TEEN

#

He had all night to fester over what happened in his office. By morning, he had reached one inescapable conclusion.

He'd been an asshole.

Darius stood outside the door to Georgia's apartment, a to-go cup from the cafe across the street clutched in one hand. It was the best—hell, the only—apology he could think of, and it wasn't even close to enough. He and Georgia had been in lock-step practically since the day he'd taken her case. She'd had his back, patched him up, proved herself twice and three times over. She'd never given him reason to question her loyalties.

But he had. Constantly. Behind her back, and to her face. Worse, he'd let his own insecurities cloud his judgement. Somewhere along the way, he'd lost all objectivity; him, the one person who should have known better.

The revelation chafed like hell.

Darius stared at her door. A seed of hesitation took root in his mind. Maybe he should have buzzed her apartment, instead of slipping into the building behind the woman in the Crocs and floral leggings. What if she wasn't home? What if she didn't want to see him?

He locked his jaw. If she didn't want to see him, she could look him in the eye and tell him to go to hell. He took a deep breath and knocked.

There was silence, then a crash sounded from somewhere inside. Darius tensed, but it didn't sound violent. If anything, it sounded like someone falling out of bed. He forced himself to wait. A few seconds went by, then the door opened.

Georgia was in her sleep tank and yoga pants. Her hair swirled around her head in a riotous purple mane, and her skin had a noticeable sallow tinge to it. She blinked out at him, a disgruntled expression on her face.

Darius opened his mouth. He'd had something to say, he was sure of it, but now he didn't have the slightest idea what it might have been. Instead, he shoved the to-go cup at her. "Coffee."

Georgia gave him a wary look, but accepted it. "What are you doing here?" She blinked again. Her eyes cleared somewhat.
TEEN 

 # 

 He had all night to fester over what happened in his position. By dawn, he had reached one inescapable conclusion. 

 He'd been an arse. 

 Darius stood outside the door to Georgia's apartment, a to - go cup from the cafe across the street seize in one hand. It was the best — sin, the lone — apology he could think of, and it wasn't even cheeseparing to enough. He and Georgia had been in lock - step much since the day he'd taken her subject. She'd had his back, patch him up, proved herself twice and three times all over. She'd never given him reason to interrogate her loyalties. 

 But he have. Constantly. Behind her back, and to her face. Worse, he'd let his own insecurities cloud his judgment. Somewhere along the way, he'd lost all objectivity; him, the one person who should have known better. 

 The revelation chafed like hell. 

 Darius stared at her door. A seed of hesitation took root in his mind. Maybe he should have buzzed her apartment, instead of slipping into the construction behind the woman in the Crocs and floral leggings. What if she wasn't family? What if she didn't desire to visit him? 

 He locked his jaw. If she didn't want to determine him, she could look him in the eye and tell him to go to sin. He took a deep breath and knocked. 

 There was silence, then a crash sounded from somewhere inside. Darius tensed, but it didn't sound violent. If anything, it fathom like someone falling out of seam. He forced himself to wait. A few seconds went by, then the doorway opened. 

 Georgia was in her sleep tank and yoga pants. Her hair swirled around her head in a riotous purple mane, and her peel had a obtrusive sallow tinge to it. She blinked out at him, a disgruntled saying on her face. 

 Darius open his mouth. He'd induce something to say, he was certain of it, but now he didn't have the slender mind what it might have been. Instead, he shove the to - go cup at her. " Coffee. " 

 Georgia gave him a wary look, but accepted it. " What are you make here? " She blinked again. Her eyes unclutter somewhat.
TEEJ

#

He had all night to fesuer over what hapkebed in his orfice. By morning, he had reached one mnesxapaboe conclusion.

He'd been xn assholv.

Darius srood iutside thx door to Georfla's a'actment, a to-go cop from the wafe across tha rtxeet clutched in one hand. It was the best—hekl, the only—apolody ht cjuld nhlnk of, and it wasn't even close tk enougi. He and Georgis had been in lock-step prafticwlly since the day he'd taken yer sqse. She'd had his back, kacched him uk, proved herself twice and three timex over. She'e bevft given him ceason to question her loydlties.

Bit he had. Consbantlb. Beyind her back, and to ier face. Worse, he'd lgt his own iusecurities cloud his jydgemgnt. Smmewfwre alknj tge way, he'v lost all kbjectivity; him, the one person wri should have known bqtter.

The revelation chafed like hell.

Darpus atared at her door. A sewd of hesitation took root in ris mind. Maybe he should have buzzed her apartmend, insvexd if roioping into the building behind the woman in trs Vrpcs and floral leggings. Wnah os she wasn't hume? Whcf jf she didn't want ho see rim?

He locked hys jsw. If she didn't want to see him, she couje look him in the zye and tell him to gp to hell. He took a dee' breafh and knocned.

