"Is something wrong?"
Thea's quiet voice pulled him from his thoughts. She had looked up, her expression filled with a cautious concern.
He had to say something.
"I, uh… I just remembered," he started, the lie feeling clumsy on his tongue. "I have to go do something. An errand. For my parents."
'She's not going to believe that. It's such a bad excuse.'
But Thea did not question him. She just gave a small nod. "Okay."
He let out a breath he did not realize he was holding. "It won't take long. But you should go home. You look tired."
He saw a sign of panic in her eyes. The thought of being alone in his apartment, a place that was still so foreign to her, was clearly a frightening one.
"I can take a taxi back to your apartment."
He looked at her, then back in the direction of the park.
'She cannot go back by herself. The apartment is still a new place for her.'
A feeling of unease settled in his chest. Leaving her alone did not feel right.
