Hang Me Up To Dry

“Just shut up Jake. I’m tired of your shit.”

“Ri…come on baby…”

“I ain’t your baby. I never was.”

“I never was,” he mimicked me. “You’re just acting this way because you’re all the way in Arizona. If you were here, you’d be all over me.”

I hung up the phone angrily and rested my elbows on the railing of my balcony. I was used to Jake’s antics by this point. He called me every single day since I broke up with him. Am I cold and heartless? No. I am not. He still thinks we have a shot at being together after everything he’s done to me, but he was crazy.

I needed a drink. I wish I was old enough to drink. I walked back through the sliding doors and laid on the couch and put a pillow over my head and screamed. Even though I was over a thousand miles away from him, I still couldn’t escape him.

Suddenly I heard a tap on the door and I slowly removed the pillow from my face and answered it, hair a mess, not givin’ a fuck.

John’s worried face greeted me on the other side of the door. “Are you okay? I couldn’t help but to hear you screaming…”

“So the pillow didn’t work…” I said more to myself but he smirked anyway. “Do you want to come in or something? And talk? Is that what happens in Arizona?”

“I guess,” he said sliding past me and sitting on the couch, putting the pillow I used in his lap. “I thought Texan people were full of hospitality.”

“They are. But you don’t find hospitality in the big cities.”

“Ah.” I sat down next to him and put my head in my hands. “What’s got you down, boo boo?”

“Boo boo?” He made this weird face and shrugged. It was pretty cute. “Just Jake.”

“So there’s a Jake?”

“Used to be, anyways. Not since I found out he cheated on me pretty much the entire two years we were dating.”

“Sounds like an asshole.”

“Oh, he’s not. He’s a dick.” He laughed. “So you were worried about me? Is that why you came over?”

“Kinda sorta. Am I not allowed to be worried about you?”

“No you’re allowed, just…don’t be. I’m okay.” He stared at me for a couple of seconds as I looked away. “I’m actually glad you came over. I need a ride to work.”

“Am I just a car to you?”

“You figured me out.”

“Well okay then.” He smiled. “Where do you work?”

I was walking into the bedroom to change. “Starbucks,” I said before I shut the door. I took this moment I had to send a text to my friend Sam back home. I forgot to tell her about last night.

‘John O’Callaghan is in my apartment right now.’

After I got my hat and apron ready, I got a reply. ‘How long until he wakes up?’ I laughed and shook my head and went out to find John flipping through my channels.

“I’m making $330 a week and you expect to find something better than basic cable?” I asked him after I saw him passing the same channel three times in a row.

“$330? That’s enough to pay me back.”

“I’ll get you your money soon enough.”

“Really…don’t worry about it. It’s fine.” We were walking down the steps when I insisted that I pay him back.

“I wouldn’t feel right just letting you pay for it.”

“I wouldn’t feel right accepting your money. Consider it my selfless act of the day.”

Once we got to the Starbucks I worked at, he wished me a good first day and I said goodbye.

--John--

I got back to my apartment and noticed she left her phone in my passenger seat. Should I turn it on? It’s probably on lock anyway. I pushed the button and it wasn’t on lock. Her texts to some person named Sam were up and I saw my name and laughed at what this person said in reply. I couldn’t figure this girl out.

What the hell, I was planning on getting some coffee anyway.

I pushed open the doors of the Starbucks and took off my Ray Bans and she was behind the counter, trying to get into her element. She glanced at me quickly but continued what she was doing.

“I’ll be right with you, Sir.”

“No problem.” I leaned on the display of artificial looking muffins then she really looked at me.

“Oh, it’s just you.”

“In the flesh.” I handed her phone over to her and she looked at me with surprise.

“Oh my God I didn’t even realize I left it.”

“Uh huh. Sure. I think you subconsciously left it behind so you’d have an excuse to talk to me.”

“You think you’re so cute,” she said. She looked annoyed but I could tell she didn’t feel that way. I just nodded. “Well you’re not. You’re kind of repulsive.”

“Is that any way to talk to your customers?”

“Sorry. What can I get you?” she said coldly.

“A tall mocha. Keep the change,” I said and slid her a 10 dollar bill. I walked over to the receiving end of the place and waited for her to make my drink. “So, I’m kind of repulsive? Not all the way though right?”

She smiled and rolled her eyes after she handed me my drink and I walked away smiling as I took a sip.

Later on that day, Kennedy and Jared were at my house and we were all drinking some beer. “I have to sober up. I have to go pick up Rianne.”

Kenny and Jared looked at each other. “Rianne?” They said in unison. “Who’s that?”

“My new neighbor. I met her last night. Her car overheated on 70 and I brought her here, and as it turns out she’s my neighbor.”

“That sounds beautiful,” Jared said and wiped a fake tear. “You wanna get with her?”

“No, man. She’s pretty, don’t get me wrong…but I’m just taking things as they come right now. I don’t want to rush into anything.”

“So I guess that means she’s not into you at all?” Kennedy said and smiled.

“She’s not. She said her favorite was you,” we laughed then I said something after a few moments of silence. “Who wouldn’t be into me? I’m fucking beautiful.”

“Why does it bother you so much?” Jared said and Kennedy answered.

“Because he loves her. And the one girl he wants to be with doesn’t want him in return. Oh, the tragedy.”

“Shut up, Kenny. I can make anyone love me.”

“Are you willing to bet on that?” Kenny said deviously as I sat up and looked at him.

“I don’t bet. Not on things like this.”

“Are you scared John? What’s the worst that can happen? She won’t love you in return?”

“The worst that can happen is whatever the stakes are if she doesn’t love me.”

“Loser has to shave their eyebrows,” Jared piped up and Kenny nudged him.

“You’re on,” I said and drank the last sip of my beer.

About an hour later, I had sobered up nicely and I drove to Starbucks to pick up Rianne and she walked out five minutes after I’d gotten there. “How’d you know when I got off?”

“I’m very good at guessing.” I turned on the stereo and started playing a Ryan Adams song.

“It takes two when it used to take one…” she sang softly.

“You know this song?”

“Duh!”

We walked up the steps together and I lightly brushed my hand against hers.

“What are you doing…” She asked me suspiciously as we stopped in front of her door.

“Nothing. It was an accident.”

“Does that charm work for all the other girls?”

“There are no other girls.”

“Uh huh. Well, John. I see right through you. You can’t fool me.”

I put my hands up defensively. “I wasn’t planning on it.” I chucked and she twisted her mouth into a semi smile. “So I’ll guess I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I said as she started to close her door.

“Yes you will.” She shut the door. This would be harder than I thought.

--Rianne--

I wasn’t having it with John’s cutesy attitude that he could get anyone he wanted. But he was cute. But that doesn’t make it okay. His only goal to get with me – that was it. To get with me. Just to say he did.

I threw my hat on the couch and untied my apron and took off my newly stained black t-shirt. I started making a frozen dinner then went back into my room to get my long sleeve Tom Petty shirt.

I took a bite of the dinner and decided it tasted like a pile of horse shit, set it on the counter, and walked next door. He opened the door and leaned against the door post with crossed arms and a smug grin. “Yes?”

“Look, I’m sorry about what I said. I’m just a little on edge.”

He started chuckling. “A little?”

I rolled my eyes. “Do you want an apology or not?” I continued once he didn’t say anything. “So my dinner tastes like shit; do you want to go get a burger or something?”

He uncrossed his arms. “Or something. How about some Italian food?”

“Sounds great.” We walked down to his car. “This is not a date.”

“Not a date,” he repeated.