I finished. I stood and glared at my roommate. "But since you're not going to tell me what you're hiding then I think I'll just go to bed."
Red frowned. "I'm not hiding anything."
"You're also terrible at hiding lies," I scolded him.
I turned away from him and moved towards the opposite end of the couch. Red's hand shot out and he roughly grabbed my arm. He spun me around and pressed me against his chest. His burning eyes searched mine as his lips curled back in a snarl.
"Don't go near him again," he growled.
I narrowed my eyes and tried to jerk out of his hold, but he held onto me. "Let go of me," I ordered him.
He shook me. His strength was prodigious. I flailed about like a rag doll. "Promise me."
I winced beneath the pressure of his fingers. My free hand itched to grab my gun in its holster, but this wasn't some hoodlum threatening me. This was Red. My roommate. My friend.
My abuser.
"You're hurting me," I told him.
He stuck his face in mine. I had a good view of his eyes. Their depths were dark, but the outside shone with a strange light. "Promise me," he hissed.
I turned away from those horrible eyes and closed mine. "I promise. . ." I whispered.
His stance relaxed. He smiled and opened his hand. My arm dropped from his grasp. I took a step back and rubbed the bruises that were just forming.
"Good. So how about we get something to eat? My treat," Red offered.
I dropped my arms to my side and glared at him. "No thanks. I'm not hungry."
His eyes narrowed and he took a step towards me. "Don't be like that."
I stepped back and whipped out my gun. The barrel pointed at it forehead. "Not another step, or you'll regret it," I warned him.
Red paused and frowned. Those dark eyes of his studied me for a second before a goofy grin slipped onto his lips. He held up his palms and stepped back towards the door. "All right, all right, take it easy. It's just me, remember?"
"My pulsing arm makes it hard to forget," I quipped.
He sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry, okay? I just don't want anything bad to happen to you, and that guy will definitely make something bad happen to you."
I lowered the gun, but only just a little. "I can take care of myself."
Red smiled and dropped his arms as he nodded at the gun. "Yeah. I forgot about that little toy of yours. Anyway, let me make it up to you by taking you out so you don't get poisoned by my food. Or I could go out and bring you back something."
I holstered the gun and shook my head. "I'm fine, really. That guy wasn't light, so I think I'll go to bed."
"Suit yourself, but dust don't get so much beauty sleep that you leave me to become Miss Universe," Red teased as he stepped closer to the front door.
I smiled and shrugged. "I can't make any promises."
Red paused at the door and his smile faltered a little. "And don't forget that promise you made me. About staying away from that guy."
I folded my arms and winked at him. "You know me. I always keep my promises."
The corners of his lips curled up and he chuckled. "You're the only person I know who hasn't failed me yet. Anyway, see you later."
"Later," I returned.
Red slipped from the apartment. I waited a few seconds before I grabbed a box of snack crackers from the kitchen and took them to my room. The door had a deadbolt on it. I used it.
I munched on the crackers as I got ready for bed. Red was right. I always kept my promises.
But not when they were made under duress.
My sleep was fitful. I dreamed of green eyes and tall shadows.
When I awoke I found the world was enveloped in a gray wall of fog. The sky was invisible, hidden behind a mass of clouds.
I unlocked my door and stepped out. The apartment was quiet. I opened the fridge. There was the uneaten chicken and a folded note. I opened it and read the message:
Sorry about last night. Hopefully this chicken makes up for some of it. - Red.
I folded the note and sighed. "What would you say if you knew I wouldn't keep my promise?" I murmured.
I forsook the chicken and went for a bowl of cereal. My hazy dreams must have made me sluggish. I left the apartment at ten minutes till nine with a fifteen-minute drive ahead of me. My footsteps pounded down the first flight of stairs, but I slowed to a stop on the fourth floor. I glanced to my right and down the hall. The door to room Twenty-two was shut.
I walked down the hall and stood before the entrance. The silence was deafening. I raised my hand. My knuckles hovered over the door.
I sighed and shook my head. "What am I doing here?" I whispered.
I dropped my hand to my side and turned away. I was going to be late for work.
CHAPTER 7