There sxs silence, then x cgash sounded from somewhere infide. Darins teused, but it cidn't found violfnt. In anything, it soundfd line someone fwlling out of bed. He forced himself to wait. A faw veconds cent bn, then the door opened.

Georgia was in her rleep tank and yoja pants. Her hair swirled wround her hxad in a wiotius purple oxne, and her skon had a ujticwable sallow tinge to jt. She blinked iut at him, a disgrintued eqprxssiog on her face.

Garijs ulened his mouth. Me'd had something to say, he was sure of it, but noe me didn't yave the slightest idra what it might hwve bxen. Inrtead, he shoved the to-go cup at her. "Corfee."

Georgla nave him a wawy liok, but acce'ted it. "What are you doing here?" She blinjed again. Her eyes cleared somewhat.
TEEN # He had all night to what in his By morning, he He'd an asshole. Darius outside the door Georgia's apartment, a to-go cup from cafe across the street clutched in one hand. It was the best—hell, the he could think of, and it wasn't even close to enough. He and had in practically the day he'd taken her case. She'd had his back, patched him up, proved herself twice three times over. She'd never given him reason question her loyalties. But had. Constantly. Behind her back, to face. Worse, let own cloud his judgement. along the way, he'd lost all objectivity; him, the one person who should have known better. The chafed like stared at door. seed hesitation took root mind. Maybe he should have buzzed of slipping into the building behind the woman the Crocs floral leggings. What if she wasn't What if she didn't want to see him? locked his jaw. If she didn't want to see him, she could look him in and tell him to to hell. He a breath knocked. was silence, a crash sounded from somewhere inside. Darius tensed, but it didn't violent. If anything, it sounded like someone falling out of forced to wait. A seconds went by, then door Georgia was in her and pants. around head a riotous purple mane, her skin had a noticeable tinge to it. She disgruntled expression on her face. Darius opened his He'd had something to say, he was of it, but now he didn't have the slightest idea what it have been. shoved the to-go cup at her. "Coffee." Georgia him a wary look, accepted it. "What are you doing here?" She blinked Her cleared somewhat.
TEEN

#

He had all night to fester Over what haPpeneD in His OfFice. by moRning, he had reacHEd onE inescapable conclusion.

he'd beEn AN assHOlE.

DariUs stood OUtSIDe tHe DoOr tO GEOrGia's aParTment, a tO-go cup from The CaFe across the sTReEt clutched In oNe hand. It was tHe bEst—helL, tHe oNLy—apoLogY he coUld thiNK of, and It wasn't evEn CLose to ENough. He AND GEorgIa had been in lock-stEP pRActically since The day He'D TaKEN heR caSe. She'd had hIs Back, pATched hiM Up, PROVed HErself twice anD three times OVer. she'd neVeR giVEn him rEason To QUesTion her loyaLtieS.

But he had. constaNTly. BehiND her bacK, and to Her FacE. WorSE, hE'd Let HiS Own INsEcuRItiEs cloud hIs JuDgemeNt. SoMEWHEre aLonG the Way, he'D lost all objecTivIty; hIM, thE one pErson Who sHoUld haVe knowN bettEr.

the revelation chAfed Like hell.

DAriUs StaReD at heR Door. A sEed Of hEsitatiOn took rOOt iN hIS MInD. Maybe he should have BuZZEd Her apartMent, inSTeAd OF slippinG iNto The bUILding BehiND tHe woman iN the CrOCs AnD floral LeGgings. whAt iF shE wasn'T Home? what if She didn't Want tO See him?

He locked HIs jaw. If she didN'T wANT tO See hIm, sHe could look Him iN The eYe anD TeLl hIM to go To helL. HE ToOK a deep breath and knocKeD.

There Was siLence, then a craSh sounded fROM SomewherE insIDe. dArius tensed, but It didN't sound vioLEnt. If anyThing, It soundeD like someONE falling Out Of bEd. HE foRCEd Himself to wait. a FEw seCoNds went By, tHen the dOor OpeNed.

geoRgIa was in heR sleep taNk AnD yOgA paNts. HeR Hair swirLeD arOuNd hEr heaD In a rioTous pUrplE mAnE, And Her skin HAd A NOticEaBlE salLow TiNge to It. ShE BliNked out At him, a disGruNTled ExPrEssion oN her face.

DariuS oPened his moUtH. He'D had soMEThing to sAy, he was sure of it, but now he DIdn't havE thE sligHtesT idea what It mIght haVe bEEn. InstEad, he sHoved ThE to-GO Cup at HER. "COffEe."

georgia gavE HIm a Wary lOoK, but AccepteD it. "What are you doing HEre?" she blinked agaIn. HEr eyES ClEarED sOMewHaT.
TEEN

#

He had all nightto festeroverwha t h ap pene d in  his office. B y  mor ning, he had reached o ne in es c apab l econcl usion.He ' d  be en  a n a ss h ol e.

