Chapter Twenty-Three

                                    

                                          
Brianne sits with her legs stretched out in the sun, ankles crossed. She lifts her face to the morning sun and her golden hair falls down her back. The western edge of the university quadrangle this morning is filled with the general hum of student conversation, occasional laughter, and short sharp bursts of birdsong in the scattered trees. Sophie, on the other hand, sits on the scratchy grass with her legs crossed, a large coffee in her hand and sunglasses shielding her eyes. 
"Why are you in such a good mood?" Sophie grumbles at her friend. 
"Because I didn't go out drinking last night," Brianne responds smugly. 
"Well whoop-de-doo to you." Sophie sulks, pulling her knit closer around her and sipping on her coffee. 
"Is it really cold enough to be wearing that?"
"I spent the whole night in a t-shirt and tights, I'm going to be cold forever."
Brianne makes a clucking sound with her tongue before smiling deviously. "I'd almost guarantee you that Jonas gave you his jacket." 
"He didn't have one."
"The shirt off his back?"
Sophie snorts and doesn't respond. In truth, Jonas had encouraged her to abandon their stakeout and leave hours earlier, but they had already waited so long, and those vodka sodas had been going down too well. With the sharp edges of life muted, the prospect of a terrifying stalker was a lot more digestible.
"Did he carry you home?" Brianne continues.
Sophie groans. "You know, I'm still mad that you sent him."
Brianne smirks. "No, you're not."
Responding with an unintelligible sound, Sophie falls back onto the grass, her head near Brianne's feet. She shuts her eyes against the sun and lets her thoughts wander slowly over the events of the previous night. She remembers everything very clearly, even with the alcohol her heightened emotional state kept her acutely alert, like a deranged ninja. After dinner, she and Jonas moved to the bar, adjacent to the restaurant, which turned into a nightclub after 10 pm. By that stage, Sophie thought for certain that they had missed Luke and he was gone. 
Staking someone out was exhausting. Watching that door every moment was exhausting.
"So what time did he finally finish work," Brianne's voice interrupts her thoughts. 
"10.30." 
"Damn. I'm so happy I palmed that off onto Jonas."
Sophie had been texting Brianne most of the night, so she knew the important facts. Like Jordan. 
"Did he leave alone?" 
"Yes."
"Then you followed him home?"
"Yup. We didn't have to go far. He lives in the next block, above a Boost Juice. We walked right past it yesterday afternoon."
"Wow," Brianne says. "That is not what I was expecting. He didn't see you?"
"Nope."
"So what did you guys do then? Skulk around in the shadows for a while?"
"Literally," Sophie says, and Brianne laughs with genuine glee. "We crossed the street, watched a light go on upstairs, waited for about twenty minutes, then went home."
"You couldn't see anything in his apartment?"
"The blinds were shut." 
"Damn." Finally out of questions, Brianne lapses into silence and the sounds of the quad filter back into Sophie's awareness. The warmth on her face and the sound of the birds makes her want to let go and fall asleep. If only she felt safe enough to do that. Only a few weeks ago and she would have. Only a few weeks ago she was safe at university, safe at the pool, safe at home, and safe at work. Now, she was always wondering who was around the next corner. Should she be walking to work alone at this time of the morning? When would she be able to go home? Did she even want to? That was a heavy question and one she would have to talk to Jenna about sooner or later.