Partners

As Alice was stepping in, she didn't see me at first. She panicked for a moment before finding me standing in the corner.

"What's with the soap?" She was observant.

"Just making sure you weren't going to try and kill me."

She wasn't holding anything.

"We weren't going to try and kill each other anymore. I thought we agreed on that."

"So why are you in here? Its only around 1135. You lied about the time."

She smiled, then proceeded to start pumping shampoo out of the dispenser on the wall. I resumed soaping myself down as she stepped into the spray of the shower. I watched. She had a very nice figure. Her back was studded with bruises from when I threw her into the wall. I stepped alongside Alice and tapped her on her right shoulder twice. She obliged, and we shared the water from the shower. I rinsed, got some more soap, and returned to the back of the shower to finish up. I stepped back into the water.

"Need me to get your back?" Alice offered.

I had forgotten to do that part.

"No. Already got it." I lied.

"Can you do mine?"

My heart rate increased. "Can't you do it yourself?"

"Its very tender back there. It feels like I'm being stabbed if I touch it. Probably easier for you."

"Alright."

She gave me her backside as I got some more soap. I began to fight the rush of blood to my genitals. I started at her shoulders and began to work my way down, going as lightly as I could over each bruise. There was an especially black and blue spot right in the middle of her spine, and I managed to poke it. Alice's legs buckled, but I grabbed her midsection before she could fall.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"No problem. Slipping in the shower is a very boring way to go."

I nodded in reply. I hurriedly finished up her back.

"Okay, you're good." I mused. Alice rinsed her back. I rinsed off the last bits of soap and left the shower. I grabbed a towel out of the nearby cabinet and dried myself off. I tied the towel around my waist and opened up the new toiletry bag that was on the sink's edge. I put some deodorant on and brushed my teeth. Alice stepped out of the shower and started to dry off. I removed the towel and started to put on my clothes. I had just finished putting on my khakis when Alice put her hand on the series of scars on my left shoulder. I looked at the scars and then back to her. Alice and I locked eyes. We looked at each other for maybe ten seconds. Alice ran her finger down the scars. I shifted, and her arm fell back to her side. We looked at each other for another five seconds. I picked up my belt, my socks, and my shirt and left the room, executing an about-face as I did so. I finished dressing in my half of the room and pulled out a baseball cap from my suitcase. It was faded from years of use, but I put it on. I pulled low over my eyes. I looked at the clock. 1150. Yep. I was right. I sat down on my bed and took in my new life for just a moment. Alice came out of the bathroom, wearing jeans and a shirt whose sleeves were in between that of a long sleeved shirt and a t-shirt. I watched her in my periphery. She was walking in my direction. As she got closer, I realized that she was walking to me. I didn't look up at her until she was sitting next to me.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

I had barely gotten the question out when she had wrapped me in a hug. She was so warm. I awkwardly put my half-immobilized arms out around her, careful to avoid the worst bruises in the middle of her back.

"You're so warm..." Alice whispered.

"Yeah... thanks." I said, fighting back tears. I looked at the clock behind her. 1157. Shoot. I tapped her back and pulled away first.

"Come on. We've gotta meet the others." I stated.

Alice stood up, and looked at the clock.

"Yeah, let's go."