Haunting-Adeline

“What’s wrong with you?” I snip, though the heat is missing. It’s almost
like I’m feeling actual concern right now.
I raise a hand to my forehead and feel for any warmth. I must have a
fever and be delirious from the sickness.
He steps from the shadows and comes closer. My body locks as he
trudges to the bed and sits down on the edge. It’s not unusual to see his
muscles straining against his clothing. I think he purposely shops for shirts
and hoodies two sizes too small. But right now, his body looks rigid, and
the muscles in his neck and shoulders appear bunched up.
“Just red today,” he says quietly.
I frown harder, not liking this side of Zade. Or rather, not liking how
much it bothers me seeing this side of him.
A ba le renders me frozen as I try to decide what to do. Kick him out of
my house, a tude be damned. Or pry into his odd behavior and show him
that I just might care.
His head rolls, cracking his bones and making me cringe from the
disturbingly grotesque noises.
“You uh, go a lot of tension going on there, buddy,” I say, awkwardness
dripping from the words. That makes me cringe harder.
He huffs out a laugh, but the amusement is missing.
Sighing, I relent and push the covers back. With great reluctance, I crawl
towards Zade and kneel behind him. His body tenses, and I never thought
I’d see Zade wary of me.
That concerns me more than anything.
“Take this off,” I demand so ly, plucking at his hoodie. His head turns,
presen ng me with his side profile.
Very few people have a rac ve side profiles. That’s something that most
people just don’t possess. But Zade looks beau ful, no ma er what
direc on you look at him from.
“Why?” he asks, his tone flat.
Bristling, I open my mouth and begin to snap something at him. I’m
trying to be nice, and he’s actually being difficult when this is already hard
enough as it is. What’s that saying, don’t bite the hand that feeds you?
But I stop myself, the harsh words dangling from the p of my tongue
before falling to their death. This isn’t about me and how I feel, ge ng
defensive isn’t going to solve anything. It’ll only result in making him feel