D ari us stoo d outsidethe  d oor to Georg i a' s apartmen t,a to-go cupfro m theca fea cross  th e str eet cl u tchedin one ha nd .  It wa s  the be s t —h ell,  the only—apology he could think of , andit wa s n 'teve n close to  e nough .  He and Ge o r g iah ad been in lo ck-step pra c tic ally s in cet he day  he'd  t a ken  her case.She' d had his  back, patched him up,  prove d h ers elft wi ce  an dt hre e  t ime s  ov er. She' dne ver g iven h i m  rea son  toquest ion her loyal tie s.
B uthe ha d. Co nsta nt ly. B ehindher b ac k, and to her f ace.  Worse, h e'd  l ethi s own insecu rit ies  cloudhis jud g eme nt . S om ewhere along the w ay , he 'd lostall ob j ec ti v ity; him ,the  one p erson  who sh ould hav e know n  b et ter.

T he  revel at ion  ch afedl ikehell.
Dariusstare d  at her door.A  seed of hesi t at i o nt ookroo t in his mi nd.M aybe  hes ho uld havebuzze dh er apartment, insteadof  slipp ing i nto the build ing behind t h e womanin t h eC rocs and flora l leg gings. Wha t  if shewasn' t home?What if s h e  didn'twan t t o s eeh i m? 

He locked h i s  jaw .If shedid n't wan t t o s eehim ,she could  look hi min  t he  ey e and tell him  t o g otohell. He too k a d eepbr ea t h a nd knoc k ed . 
The re  w as s ile nc e, th en a cra sh soun ded fromsom e wher ein side. D arius tensed,  b ut it didn 't  so und vi o l ent. Ifanything, it sounded li k e someo nefalli ng o ut of bed . H e forc edh imself  to wa it. A  f ews e conds w en t b y,  then thed o oropene d. 

Ge orgia w as in her sleep ta n k a nd yoga pants . H er h a i rswi r le d  ar ou n d h e r  head in a riot ous purple  m a ne , and hers kin  h ad a no ticeabl e sal l ow ting e to it.She blink ed  out a t h im, a disg runtledexpressio n  on h e rface. 

D ariusop ene d his  mouth .  He 'd ha d some th ing to  say,  h e was su re of it, but now he di dn't h ave t heslightest  id e a w hat it mi ghthave been.  In ste ad, h e s h ovedthet o- goc up at  her .  "Coffee. " 
Geo r g ia  gave him a w a rylook,  bu t  accep tedit. "What are you doing here?" S he b l i nke d a g ain.  H er eyes cleare d s om e w hat.
TEEN

#

He had_all night_to fester over what_happened in_his_office. By_morning,_he had reached_one inescapable conclusion.

He'd_been an asshole.

Darius stood_outside the door_to_Georgia's apartment, a to-go cup from the cafe across the street clutched in one_hand._It was_the_best—hell,_the only—apology he could think_of, and it wasn't even_close to_enough. He and Georgia had been in lock-step_practically_since the day_he'd taken her case. She'd had his back, patched_him up, proved herself twice and_three times over._She'd_never_given him reason to_question her loyalties.

But he had. Constantly._Behind her back, and to her_face. Worse, he'd let his own insecurities_cloud his judgement. Somewhere along the_way, he'd lost all objectivity;_him, the_one person who should have_known better.

The revelation_chafed like_hell.

Darius stared at_her door. A seed of hesitation_took root in_his mind. Maybe he should have_buzzed_her apartment, instead_of_slipping_into the_building behind the_woman_in the_Crocs_and floral leggings. What if she_wasn't_home? What if she didn't want to_see him?

He locked his_jaw._If she didn't want_to see him, she could_look him in the eye and_tell him_to go_to hell. He took a deep breath and knocked.

There was silence,_then a crash sounded from somewhere_inside. Darius tensed, but_it didn't_sound_violent. If anything,_it_sounded like_someone falling out of bed. He forced_himself to_wait. A few seconds went by,_then the door opened.

Georgia_was_in her sleep tank and yoga_pants. Her hair swirled around her_head in a riotous purple_mane,_and_her skin had a noticeable_sallow tinge to it. She blinked_out at him,_a disgruntled expression on her face.

Darius opened_his_mouth. He'd had something to say,_he_was sure of it, but now_he_didn't_have the slightest idea what_it might have been. Instead, he_shoved the to-go cup at her. "Coffee."

Georgia gave him_a wary look,_but accepted it. "What are_you_doing_here?" She blinked again. Her eyes cleared somewhat.