Your Love Will Be Safe With Me

I was texting Malinda, Hanley, and an old friend the next day as I waited for Nick to get back from running a few errands for his mom. I wasn’t ready at all when he was about to leave, so I opted to stay home with his mother. I was still a little hesitant on my own, but as long as someone was there, I was good.

With Malinda, I was talking about family drama (Haylie decided she was too cool for the Sunday dinner ritual and bailed. Plus she quit her job for some unknown reason). I was catching up with my old friend Hayden because we hadn’t talked in a while. I’d known her since I was about four and we’d managed to stay friends even though she moved away when we were ten. We’ve been through a lot together, though. And with Hanley, she was telling me what kind of tattoos she had done since I’d been gone.

“Sawyer, Honey, I’m going to go; I have a hair appointment.” Diana called from somewhere in the house.

My breath hitched in my throat and I began to panic. “O-okay!” My voice wavered.

Not long after, I heard the door slam shut. My eyes searched Nick’s room for something I could use as a weapon, but all I could see were carious types of guitars. I didn’t think he’d be happy if I used one of his guitars to smash someone’s head in. Instead, I got up and shit the door then locked it. Before I went back to his bed, I leaned his chair up against the door under the doorknob then quickly got back on the bed and huddled in the corner, under the blanket.

Nick wasn’t answering his phone which made me panic even more. I needed to talk to someone. Malinda was at work as was Hanley. Quickly, I went to my inbox and clicked “Call” on Hayden’s name.

She answered with a very confused “Hello?”

“Hi.” My voice wavered again.

“What’s wrong, Sawy?” She asked in a concerned voice. Same old Hayden.

“I’m just freaking out a little bit.” My eyes began watering and I sniffed.

“Why? What happened?”

So I told her and she listened to my whole story. She was pissed when I was finished. “Oh my God, Sawy! That guy is a no good piece of shit who likes to prey on young girls for money. Motherfucker!” I couldn’t help but to laugh at her addition at the end. She was practically raised by her dad and brother since her mom died when she was twelve. “I’m sorry you have to go through this. At least you have Nick, though.” I smiled at his name. “Which reminds me, I’m really glad you’ve found someone. You deserve to be happy.” She paused, “Well once you get passed this.”

I laughed, “Yeah, he’s amazing. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have met someone like him.” I smiled again, “I’m so happy I get to call him my husband.” Shit I’ve said too much. My eyes widened and my smile dropped.

It was incredibly silent. No doubt if someone broke in, I’d hear it.

“Husband?” She asked and I laughed nervously.

“Surprise?!” I said in more of a question.

“What the fuck, Sawy?” She exclaimed. “You got married? Why the fuck wasn’t I invited?”

“Because it happened in Vegas in the spur of the moment.” I said innocently.

“When, though?”

“My birthday.”

“Ass face! How come you didn’t tell me sooner?”

I had no idea so many people would be so upset with being kept out of the loop. “Because not many people know. We barely told his parents two days ago. My parents don’t even know.”

“Sawyer, that’s terrible!”

“Hayden, don’t you think my parents would have taken it horribly?”

She sighed, “Yeah, I guess.”

The doorknob jiggled and I began to panic once again. “Someone’s at my door.” I whispered into the phone then slithered my way off the bed and over to Nick’s desk, where I picked up my hair straightened. The knob jiggled again.

“Call the police!” Hayden yelled in my ear.

“Hold on!” I whispered harshly. A couple more jiggles.

“Come on Sawyer!” Nick yelled from the other side.

I visibly relaxed and brought down the hand that was holding the straightened. Next, I took the chair away from the door and unlocked it. When I opened the door, I immediately punched him in the arm.

“Ow!” He exclaimed as he rubbed the spot where I hit him. “What the hell was that for?!”

“Jerk!” I said angrily.

“What?!” His eyes were wide, “Why was the door locked?”

“I was home alone.” He stared blankly at me. “Do you not see the remaining bruise on my face?!”

“Oh my God, Sawyer! No one was going to break into the house! It’s three in the afternoon for fuck’s sake.” He rolled his eyes and my mouth dropped.

