"Took you long enough. I was wondering when you would show your face around here again."

Brynn smirked at me as if she wasn't the least bit surprised to find me on her doorstep. She used her skeleton-like finger to wipe away the remnants of the sticky fluid that had collected in the corner of her smeared, cherry-red lips.

"I...uh...no...nope. Not today." I stuttered and stumbled backwards to escape the frightening delusion I was trapped in.  My back drilled the edge of the metal railing overlooking the staircase, keeping me from plummeting over the edge.

What the hell else was in the shit I smoked? 

Sean's blend had to be well past the expiration date if I was still so horrifically delirious that I was now conjuring up images of the hideous creature in front of me. 

Brynn's silhouette wavered in and out of focus as she crept closer.  My retinas were melting out of my eye sockets as I blinked rapidly to make the unwanted hallucination disappear. 

Fuck, my brain was tormenting me for relapsing.   

"Get inside." Brynn scowled at me when I leaned back over the railing. 

"I'm good here," I answered and glanced over my shoulder at the landing below. The floor below me was spinning, but I could stick the jump if I timed it just right. I started to climb over the railing to make a run for it. 

"Oh, my god, Ezra. Seriously? What the hell are you on?" Brynn's talons extended and she latched onto my elbow, yanking me back at the last second before my feet could leave the tile floor. 

The praying mantis started dragging me across the floor like I weighed nothing. My feet were hydroplaning over the smooth surface as she led me back towards the yellow door to the apartment. 

As soon as Brynn pushed the apartment door open, I dug my heels into the metal barrier at the threshold.  It was my last chance to get out of here before she bit off my head and consumed me.

"Ezra, hurry up and just come inside already.  We both know you like that sort of thing anyway." Brynn snorted. 

"Ez! Get in here." Sean called gregariously from inside the apartment. 

Brynn gave my arm a final tug while I was distracted by my idiotic roommate and yanked me inside.  She pranced proudly with her bony, bare ass in my face as she walked me across the room to a chair in the corner.

Sean was sitting slumped down on the couch with his legs spread wide open and a dopey smile.  He had his hand in his pants, adjusting and resituating his dick.  Once satisfied and comfortably rearranged, he pulled up his zipper and refastened the button. 

Brynn left my stunned body in the chair and went over to the coffee table, where a tiny clear baggie was lying by itself, free for the taking.  She slowly bent over and stuck her flat ass up in the air between Sean and me. 

Brynn began wiggling and shaking her hips to ensure all eyes were watching her—even if there wasn't much back there to see. She could writhe around and dangle it out in the open all she wanted, but she had nothing on Riley's smooth, round cheeks.  Riley's ass was so soft and juicy. It fit so perfectly in my large hands. My cock was already half-hard just imagining digging my fingertips into both of them while Riley milked me for everything I had to give her, which was a fuck ton in my current state.

I hadn't let myself come since the last time I was with Riley. 

Not even into my own hand.

Sean craned his head over, shamelessly checking Brynn out.  He caught me spaced out, gawking in disgust at the view and mistook it for interest.

"Change your mind?" Sean waggled his eyebrows up and down as he laughed at me.

I shook my head and mouthed the word "no" at him. 

Brynn caught the exchange and tilted her head to look at me.  She placed a small pill from the baggie on her tongue and winked.  The muscles on her throat shifted as she sucked the pill down.

It was fucking disgusting, like a giraffe swallowing a boulder. 

Brynn stood up and took a step closer to me to offer me a taste of one of the little delicacies Sean had brought her.  I wanted the drugs she offered me, but I also felt like I would projectile vomit if I had to look at her any longer.  My thoughts were scattered into a whipped disaster and covered with sprinkles.  I didn't know what I needed to do first.

"Bathroom?" I asked when the bile rose up, hitting the back of my throat.  

The drugs would have to wait—my stomach had decided for me.

"It's at the back end of the hall. Door is on your left." Brynn motioned with her head and pulled the bag back.  She lifted the rubberband thin line holding her panties together and slid the edge of the baggie under it to keep it safe. 

I couldn't take my eyes off the baggie as it hung off the front of her hip. The drugs were calling out to me again. 

Brynn began playing with the edge of her panties like I was staring at her instead of the contents of the miniature plastic bag.  

Nothing could have been further from the truth. 

When she started to tuck her thumbs in the center triangle of fabric to slide it over to give me a quick peek, I jumped up on my feet and raced back through the kitchen and into the dark hallway.  There were two doors near the end, one on the left and one on the right—both were closed tightly. 

I turned the knob to the one on the left like Brynn said.  I was hoping I could get to the toilet before it was too late. 

If I missed—well, that would be Brynn's problem to deal with. It was her fault I was sick to begin with. 

When I walked into the shadowed room, my nostrils were immediately assaulted with the most sinful, citrusy aroma. I felt light-headed and giddy, immediately forgetting the churning in my stomach.  The tension left my whole body and my shoulders relaxed as a wave of calm overtook my senses.  The room smelled precisely like everything I had remembered from my dreams.

