Night Lights and Dark Places

Chapter Twenty-Three - Sepulcher

Uptown wasn't the safest part of the city, not by a longshot, but she'd love to see the molester or mugger who could keep up with her. Three years on the school track team notwithstanding, her twice-daily runs and thrice-weekly gym sessions kept her in impeccable shape; she could outrun any bastard this hellhole could conjure up. Tolly was completing her post-class jog, and when she returned to the apartment, Nick's truck was parked in the fire lane.

Why was he here? He never popped by unannounced, especially not during a work day. He was a psychologist, he should've been at the office. Upon approaching the vehicle, she caught sight of several large, unmarked boxes, all taped up neatly. Weird.

She wiped her wrist across her forehead and exhaled, took the time to do some cool-down stretches before plodding up the stairs to the second-story flat. The festive welcome mat was gone and the Christmas wreath had been taken down. Why? Christmas was in a week, and it was Callie's favorite holiday. Dread bubbled in the pit of her stomach.

The door was unlocked, and she peeked inside tentatively.

"Hello?"

"Tolly!" It was Callie's voice, from the living room. "Great news."

"Is Nick here?" Tolly asked.

"Yeah, he's in here, too." Tolly accelerated her entry and found the two of them side-by-side on the couch. Callie was beaming, bleach-white and broad, but Nick didn't bother to look up from his phone. "We're moving. Can you believe it?"

"Uh?" Tolly blinked. Nick wouldn't look at her. "Our lease is up in March. What are you talking about?"

"Don't be coy about it, Callista. Tell her." Nick said, tired. Callie pouted dramatically, folded her arms under her chest.

"Callie? What the fuck is happening here?"

Callie chewed a manicured thumbnail and scrunched her eyebrows, crossing and re-crossing her legs. "So you know how you and Nick have been kind of a thing for a while?"

Tolly shrunk back against the wall, which was now bare, the art that hung upon it tucked away in some traitorous box somewhere. "We've been dating for like, nine months. Dating."

"Exclusively?" Callie asked, like dating meant anything fucking else.

"Yeah. Exclusively."

"Oh, well. I'm kinda, like, sorry you thought that?" The woman laughed incredulously. "Because I've been dating Nick for a few months, and it's getting serious, so..."

Ignoring her now, Tolly whirled on Nick. "And we fucking weren't?!" The man raised an eyebrow at her and mustered an exasperated sigh.

"Tolly, you're what, nineteen? Twenty?" He began, rolling his eyes. "It was never serious. Callista's older, more mature."

"Oh, cool, so this whole thing was just so you could tap some jailbait ass?" She growled, throwing her arms out. "And there's still ten fucking years between you two! If you want mature, why don't you go to a fucking retirement home, you freak!"

"You're being really over-the-top about this," Callie warned maternally, stepping forward, a little smile still quirking her lips. Tolly looked back at her, aghast.

"And who the fuck said my boyfriend was up for grabs?" She demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "Is there not some unspoken friend rule that fucking her boyfriend is off limits?!"

Callie's enormous grin slipped, hurt seeping in at the edges of the expression. "You never said he was your boyfriend! It's not like you were ever affectionate or anything!"

She had her there. Nick was an incredibly distant person. Not that she minded, it was a nice change of pace. It was better than Bones, who would be touchy and loving non-stop for weeks after a romping, rowdy night of physical abuse and aggressive, hateful sex. No attention was better than negative attention, wasn't it? Nick loved her. He said he did. But he wouldn't look at her now as Callie stood before her, just kept looking at his goddamn phone.