Chapter 1
Now we're here. Eating at a fucking IHOP in silence. I'm not even hungry. I'm actually in disgust. How'd she even find me? I know I say I never wish bad on anyone, and I don't, but why is she here? Why am I here? I drove us here, I can leave at any time. She can walk home.
"I'm leaving" I say, finally cutting through the thick silence.
I place the money on the table and slide out of the booth we were in. I've helped her enough times for the rest of me life. As I try to leave however, she decides to speak. With her head down she asks if I could give her a ride home.
"No" I say sternly.
I know it sounds harsh, but she hasn't changed based on tonight's events. And I am not going to risk getting dragged into her drama filled life again. I make my way towards the exit because I've got more important things to worry about. I have a good career going, and a boyfriend that actually loves me and is willing to spend time with me.
He's probably worried about me by now, or he's asleep. I look down at my phone. No missed notifications; he must be sleeping still. That's good. I can just slip into bed without him knowing I was gone. He would not be very happy knowing where I've been.
I finally made it to my car, but as I'm about to reach for my door I feel a cold hand grab my wrist. Triggering my fight or flight, I yank my arm away and slap the other. It's her. I was so focused on what my boyfriend would say I didn't even notice her follow me out the restaurant. She's now standing between me and my drivers' side door. I can smell her perfume from where I'm standing. It smells awful, too many memories.
"Can you move"? I ask coldly.
"Why won't you talk to me"? Her eyes are red and puffy from crying all night.
"I already saved you from her . . . again. Please let me let me go home" I plead.
We stand in the same spot for what feels like forever. Her eyes looking at me desperately the way they always do when she wants me to make the first move. I refuse. I have grown and I know better than to fall for her tricks again.
It's what she does, but why now? It's been three years since her and I last spoke, or didn't speak. I did just ghost her after all, but it wasn't my fault completely! She likes to play dirty and I was tired of it.
"I just want to know why you stopped loving me" she finally says, bringing my thoughts and memories to a halt.
I'm speechless. How could she put all the blame on me?
"Get in the car" I demand.
That was my second mistake. My first was answering an unknown number at one in the morning.
