I wake up disoriented.
My neck is stiff, and there’s a weight across my back. I blink, trying to remember where I am.
The trailer. Right.
I try to move, but something’s holding me down. Not aggressive. Just... there.
I turn my head slightly and see Koa’s hand resting on my lower back. He’s sitting beside me on the couch, head tilted back against the cushion, eyes closed.
He fell asleep.
Or he’s pretending to.
I hold my breath, trying to figure out if I should move. If I should wake him. If I should—
“You’re awake,” he says without opening his eyes.
I freeze. “How did you—”
“Your breathing changed.”
Of course it did.
I push up onto my elbows. His hand slides off my back, and I immediately miss the warmth.
“What time is it?” I ask.
He checks his phone. “Three a.m.”
“Where’s Oxy?”
“Don’t worry. He got your brother home. He’s fine.”
“Fine,” I repeat. Like that word means anything anymore.
Koa stands, stretches. His shirt rides up, exposing a strip of toned stomach and the edge of a tattoo I can’t quite make out.
“Come on,” he says. “I’ll take you back.”
“To campus?”
“Where else?”
I sit up fully, run a hand through my hair. It’s a mess. I probably look like a disaster.
We walk out to the car. The night air is freezing now, biting through my thin shirt. I wrap my arms around myself, shivering.
Koa unlocks the Charger, and I slide into the passenger seat. The leather is cold against my legs.
He starts the engine, cranks the heat. We sit in silence as the car warms up. Oxy comes out at the last second and gets in the back seat.
On the drive, I think Oxy has fallen asleep in the back. I’m wide awake though. I don’t know if it’s the cold or the adrenaline of sleeping on the couch with Koa, but I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep again until tonight.
“Can I ask you something?” I ask.
He looks at me, waiting.
“Why did you cut him off? Really?”
