s*x IN A GLASS HOUSE

THE WOUND THAT NEVER HEALED

My fingers lingered on the screen longer than I wanted to accept.

It was ridiculous.

Really, really stupid.

Nightshade wasn’t my boyfriend. He wasn’t even a friend. We weren't even close. He was a… glitch in my brain. Some distraction. A mistake that a part of me wanted to make again. And for someone that I'm not allowed to see his face, he had an impact on me.

I wanted to text him to reach out again, so I could stop thinking about Levi.

But here I was, lying on my bed like a sad orphan who’d never heard of dignity.

Orphan, yes. Dignity, not so sure.

I rolled on my bed, debating whether to text a man who clearly didn’t give a damn.

Fine.

I typed:

AUGUST: Are you alive?

I pressed send before I could consider. Pondering only made things worse.

Three dots didn’t appear.

No answer.

Nothing.

Wonderful. Incredible. I loved being ignored. My favorite hobby.

I wonder why I bothered. The only reason why I'm always hyper when it comes to men, is because of him. I still see his face in my sleep.

He promised to find me, but maybe he's dead.

I couldn't help but wonder. Atticus never lied. He never broke his promises, unless…

I shook my head, trying to erase the thoughts, but a part of me knew the reality.

Maybe, just maybe he was alive, he would've come for me by now.

I threw the phone beside me, staring at the ceiling, irritated by everything — the house, the quietness, myself. Particularly myself. I despised that he got under my skin.

I hated that one night with him. That night rewired my entire nervous system.

I held the phone again.

AUGUST: Or did you die and forget to tell me? Or did you leave Blink? Without telling me? That would be rude.

Sent.

Yet, nothing.

I grunted, falling flat back against the pillows. What was wrong with me?

Ever since the fire, I didn’t pine, I didn’t long, I didn't wait for anything not to talk of waiting for replies like some lovesick teenager who left his diary open.

I attempted again.

AUGUST: Even if you’re ignoring me, at least act like you’re not. Courtesy, Nightshade. Primary courtesy.

Sent.

I stared.

And waited.

And—wow. Still nothing.

“Unbelievable.”

I turned my phone off before I could embarrass myself further.

I ran my hands through my hair, trying to push down the disturbance knotting in my chest.

This wasn't about Nightshade.

It was the fear of being alone again.

That familiar feeling of isolation, the one I acted like it didn’t bother me.

This mansion wasn't helping, it only made things worse. Just the money was keeping me.

It was too calm, clean, and quiet. It felt like living inside a crystal.

I pushed myself off the bed. Exercise felt better than thinking.

I wandered out into the hallway, half-expecting — half-hoping — to bump into Levi so maybe I could irritate the life out of him for sport.

Of course, he wasn’t there.

Sucker.

He was likely off somewhere packing his emotions or adjusting his sense of authority with a ruler.

What a bummer.

I climbed up the stairs, coming down quietly. The humming sound in the house felt louder today.

The air-conditioning, the faint echo of my own steps, my heaving exhaling

It felt like I was being watched.

For the second time.

“Put yourself together,” I whispered to myself.

I wasn't actually scared, just… aware. Too aware. I could feel eyes piercing my skin, like eyes that grazed across my skin, checking, waiting.

It didn’t feel fearful, which somehow made everything very much worse.

I noticed movements in the kitchen, Levi stood there, by the counter going over files, as usual, in his perfect posture, his grumpy expression, unreadable.

His eyes never left the files, didn't even spare me a glance when I entered. Typical Levi.

“Good Morning,” I said.

“Mhm,” he replied, barely acknowledging me.

“Wow, such talkative today. You sure you're good? Did someone rob you of your personality?”

He didn’t respond. That nearly made me smile. Classic Levi.

I opened the fridge, searching for my favorite orange juice. “Did we run out of orange juice? Or are we living in a dictatorship system where juice is now illegal?” I groaned.

Levi better be kidding me. He knew I loved that orange juice.

He sighed, “It’s right behind the milk.”

I flickered my eyes. He sounded almost normal. Mannerly. Unbothered. Too civil.

I felt annoyance causing my blood to boil. He was the only company I had, and he wasn't even giving me the satisfaction of teasing him.

I snatched the juice from its position and turned to lean against the counter across from him.

No more physical contact. At least for now.

“You look very well-rested. Congrats on being a functioning adult, and actually sleeping.”

He finally looked up — quick, sharp, assessing me slowly.

His gaze skimmed my face, pausing just a second too long.

For someone who didn’t sleep, you're quite observant.” He said, his gaze going back to the files he was flipping through.

I shrugged. “I slept.”

“That was a very pathetic attempt.”

“Learnt from the best.”

His jaw flexed. A tick of annoyance.

Great.

