𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

26

"Ready?"

Gareth, the miniature version of Eric, leans his shoulder against my door frame, a brow raises when he sees that I've been crying. He's got my tablet under his arm. I nod, giving a tight smile as I wipe my cheeks.

"Any reason or is this a hormonal female thing? I mean, I get it, I'd be so excited that I would cry happy tears if I were staying with me too."

He smirks at me as I roll my eyes, grabbing my shoes. "Where do you even live?"

His face lights up, moving himself away from the doorframe and reaching my tablet out to me. "Apparently you're a good girl, so you can have this back." I can't unhear the way he says it, and my mind floods with his voice, praising me. It feels wrong coming from Gareth. "I live in the East."

My bag drops to the ground with a thud. "No way? That's an hour from here! Why aren't you in VIP?"

"Not all of us are accepted into this place, yet. But as soon as Eric stops rejecting my application to move, I'll be here." He lifts my bag, the muscles on his arm tensing. "Maybe I'll be your neighbour." He winks, grinning as I roll my eyes again and shove his chest.

Typical Eric.

I follow him out the room, down the steps, looking left and right for the tall, tattooed idiot, but he's nowhere in sight. Belinda waves at me, eyeing up Gareth with a warning glare when Mum explains to her that I'm now assigned to the newbie.

I can't believe he lives on the East end of the dome. That's opposite from here, a long walk, and gives me absolutely no opportunities to catch a glimpse of Eric.

The closed-off man who cares about me.

I'm giddy and heartbroken at the same time.

It's strange.

I can still feel his lips against my forehead, the emotional wave of comfort that rushed through me. I'm already addicted, desperate for more and more.

Whenever you need me, just use the band.

God, he will block me from contacting him too much by the end of the day. Maybe I should see if he reaches out first? I've already made it obvious how desperate I am for him, possibly putting him off. What if I don't? What if it pushes him to give in to this... wall he's built up?

I mean, yes, my dad has a lot of power. But he knows his best friend more than anyone, excluding the part where he... yeah. Would Dad be so against us?

Then my mum's voice is in my head, muttering that he's dangerous. Laura and Vanessa. Not good enough. Everything she said that he never denied.

Would whatever he's done push me away?

I don't think so.

It takes us well over an hour to reach Gareth's place. And not only is it a flat, but the apartment building is also shared with three other new recruits, and it's tiny. It's almost impossible for me to have any privacy. Thankfully, there are no wall-length windows, just small circular ones I'm too short to see out of.

I'm going to hate it here.

"I'll bring a blanket down," he tells me, dropping my bags next to the couch. "Unless you want the bed, but I can't promise I won't sleepwalk into it."

He's smiling, trying to hold back his amusement, but I'm straight-faced, glaring at him. "Couch is fine."

"Do you still have panic attacks? You told me about them last week."

I ponder my response, settling with a shrug. "It depends."

"Well, if you freak out in the shower, the door doesn't lock. I'll be able to come help, if you need it."