When Pen came home and told Aaron about the signing, he waited until the store was closed for the day and made his way to Alex's.
She didn't answer the door at his first knock. He knocked harder the second time, which a few moments later resulted in Alex slowly opening the door a c***k.
"Alex," he said, "let me in."
"I'm tired, Aaron. Go home." Her voice cracked.
"Let me in," he said more firmly.
Sighing, she opened the door for him. She was wearing oversized sweatpants and a ripped-up tank, her hair in a messy bun. When Aaron saw her face, though, he froze.
Her eyes were red from crying. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked like she'd lost weight. It'd only been a week since he'd last seen her, yet she looked like a complete wreck.
"Yeah, I look like s**t," she sa
