Chapter 2

My dad stood at the turnstile and looked back at me.

He didn’t say anything, just waved at me.

I didn’t take a taxi. I walked all the way back.

It took forty minutes to get to the apartment complex I’d lived in for the past two years.

It was called a complex, but really it was just two old buildings, and the hallway lights were always broken.

I pulled out my phone, turned on the flashlight, and climbed up step by step.

When I got there, I took out my key. Before I even put it in the lock, I heard voices coming from inside.

The door opened. The lights in the living room were on, and there was a pair of sneakers by the entryway that I’d never seen before.

“Will?” A male voice came from inside, sounding a little panicked.

I looked up and saw Leo standing up from the sofa in the living room.

Behind him was Tessa, standing by the coffee table with a disposable paper cup in her hand.

“Why are you back?” Tessa frowned, and her tone actually carried a bit of questioning.

I leaned against the doorframe. “This is my place. Isn’t it normal for me to come back?”

“That’s not what I meant.” She paused.

Leo stood there, looking uneasy.

“Will, I’m sorry. It’s all because of me. Tessa was just trying to help. Don’t blame her…”

“You don’t need to apologize.” I cut him off. “She’s the one who lent out the money, not you.”

Tessa set the paper cup down on the coffee table and walked over a few steps. “Will, don’t talk like that. Leo really is in a tough spot. He got scammed, and he couldn’t even pay rent—”

“So you brought him home?”

“What do you mean, brought him home? I just let him stay two days. Once he finds a place, he’ll move out.”

I glanced at the living room.

There was a thin blanket on the sofa, and the pillow was the memory foam one Tessa usually used.

“You sleep on the sofa?”

“Yes, he sleeps in the bed, and I sleep on the sofa.” She nodded as if it were perfectly natural. “It’s only for a few days.”

“Tessa, did you even ask me? This is a place for two people. Do you not need to talk to me before letting a third person stay here?”

She froze for a second, then her expression turned a little impatient.

“You weren’t here, were you? And it was urgent. He had nowhere to stay tonight.”

“So because he had nowhere to stay, he gets to stay at my place? He has no other friends? No coworkers? No hotel?”

Leo’s eyes went red, and his voice started to shake. “Will, I’m really sorry. I’ll leave right now…”

“What are you leaving for?”

Tessa turned and blocked him, then looked back at me, and there was actually a bit of blame in her eyes.

“Will, that’s enough. He’s just a young guy, and he just came to this city for his internship. He doesn’t know anyone. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of this?”

“I’m making a big deal out of this?”

I suddenly felt exhausted.

“You’re right. I don’t have to.”

I walked into the bedroom, opened the closet, and started stuffing my clothes into my suitcase one piece at a time.

Tessa followed me in. When she saw me packing, her voice finally changed. “What are you doing?”

“Moving out.”

“You’re crazy. All because of this.”