It felt like I was home.   

I opened my eyes wide like I had just woken up from a restful sleep.  I grabbed my eyebrow rings and twisted them while peering around the space. I had expected a toilet and shower, but instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find a medium-sized, fully made bed in the middle of a perfectly spotless room. 

It was hers— it was Riley's room.

Where was she right now?

Why was Riley living in this apartment with Brynn, of all people?

After everything that happened between Aiden and Riley, I never expected these two girls to remain on friendly terms. It wasn't because Brynn gave a damn about Aiden, but because Brynn couldn't handle not being the center of attention.  With Riley around, Brynn would never be the star of the show and it ate at her soul. 

Standing in Riley's shadow must have been much better than the alternative.

I would bathe in my girl's shade if allowed—it would be a significant upgrade than the distance we had between us.

I walked over to Riley's dresser and slid my thumb over a balled-up scrap of fabric on top of it.  It turned out to be a random pair of light blue cotton panties she left out.  I could watch her walking around in the simple, understated fabric for the rest of my life. I ran my index finger around the edges and dipped it under the center, wishing Riley was in them. I would give anything to feel her warmth under my fingertips again. 

I felt eyes judging me as I lost myself in my memories.  My head snapped up to find a picture of Riley and JD standing side-by-side. The blond was wearing that same white dress I had met her in. It must have been from the night of her graduation.  Riley had the biggest grin on her face like she knew her life was just beginning.  The girl in the picture had the whole world in front of her and was hers to take.

I missed her smile.

I missed her temper tantrums. 

Fuck, I was exhausted from just missing her. 

I turned my head away from the picture and studied Riley's bed next. It was covered with way too many pillows of all different shapes, sizes, and colors.  I wanted to dive headfirst into the center of it and make myself a permanent fixture beneath her sheets.  If I shackled myself to the bedpost and tossed the key away, there was no way she could get me out of here again. 

Riley would have to forgive me at some point.

"Did you get lost? I said the door on the right. This is not the right." Brynn snuck up behind me and whispered. 

"You said left," I argued back.

"Nope, definitely said right.  You really did take a lot of shit, didn't you? Oh well, I guess you would have ended up back here soon enough. You obviously haven't gotten over her yet." Brynn rolled her eyes and walked over to the bed.

"Is she here?" I asked with nervous excitement like Riley was going to pop out and scream 'boo' at me from behind a curtain.

"Nope," Brynn answered and spun around, sliding backwards on Riley's bed.

"Where is she?" I asked. There was nothing abnormal about the room that gave anything about her whereabouts away—except for the panties.

Fuck, was Riley not wearing any panties right now?

Why would she leave without them?  

"She's at a wedding planning brunch." Brynn sprawled out on top of the comforter and arched her back up as she slid her hands over the fabric. She propped herself up elbows and locked her eyes on me, waiting for my delayed, stupefied reaction.

Fuck the panties... Riley was getting married. 

"It's Aiden, isn't it? How could she fucking marry that douche?" I screamed out and started looking for something to break.  I picked up a ceramic bowl and started to smash it against the mirror attached to Riley's dresser.

"Calm down, psycho. She's not marrying Aiden—at least, I don't think she is." Brynn drew her brows in like she was starting to second guess her statement. The idea didn't sound crazy knowing they had slept together the night of the accident. We both knew the history between the two of them. It wouldn't benefit either of us to pretend it wasn't possible.

"Whose wedding?" I bit the side of my cheek until it bled, waiting for Brynn's answer.

"JD and Anna's. She's the Maid of Honor or whatever the hell it's called." Brynn clarified.

I hugged the bowl in relief and nodded before placing it back down where I found it.  JD and Anna getting married made a lot more sense. I didn't understand why anyone had the urge to get married, but that wasn't the point. As long as it wasn't Riley marrying Aiden, the world could start turning again.  

"Will she be back soon?" I asked as I walked to the bed to plop down on it.

"I'm not sure. I don't think so." Brynn answered quietly and stared down at her feet.

"Ezra, hurry up and finish already.  We've got to head out before everyone starts to show up and no one's home." Sean hollered from the living room.

The party. Fuck, I forgot about it. Sean wasn't going to let me off the hook long enough to wait Riley out. 

But maybe I could use the party to my advantage.  Riley did always love the parties at the band house.  I could get a few shots of Vodka in her and loosen her up enough to talk to me.

"Sean has some people coming over tonight for a party.  Are you coming?" I asked Brynn.

"Yeah, I was going to drop by. Why?" She leaned against my shoulder.

"Can you convince Riley to come to the house with you tonight?" 

"You're really never going to give up, are you?" Brynn scooted away from me and dropped the succubus act, finally realizing it was a wasted effort.  

"I will never give up on Riley. I love her."