Naked by Kelly Favor

ready for work anyway, so she sat up and tried to piece her thoughts together.
    Elijah’s pillow and blanket were lying in a messy pile on the floor. She felt sadness well up inside her at the sight of it. She’d wanted him next to her last night. She wanted to be talking and cracking jokes with him right now, instead of this.
    Hearing him say he was ‘coming back’ sent a chill down her spine. Did he mean back to Boston, back to those bad friends he’d been alluding to?
    “Give me a couple of days,” Elijah said. “Don’t worry about it. Just tell them what I told you. No, this last part.” He laughed, but it wasn’t the same laugh she was used to—it was bitter. “Yeah. I just got caught up in some stupid shit, brother. I’ll hit you up later when I’m on the road.”
    A moment later, the doorknob turned and he re-entered the room, slowing down when he saw she was awake.
    “Hey,” she said, softly.
    “Hey.” He looked at her. “You sleep well?”
    “I guess. You?”
    He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll be okay.”
    What did that even mean? What did any of it mean? She was so frustrated, she wanted to scream at him. But somehow, she couldn’t find the words.
    She was scared that he was leaving Florida and going back to Boston. She was scared that she’d never see him smile again, hear him laugh, feel his fingers stroking her hair.
    But she was also scared to tell him any of those things, because ever since last night he’d been unreachable. He seemed angry and distant, like he was finished with her for some reason.
    “I guess I’m going to shower and get ready for my first day at the restaurant,” she said, smiling. “What about you?”
    He bent down and picked up the pillow and blanket, tossed them on the bed.
    “Guess I’m going to hit the road.”
    Her stomach dropped. “Where to?”
    “Don’t know just yet.”
    “Boston?”
    He glanced at her. “Maybe.”
    “I thought you said you needed to get away from…bad influences.”
    “Maybe I did. Maybe I’m going back anyway.” His eyes met her as if challenging her to say something to sway him.
    She wanted to tell him that he should stay, that she wanted to see him again. But she got afraid once more. The truth was, he didn’t want to stay and she couldn’t bear to hear him say it to her face.
    So she just smiled again. “Will I see you when I get out of the shower or are you just going to—“
    “Nah, I should get an early start,” he said, cutting her off. “You take care, though.”
    She felt tears spring to her eyes and turned away, moving toward the bathroom.
    “Have a nice trip, Elijah,” she muttered, as she closed the bathroom door and heard him readying his things.
    She didn’t shower for long—maybe five or ten minutes. And then she got out of the bathroom fast, hoping to catch him before he left. But he must have been more intent to get out of there without seeing her.
    She stepped out of the bathroom and found the room key sitting alone on the table with a handwritten note next to it.
    I paid for an extra night in case that other room doesn’t work out.

    -Elijah.
    She sat on the chair and read it, feeling the ink on her fingertips. Tears were rolling down her face. She wished she could have at least gotten his phone number or something.
    Now she knew she’d never see him again.
     
    ***
     
    Something strange happened when she got into work.
    The waitress who had introduced her to Kenzie was working behind the bar, setting out freshly dried glasses. When she saw Caelyn walk into the restaurant, she grinned widely. “Hey, you.”
    “Hey,” Caelyn said.
    “Ready for your first day?”
    “As ready as I can be. A little nervous.” And sad, she thought, but saw no reason to mention that.
    “Your name’s Caelyn, right?”
    “Yeah. What’s your name again?”
    “Rosemary, but everyone just calls me Ro.” Ro smiled again as she set another glass on the bar. “Well, Caelyn you must be popular, because