Inside of You

Before leaving, Adam made sure I bought another phone so I could give him my number. I thought he was being funny at first but then once he shoved me into a store and bought a phone for me – which I told him I’d pay for but didn’t let me – I kept my mouth shut and stopped laughing.

“You really shouldn’t have done that,” I told him but he said nothing as we walked out of the mall exit.

“I’d never be able to keep in touch if you didn’t have a phone,” he said ushering me towards my car.

I changed the subject so that we would stop arguing because for the last 10 to 20 minutes or so, that’s all that we’ve been doing.

“Don’t you have a car?” I asked him but toned my voice in a way that when I asked, it wouldn’t sound like an insult.

“Well, no, my friend dropped me off at the mall,” he said casually as he opened my car door for me.

“Do you need a ride?” I asked politely and he smiled.

“I’m not really heading your way,” he said looking around. “I’m headed the opposite way,”

“That doesn’t really matter,” I told him with a smile. “I need a friend, right?”

He smiled as he got in the passenger’s seat. “So where are we headed?” he asked as soon as he shut the door.

“I don’t know,” I said switching on the engine. “I was about to go home,”

“Oh, don’t let me stop you then,” he said and I looked at him confused.

“I thought you were headed somewhere else,” I tried to clarify.

“Yeah, but I think nostalgia’s getting the best of me,” he said with a charming smile.

“Okay then,” I said making my way out of the parking lot.

Once we got on the road, we started to talk about his job and his client. He told me that his client wanted him to take a few pictures of this building that he made so that they could place it on a brochure and all that jazz. I asked him if he really needed to be there right now but he said that the project wasn’t due until next month. I still feel bad though about taking him away from his job.

Once we reached my house, I couldn’t care less about what would happen next. I mean if John saw us get in the house, he could tell everyone about it and talk shit about me behind my back. He already stabbed my back with a knife so I guess the second and third attempts wouldn’t be as brutal as the first one. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it won’t be long until I cut him fully out of my life because he didn’t belong in my life in the first place.

“Make yourself at home,” I told him as soon as I got the door open but one thing that I realized was that the door was unlocked.

I walked into the living room and saw 6 pairs of eyes staring at me. I stopped in my tracks surprised that they were all in one room. Adam was talking about something before following me in but he stopped talking as soon as he followed me in.

John laughed as he saw what he did to Adam’s face. I clenched my teeth as I glared at him but he wasn’t looking at me at all. He was too busy having a glare-off with Adam.

There was suddenly a rising amount of tension in the room that I didn’t want to feel so I cleared my throat to get everyone’s attention.

“What are you doing here?” I directed the question to John who turned to face me with a slight expression of amusement.

“Well, Andy invited me,” he said with a smirk. “At least someone still knows who is and who isn’t worthy to step foot in this house,”

I looked at Andy who met my eyes with confusion.

I know it was my housed and I know that it wasn’t my place to turn around and head right back out the door but that was something I really wanted to do. I couldn’t bare this environment right now.

I was about to turn on my heel when John started to run his mouth again. “Go ahead, just run away,” he said with so much arrogance. “I think it’s the best look you’ve got on you so far,”

That was it. I wasn’t thinking anymore. I ran straight to John and took him down and started pounding on his face. I threw around three punches before Garrett grabbed me from behind. I was fighting his grip but he was too strong. I started to relax and soon, he loosened up.

I watched John try to get up from the floor but before he could fully get up, I kicked the back of his leg so he would fall down again. He hit his head hard on the floor but I couldn’t care less to wonder if he was conscious or half way dead. He was being an ass and he deserved what I gave him.

Everyone seemed to be looking at me with worried faces but they said nothing. I looked around to see if Adam was still in the house but apparently he wasn’t. I rushed out of the living room and walked slowly towards the foyer as I heard him talk in a really hushed tone.

“Yeah, I know,” he whispered. His voice seemed nervous and scared. “I’ll get her to you, don’t worry. But after this, I want nothing to do with your dirty work. I’m out after this one last deal, okay?” he rushed as he spoke as if the person he was talking to had his life in his hands.

He breathed out deeply before walking back inside the door. I backed up just a little so he wouldn’t think I was eavesdropping.

“Sorry, it was my client,” he said and I just nodded.

I was beginning to feel a little scared. Who was that ‘her’ he was pertaining to? And ‘dirty work’? What was that about?

I wanted to ask him so many things but I was afraid that he wouldn’t give me a straight answer. So I just kept my mouth shut and ran into him but this time, I went in for a hug – not a tackle – as I tried to hold back my tears but as soon as he wrapped his arms around me, I broke down.

He led me up the stairs that I guess he was still familiar with and brought me to my room where he made me lie on the bed.

“I’m sure your fists taught him a lesson,” he joked but I was far from wanting to laugh right now.

“I can’t believe he said all that,” I said tearing up even more. “I thought he was-”

“Shh, it’s all gonna be alright,” he told me stroking my back comfortingly. “I’m here now,”

He said those words as if he regretted it for a second. As if those words meant something different.I just wish he meant it.