“Did he seriously just say that to you?” Hayden asked from the other end of my phone call.

“Yeah he did,” I answered.

“Who are you talking to?” He asked.

MY eyes narrowed at him, “Someone who cares.”

“Oh, come on, Sawyer!”

I shook my head, ‘Don’t talk to me; I don’t want to hear it. You’re being insensitive right now.” I picked up my iPod from his desk and walked out of the room.

“Sawyer!” He called after me “Come on! Where are you going?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I walked out the back door and across the yard to a homemade wooden swing hanging from a tree branch. “The fucking nerve of him.” I ranted. “I can’t believe he’d be that insensitive about it.” I continued. “He didn’t even come after me! If he was a good husband he’d have come after me.” I swung back and forth gently as I looked for something to listen on my iPod, hoping It would calm me down.

“He’s a real keeper.” Hayden grumbled.

“He’s really a nice guy, Hayden. He’s never acted like this before.”

“Maybe now that he’s home he’s showing you who he really is.” She suggested. I sure as hell hoped not.

We talked for a little while longer before she had to get off the phone and get ready for work.
---
I was calmed down when Nick came outside. I figured he was going to apologize, but that wasn’t what I got at all.

“So, are you done PMSing?”

I skidded to a stop and my mouth dropped open in shock once again that day. “Wow, Nick, just… wow.”

“What? It’s a valid question. You were freaking out.”

I scoffed, “I’m sorry that the fact that I was beaten left me traumatized and afraid to be alone.” I got up and began walking back to the house. “Maybe if you were a better husband, hell, a better person you would see that, right now, I can’t be alone!” I yelled as he followed me into the house.

“Oh, come on Sawyer.” He said through a groan.

I rolled my eyes as I walked into his room where I immediately began to throw my belongings into my suitcase.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“Packing. What the fuck does it look like?!” I exclaimed in annoyance.

“Why are you packing?” He started pulling things out of my suitcase and placing them back where they were.

“I’m going home.” I said and repacked what he took out.

“What? Why?”

I stared at him, dumbfounded. “Because I don’t even want to look at your face right now let alone be in the same state as you.” He took some more things back out of my bag. “Fucking stop!” I practically screamed.

“Sawyer, don’t leave.” He wasn’t sincere. It didn’t even sound like he was about to beg for my forgiveness.

“No, I’m leaving.” I picked up my fully packed bag and looked at him. “Now drive me to the airport.”

“No.”

I didn’t have the patience for this. “Just fucking drive me to the airport.”

“En-Oh.”

I groaned in frustration then stomped out of the room.

“What are you going to do? Walk?” He followed behind me.

“No! I’m going to wait right here,” I plopped down on the loveseat and crossed my legs (right over left) and folded my arms across my chest (left under right). “and wait for my mother-in-law.”

He rolled his eyes and saw down on the couch caddy-corner of me. He just stared while I ignored him, looking forward with my head held high. “Sawyer,” He said. I ignored him. “Come on, don’t be like this.” I rolled my eyes for what felt like the millionth time. “Don’t just leave.”

Not once while he tried to get me to stay did he say “I’m sorry.”
---
When his mom finally got back home, I jumped up. She looked between the two of us then down at my suitcase.

“Are you guys leaving?” She sounded completely sad.

I smiled reassuringly at her, “He’s not, but I am.”

“But why, Sweetheart?” This lady hated me yesterday.

“Because, quite frankly, your son is an asshole and I can’t stand to even be in the same room as him right now.” I said sweetly.

Her mouth dropped, “What did he do?”

“He just.” I glanced over at him, “said some things.” She glared at him. “Could you do me the biggest favor and drive me to the airport?”

She looked behind me at Nick. “You know what, Sawyer, how about I take you to a hotel and you sleep this off? You might feel differently in the morning.” I inwardly rolled my eyes but agreed anyways. “Okay come on, we’ll go now.” I picked up my bag and followed her out the door.

“I love you!” Nick shouted after me, but I didn’t respond.

Diana tried to get me to talk on the ride there, but I just told her I didn’t want to talk about it. I knew she could sense something had really happened, though and I wasn’t overreacting.