Chapter 91: Not Going Back
That night, Thea was in a bed that was not hers, in a room that was not her room.
’This is that boy’s apartment, Kofi’s apartment.’
The thought was a strange one. Just a few hours ago she was in the hospital, and before that, she was on the floor in that other house. Now, she was here.
Kofi was the one who had walked her home. He was the one who found her.
’He must have seen everything.’
The trash, the smell, the empty pill packet. A feeling of shame filled her. He had seen the worst part of her, the pathetic state of her life and the pathetic way she tried to end it. However, he did not run away. He had called for help, and he had come to the hospital. He offered her a place to stay.
’Why?’
It was a question she could not answer. ’Because no one else does,’ he had said, but that was not a real reason. Normal people do not behave in such a way.
She remembered the stir-fry he had made for dinner. He sat on the couch with her while she ate, and on the television, a cartoon about ninjas was playing. He did not ask her any questions, nor did he look at her with pity. He just sat there. It had been the most normal thirty minutes she had experienced in a long time.
A boy she barely knew was showing her more care than any adult. It was a strange and uncomfortable feeling.
She pulled the oversized black t-shirt he gave her closer. It smelled of his soap, a scent of sandalwood.
’He is a strange person.’