Sequel: Close Yet Far ›
Anything but Ordinary
I Don't Care
(Kay's POV)
Josh sat across from me at the table. We were in a coffee shop just down the street from my apartment. I didn't want to do this in my own place considering I wanted to use it as refuge if Josh got pissed. I had to do this in a public place or I might not be able to do it. I had to be strong or I'd end up like I did the year before when I'd been with Ethan.
Picking the raisins off of my cinnamon roll, I avoided eye contact with him. He was talking about whatever it was he had done at work that morning and I felt my stomach twist with the nerves I had.
“Kay? Have you heard a word I've said?” Josh asked out of nowhere.
When I glanced up at him, I noticed he had a frown on his face when he'd been just smiling a moment before. “Of course I have.”
“Then why aren't you responding to anything?” His tone was turning angry, but I didn't let myself go on the defensive. I was there to tear his heart out and it made my answer even harder to say.
“Because I don't care, Josh.”
The expression on his face was one I was expecting, but it didn't hurt any less to see it. He looked as if he were fighting to not believe a word I was saying.
“Excuse me?”
“You left me all alone on Valentine's Day, Josh. Even after you said we'd meet up for dinner. I believed you and you just stood me up.” I didn't want to make this about beating him up with all of the bad things he'd done, but I couldn't help the words as they flew from my lips. “How could you do that to me?”
Josh's frown disappeared instantly. “I already apologized for that.”
“I know, Josh, but it still hurt. I can't be with you if you're going to do this constantly to me.”
Anger overtook his features. “I know about you and Chad.”
I met his eyes suspiciously. “I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Novak told me that you went out with him on Valentine's day. Don't deny it.” Josh leaned forward so he was closer to me. His brown eyes flashed furiously. “What did you do with him?”
I steeled my nerves as my heart jumped around in my chest. I was grateful he couldn't hear that it picked up its pace. “Nothing happened. We went out for a few drinks and he dropped me off at home. That was it. At least someone took pity on me when you didn't show.”
I knew it wasn't pity that made Chad ask me out that night, but Josh didn't know that... at least I hoped he didn't.
Josh scoffed at that. “Are you fucking kidding me? You've been using me this whole time to get him to do just that.”
“I don't know what you're implying and I've been nothing but honest with you, Josh. I liked you and I thought maybe we could have a normal relationship. It's clear to me that you don't want that.” I told him angrily.
Josh pushed his chair away from the table violently. Staring down at me, he said viciously, “You're going to regret this, whore.”
He stormed out of the cafe without even a second look in my direction. The words were bitter and nasty and though they weren't true, I felt the tears coming on anyway. Putting my head in my hands, I sniffed against them, but it didn't help. They fell freely and embarrassed, I wept.
“Kay?”
My head shot up at the sound of my best friend's voice. “Ames? What are you doing here?” I wiped the tears from my face, but it was obvious that she'd seen them.
“What's going on? What's wrong?” She slid into the seat Josh had been in only moments before. Her blue eyes glanced me over as if checking for any physical damage. It was only emotional.
“It's Josh.”
Aimee gritted her teeth in anger. “I'll take care of this.” She pulled out her phone before I could stop her and dialed a number.
Josh sat across from me at the table. We were in a coffee shop just down the street from my apartment. I didn't want to do this in my own place considering I wanted to use it as refuge if Josh got pissed. I had to do this in a public place or I might not be able to do it. I had to be strong or I'd end up like I did the year before when I'd been with Ethan.
Picking the raisins off of my cinnamon roll, I avoided eye contact with him. He was talking about whatever it was he had done at work that morning and I felt my stomach twist with the nerves I had.
“Kay? Have you heard a word I've said?” Josh asked out of nowhere.
When I glanced up at him, I noticed he had a frown on his face when he'd been just smiling a moment before. “Of course I have.”
“Then why aren't you responding to anything?” His tone was turning angry, but I didn't let myself go on the defensive. I was there to tear his heart out and it made my answer even harder to say.
“Because I don't care, Josh.”
The expression on his face was one I was expecting, but it didn't hurt any less to see it. He looked as if he were fighting to not believe a word I was saying.
“Excuse me?”
“You left me all alone on Valentine's Day, Josh. Even after you said we'd meet up for dinner. I believed you and you just stood me up.” I didn't want to make this about beating him up with all of the bad things he'd done, but I couldn't help the words as they flew from my lips. “How could you do that to me?”
Josh's frown disappeared instantly. “I already apologized for that.”
“I know, Josh, but it still hurt. I can't be with you if you're going to do this constantly to me.”
Anger overtook his features. “I know about you and Chad.”
I met his eyes suspiciously. “I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Novak told me that you went out with him on Valentine's day. Don't deny it.” Josh leaned forward so he was closer to me. His brown eyes flashed furiously. “What did you do with him?”
I steeled my nerves as my heart jumped around in my chest. I was grateful he couldn't hear that it picked up its pace. “Nothing happened. We went out for a few drinks and he dropped me off at home. That was it. At least someone took pity on me when you didn't show.”
I knew it wasn't pity that made Chad ask me out that night, but Josh didn't know that... at least I hoped he didn't.
Josh scoffed at that. “Are you fucking kidding me? You've been using me this whole time to get him to do just that.”
“I don't know what you're implying and I've been nothing but honest with you, Josh. I liked you and I thought maybe we could have a normal relationship. It's clear to me that you don't want that.” I told him angrily.
Josh pushed his chair away from the table violently. Staring down at me, he said viciously, “You're going to regret this, whore.”
He stormed out of the cafe without even a second look in my direction. The words were bitter and nasty and though they weren't true, I felt the tears coming on anyway. Putting my head in my hands, I sniffed against them, but it didn't help. They fell freely and embarrassed, I wept.
“Kay?”
My head shot up at the sound of my best friend's voice. “Ames? What are you doing here?” I wiped the tears from my face, but it was obvious that she'd seen them.
“What's going on? What's wrong?” She slid into the seat Josh had been in only moments before. Her blue eyes glanced me over as if checking for any physical damage. It was only emotional.
“It's Josh.”
Aimee gritted her teeth in anger. “I'll take care of this.” She pulled out her phone before I could stop her and dialed a number.