◆ Miles Away ◆

◇ KEL ◇

"Why are you still there?"

"No— I was gonna..." The rest of my reply got cut off when I almost dropped my phone in a hasty attempt to lower the volume. I rushed out of Enzo's hotel room, my legs barely able to hold my weight.

Miles' indignant tone shouldn't be a surprise, but... I just didn't expect he'd actually call me this morning. "He told you not to leave?"

"No. It's not like that," I lied. Some part of my head throbbed as my brain tried to come up with a better backup lie. "Just wanna make sure he's fine. He drank too much last night," I explained, keeping my voice down as I stood alone in the dim hallway.

It wasn't like I was cheating on him or anything—nothing beyond friendly gestures happened last night. Enzo would never take advantage of the situation like that.

Wait.

Did Miles think we're in a real relationship now? Why? He never said anything about us dating or being official.

Though at times it felt like we're getting there, I just didn't know if he saw me in that light. If he even saw me as girlfriend material, or, if he wanted a long-distance thing with me... Nothing about his behavior lately suggested it was the case.

To my understanding, he still criticized my friendship with Enzo because Miles just didn't trust the Tomassinis. Miles being jealous of Enzo didn't really make sense.

"I'm sorry," I tried to say clearly. But the words came out in a mumble. I glanced at the door to Enzo's hotel room. The rest of the hallway remained silent.

"Just leave."

"Yeah. I am. I'm leaving now."

"I really gotta remind you why I don't want him near you?" Miles sounded fuming now, his voice getting louder over the phone, almost hurting my ear.

"No." With a sigh, I lowered the volume another notch, just keeping up my cool as best as I could. I knew he'd find out, and I knew he'd berate me over the phone once he heard I hung out with Enzo again.

But it wasn't anything Miles needed to worry about. I only spent a night with Enzo, most of it we were both unconscious, and Enzo would be on his way back to Italy in an hour or two. Busy as always.

Although Miles' phone call and indirect accusations surprised me, I didn't want to deny any of it. No use lying to Miles. I knew he was still keeping track of me and probably Enzo, too. I knew Niccolo was just that good.

"Sorry. We're just hangin' out," I replied in a calmer voice, using my best consoling tone to get my point across and get past his anger caused by my pigheadedness. "Nothin' to be worried about."

"Nothing?" Miles scoffed on the other line. "You slept in his hotel room. It's almost lunch. You're still there. The heck do you take me for, Mykaela?"

"I said I'm sorry." I kept up my calm, hushed tone and tried not to mind how my chest actually ached now. My thoughts digressed into our last time together due to the onslaught of guilt feelings he just goaded into my head. "You okay? Are you home?"

"You're changing the subject."

"I'm just asking." I pulled a face, my heartbeat racing in my chest. Apparently he was convinced I did more than literally sleeping with Enzo on a hotel bed. "Just asking how you're doing." You're not keeping in touch like you promised, was what I really wanted to say. But I'd rather act meek and apologetic than rile him up again with my futile complaints.

At the end of the day, we're not a real couple. Despite how I felt, we're still just friends. Even after everything. I didn't need him to reiterate "I don't do relationships" because I'd always known that about him.

"Get outta there. Tell him you're busy and that's the last time you're meeting up with him." Miles let out another sigh. His dominating tone didn't annoy me.

But it did remind me of my rather poor decisions last night. Like Gaia and Mrs. Falco said, I shouldn't be so trusting. After all, Enzo only befriended me because I helped him in Umbria. I still didn't know everything about him. And I couldn't blame Miles for thinking Enzo had ulterior motives. "Okay. I'm leaving now."

"Good." Miles sighed, but now he sounded a bit less irate.

Thank heavens... For one, he wasn't using my first name anymore—good enough sign that he's no longer raring to physically hurt someone. Or himself. "I'm fine. It's safe here. There's security everywhere. Relax," I reasoned, quite flattered that he still worried this much for my safety.

"Don't be so sure."

"Want me to fly out? I have some time off next week. Three days at least." I bit on my lip, waiting for him to say yes.

Maybe, just maybe, he would agree to my suggestion because he missed me as much as I missed him. "When?" Miles asked after a tense few seconds. "I'm going to Umbria. Gonna see Charr and Cloe."

"Today?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. You're on your way now? Right now?"

"Why?"

"Nothing. Okay. Um...next Thursday sound good?"

He didn't say anything for a moment. The other line fell silent as I waited for his confirmation. Miles cleared his throat. "Sure. But you don't have to. You're still busy with the review."

"No. I got some time off, really. I can manage," I tried to say with more enthusiasm. Some concern for his health also pushed me to suggest a quick visit. I didn't need proof of him still taking drugs—more than he actually needed—and still having pain attacks, even though he'd been trying his best to hide the fact.

Of course I missed his company, but I mostly wanted to see him to personally ensure that he wasn't abusing prescription pills anymore.

"No exams next week?"

"Finished my last rotations already."

"Clinical rotations?" Miles asked, now talking in his normal voice. "Where's your next one?"

The question was simple, easy to answer, and it put a proud smile on my face. For some cheesy reason, him asking about my day-to-day felt like we weren't thousands of miles apart. We no longer communicated on a regular basis—unlike when I was still living under his roof—but it did feel like he's trying to make it up to me now. "Gen Surgery."

"Huh. Sounds fun," Miles murmured. "That's your track."

"Yeah."

"Is it harder than the last?"

"I bet." I laughed a little. His comment didn't even say much, but I still felt his moral support. Actually he always cheered me on when it came to my studies, much like my mom and sister.

He knew I wasn't the brainiest in our batch, yet he still motivated me to push myself further to reach my academic goals. Miles even offered to pay off my student loans twice.

I just didn't let him. He already helped me enough when I was living in Italy. "See you soon?" I said with a bigger smile, my heart still thumping.

"Yeah. I'll stay in the estate for two days, maybe. Cloe and Ricchar just got back from Berlin."

"Ah. They visited her parents."

"Yeah. Want me to pick you up at the airport?"

"Please?"

"Right," Miles sighed. "Just get out of there. Now."

"Okay. I'm sorry."

"I know."

"Really miss you." I leaned against the wall and stupidly smiled to myself again, desperately waiting for him to say it back.

"Miss you. Go home."

◇