I was stunned. I didn't care about her whereabouts at all, so how could I know that she didn't come back all night last night?
"I drank too much last night. I was worried that if I came back, I might wake you up, so I asked Austin to send me to a nearby hotel..."
When she said that, she stared at me without blinking.
I knew she was trying to use Austin to provoke me.
What kind of expression on my face was she expecting to see?
Grievance? Anger? Or perhaps disappointment?
But she would be disappointed this time.
"You didn't come back last night?" My tone was indifferent, showing no emotion.
Lara's eyes turned red in an instant, and tears were welling up in her eyes.
Before, I was the one with the mood swings, while Lara always remained indifferent.
Now that our roles had reversed, I felt no pity for her. I was filled with indescribable restlessness.
She stared at me, her big eyes teary. It seemed she was waiting for me to admit I was wrong.
Unfortunately, I couldn't understand what she meant, and I didn't want to.
"I'll pick you up after work today!"
Instinctively, I wanted to say no.
"No need. I have to work overtime today."
"Till when?"
"Eight o'clock. It'll be late. You don't have to come pick me up. It's too troublesome."
"I'll wait for you downstairs at eight o'clock!" She quickly ran away as if afraid of being rejected by me.
In order to get my story straight, I took out the review materials and studied hard in the office after work.
I was so involved that I lost track of time.
"Hey, Danny, are you still busy? We're downstairs."
It was Austin. He always used his cleverness to subtly mock that I was inferior to him.
I went downstairs and naturally sat in the back seat after opening the car door.
As long as Austin was there, I'd never sit in the front passenger seat.
I did question Lara.
"Have you ever considered my feelings when you let your male best friend sit in the front passenger seat?"
"Danny, you're a grown man, OK? Stop being so petty. Austin gets carsick. Can't you humor him? There's nothing between me and him..."
I said nothing after I got in the car.
Austin said.
"Danny, why the silence? Please don't get us wrong. I drank today and couldn't drive. Lara was so worried about me that she insisted on picking me up."
I closed my eyes and rested. I was too tired after studying all day, so I really didn't have the energy to watch the clown performance in the passenger seat.