Marlena suddenly sat up, her cheeks flushed crimson and her gaze hazy, as though lost in a dream. She shifted on the couch to face me, her glass discarded on the floor. Gently, she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her fingers brushing her lips in a slow, deliberate way that made my heart skip a beat.
I set my glass on the table, turning toward her with concern. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked softly.
Ignoring my question, she crawled closer, her eyes locking with mine in a gaze that felt impossibly deep. I tried to look away, to ground myself, but the pull was too strong. As she leaned in, I instinctively backed away, only to find myself lying flat on the couch. Marlena was now partially on top of me, her weight light but her presence overwhelming.
"Will you ever leave me?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Why would I leave you?" I replied, startled by the question. My mind flickered to my impending move. "What's wrong?" I added, searching her face for answers.
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she leaned in closer, her lips just a breath away from mine. She closed her eyes, and, without thinking, I did too. Seconds passed in an agonizing stretch of stillness. When I reopened my eyes, I saw her—unconscious—collapsed against my chest.
I exhaled slowly, relief and unease intertwining. "I guess the wine got to her," I muttered under my breath. Carefully, I slipped out from beneath her, prying her fingers from where they clung to my shirt.
Once free, I grabbed a blanket and draped it over her sleeping form. As I tucked it around her, she murmured faintly, her voice tinged with fragility. "Mom… d-don't go." Her hand reached out, briefly gripping mine.
I froze for a moment, my chest tightening. Then, gently, I patted her head, murmuring reassurances she wouldn't hear. Her grip relaxed, and I stepped away, leaving her to sleep undisturbed on the couch.
As I climbed the stairs to my room, I couldn't shake the image of her tear-streaked face or the sorrow in her voice. Pushing the thoughts aside, I returned to packing, trying to prepare for the move—and for whatever came next.
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(morning)
The night passed in a blur, and when I woke in the morning, my limbs felt heavy, as though I had been lifting weights in my sleep. I blinked groggily, trying to shake off the disorientation. As I shifted, my eyes shot open in alarm.
"M-Ma-Marlena?!" I stammered, my voice rising in shock.
From beneath the blanket, she stirred, rubbing her eyes as if she had just woken from a long nap.
"Morning already?" she mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep. "And why are you yelling?"
She stretched her arms above her head, the loose fabric of her baggy shirt riding up slightly, nearly exposing her chest. She quickly adjusted it, her cheeks flushing with sudden self-consciousness.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to calm the rush of surprise in my chest.
"The couch was freezing," she replied, her tone defensive, but there was a softness to it. "Plus, you said you wouldn't leave me."
I glanced at the time on my phone charging beside the bed and was stunned to see it was already 10:30 a.m.
"10:30, huh," I muttered, trying to steady my breath.
"10:30?!" Her eyes widened in alarm. "I'm going to get killed!" In a flurry of motion, she began gathering her things, tossing the blanket aside and tidying up the living room with surprising speed.
Once we were finished, I walked her to the door, my mind buzzing with the conversation I needed to have.
"Hey, Marlena," I called before she could open it, my voice hesitant. "There's something I need to tell you before you go."
She paused, looking at me curiously.
"I'm moving into a school apartment. We won't be seeing each other for a while, and... well, I was hoping I could get your number, so we can still stay in touch," I said, my voice soft but resolute.
Her expression flickered with uncertainty, but then a glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes. "What about after school? We could still hang out then, right?"
I shook my head slowly, my heart heavy with the truth. "I've got a new job, and it's going to be exhausting. Maybe on the weekends."
Her face fell, her gaze dropping to the floor as she nodded quietly.
"I understand," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She took out her phone, pulling up the contact app and showing me her QR code. I scanned it, saving her number, and handed her phone back.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then, without warning, she suddenly launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight embrace. I froze, caught off guard, my hands suspended in the air before I slowly returned the hug, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. I heard a faint sniffle, and in that moment, I thought I heard her whisper, Liar under her breath.
The door swung open abruptly, and the bodyguard stepped in, his eyes sharp and calculating. Marlena pulled away from me reluctantly, and with a soft goodbye, she was led out of the room by the guard.
A few minutes later, my phone buzzed, and I glanced at the screen. An unknown number had sent me a message.