Under My Skin

17 | take it off

Chapter Seventeen:

"Ria texted me last night. She asked me to come over today. Is she not home?" Indiya enquired as she stood bemused in front of the man she was still hopelessly in love with.

"You just missed her. She's just gone with Blaine to pick up some of his stuff. I'll call her now. Let her know you're here?" Reid offered, stepping to the side as he gestured for Indiya to enter the house.

She didn't move. The five-foot-one woman stood perfectly still at the door; her shoulder-length ebony-coloured hair tightened into a silky braid which trembled with the harsh blows of the wind. She contemplated her following words. "No. No, it's okay. I'll text her later. I can meet up with her any time." She took a step backwards, preparing to walk away.

"Anyone would think you're avoiding me." Reid murmured, "you can come in, you know. You can wait for her here. She shouldn't be too long."

I am avoiding you; she wanted to scream. She detested how normal Reid was acting. She detested how normal she was expected to behave. It was funny, she thought. We spend the entirety of a relationship learning everything about our lover. All their imperfections, quirks, and the things that make them happy and sad. And then, when it ends, we channel all our energy into unlearning those things in preparation for the next relationship.

She hesitated for a moment. "Okay. I'll wait."

Indiya strolled past him, careful not to get too close, directly into the kitchen and sat on one of the stools next to the breakfast bar. "What stuff were you talking about?" She asked, "You said Ria went with Blaine to get some stuff?"

"Oh." He replied as he followed her into the kitchen. "Blaine's moving in. Just for a bit. He's having some rent troubles. She's just gone to help him with packing."

Indiya raised her brow. "And, Ria's okay with that? With him moving in? She's actually helping him move in?"

"Yeah." He laughed. "I was surprised too, but I think me being away did them a world of good. They still argue all the time but it's not the way it was before."

"I'm surprised you're so okay with them being alone together. I'm surprised you asked Blaine to be the one to check on her daily whilst you were going, after...after, well, you know."

He visibly stiffened, his nostrils flaring slightly. "Indiya, we don't talk about that. You know, we don't talk about that. She doesn't know." He turned away from the girl, grabbing the nearest cereal box on top of the fridge. "Anyway, I think she only went with him because she's annoyed with me. They both are. About the Ayia Napa thing." He mumbled before swivelling around and shaking the box in front of her. "Breakfast?"

"I'm good, thanks." She responded, "Yeah, Lydia texted me about that...I didn't think you'd want to go all out like that. At least that's what you always told me." She added carefully.

His movements visibly slowed as he poured the milk over the cereal. He remembered it clearly. They had planned to elope, not believing in all the faff of a big wedding to simply appease their families. It was a waste of money. It was money that they could invest in the future – their future. "It was Lydia's idea. I thought it would be nice. You know, everybody together, help iron out any tensions before the big day." He glanced up at her, making eye contact with the almond-shaped, mahogany eyes for the first time that morning. "It'd be great if you came, Indiya."

"Are you being serious?" She stammered, "You're asking me to go on a holiday where I have to watch you and Lydia play happy families?"

"Oh, come on, Indiya, we're passed this now."