“Something definitely happened,” he said flatly.

I scoffed. “You really need hobbies or a company at least if you’re monitoring my sleep cycle.”

He glared. “I’m not monitoring you, and I don't need hobbies. I'm not some child.”

“Could’ve tricked me.”

Then he became quiet. Too quiet, his lips folded.

And as usual, that stupid heaviness settled between us again. The one thing I kept trying to ignore. That force. It squeezed against my ribs like it wanted out, fighting for freedom.

I took a sip of juice, pretending not to care.

“Relax. I’m not dying. Yet. Just thinking too much.”

“About what?”

“Life, and Stuff.”

He lifted a brow. “Meaning?”

I rolled my eyes. “Meaning stuff, Levi.”

He didn’t look convinced.

Whatever. Not my problem, that's his cup of tea.

I set the juice down harder than necessary. Levi’s eyes flicker down, catching more than he should before shifting back up.

Cowardly behavior.

He inhaled slowly, always controlled.

How can a man he so stiff?

“I assume this certain “stuff” is why you nearly walked into a wall earlier?” he said.

“I didn’t almost walk into a wall.” I corrected.

“You did.”

I have no memory of that.

He stared at me like he was calculating the odds of throwing me in the nearest corner, just to get a moment of silence to finish his work.

I sighed dramatically. “If you must know, I texted…someone. They didn’t respond. Very gutwrenching.”

His shoulders stiffened

“Who’s that?” he asked. Carefully. His eyes are darting.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Just somebody from… the past.”

“Is that somebody Nightshade or?” he said, tone shifting — not quite flat, not quite tense, but something in between.

He went back to his files, pretending to flip through them, eagerly waiting for my response.

I narrowed my eyes. “How do you know about Nightshade?”

“You mentioned him…once,” he responded, his shaky eyes never leaving the files.

“I did?” I asked, raising one brow in confusion.

When did I?

“Yes,” he said, his tone flat.

“Oh-.” I managed.

He finally looked up again, not looking away this time.

I hoped he would look away.

It felt like he was reading into me — and worse, like he wasn’t wrong.

I don't know if I let it slip by mistake, but I was really sure I never mentioned nightshade.

How did he know that?

“He’s obviously ignoring you,” He said.

Hmm “I can tell that,” I snapped.

Levi’s expression changed, Something almost like satisfaction like he was biting back his smile before he smothered it.

“I didn’t mean it like an insult” he said calmly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Really? Because it really felt like it.”

“I said it because you looked unsettled.”

“I’m not unsettled.”

“You paced outside your room for five minutes, went upstairs, before came downstairs.”

I froze

“You heard all of that?

He didn’t blink. “The floors make sounds,” he said, mockery laced behind his tone.

I looked at the floor. “It didn’t creak.”

He didn’t try to deny it, or even confirm it.

He just looked at me with those sharp, infuriatingly watchful eyes.

Gosh, he gets on my nerves so much.

“You don’t need someone like him. He's unresponsive. he said quietly.

My head snapped up. “Excuse me?”

He exhaled — annoyed, impatient, like he regretted opening his mouth at all. He stared at me for a while, trying to decipher my emotion.

“I mean someone who treats you like you’re disposable. Doesn't respond to you at all.”

The words landed harder than I expected. Hitting me hard.

“I’m not disposable,” I muttered.

“I never said you were.” His tone was clipped. “I said he acts like you are.”

I crossed my arms. “And why do you care? You're never really interested in my business.” I snapped.

He straightened, back stiffening like I’d caught him in his own trap, or something he wasn’t ready to admit.

“I actually don't,” he said.

Lies.

Big one.

He picked up his files, ending the conversation horridly, ready to run off.

“I have important work to do,” he said. “Don’t roam around. Clean the house and stay in your spot. I'll come to check up on you, when I have the time.

I won't be here as often, so try to stay out of places you've been warned to stay from.”

In simpler terms: he didn’t want to keep talking to me, because talking to me gave him butterflies, and it meant feelings, and Levi hated that more than he hated me touching anything I wasn’t supposed to touch, or going places I was warned off.

He started walking away, gripping his tablet like his life depended on it.

I watched him go, irritation seething beneath my ribs

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

My heart skipped, my chest pounding, my pulse, jumping

I grabbed it —

Nothing.

Just a dumb weather alert.

I let out a breath that wasn’t relief.

Nightshade was definitely ignoring me.

Levi was intentionally driving into my emotional cracks.

Come to think of it, all the men I've encountered so far just wanted one thing.

Sex.

And I'm definitely sure that's what Levi wants.

I sat back on the counter, pouring the juice inside the glass, as the memories of Atticus and me came flooding down.

I set my phone face down on the counter.

“Please find me if you're still alive. I can't do this alone.” I sniffed.