Delusional Sunset

Gail's home was quiet in the late morning, however, the persistent ringing of her cell phone soon broke that peace. She groaned, begging for the phone to be quiet again so that she should continue her sleep until she had to go into the restaurant and take the night shift since her bartender was going to be out for his sister's wedding. The phone did quiet, much to Gail's pleasure, but it soon started up in the annoying bells and whistles again.

"Dear god, what do they want?" Gail grumbles angrily before snatching the phone off the bedside table and pressing the phone to her ear once she's accepted the call. "Ashlyn, if this is you, I'm going to kick your ass so hard that-"

"Gail."

Gail goes silent, and it only takes a few moments to realize whose voice is on the other line. Her blue eyes widen with surprise before they narrow in anger. She stares at the wall four feet from the left side of her bed.

"How'd you get my number?"

"Are you really asking that, Gail?"

"You're right. I should have known Zack or Johnny would have found it for you."

"Gail, please, don't be like this-"

Gail sits up quickly, growling into the phone speaker. "Be like what, Matthew? Be mad at you for cheating on me for over a year?"

There's a moment of silence before he sighs on the other side. "Come open the door."

Gail stands instantly and looks out the window to the front of her home. She sees a familiar black car sitting at the curb in front of her home.

"What? You're stalking me now too? I told you we were over, Matt! I'm tired of your shit so go the fuck away!"

"Gail," he says sternly. She could see him now. He was looking up at her from her front step with his phone pressed against his ear. "Come open the door."

"No!" she yells before she presses down on the 'end call' button and throws the phone out of the bedroom door and into the hallway. It lays forgotten there, lying in the middle of the floor. Gail pulls the bed sheet back over her body, and closes her eyes to go back to sleep. The anger awakens her from her sleepiness, and all she can think of is her latest break up with the infamous Matt Sanders.

"Gail."

She jumps with surprise, a small shout falling past her lips, as she sits up in her bed and looks at Matt.

"How the hell did you get in here!"

He gives Gail a blank look before pulling out a lockpick from his pocket. Her surprised expression falters into a cold, deadly glare.

"Oh, that's right. You're a criminal. Should have guessed that one in a heartbeat." She glares at him as she moves to get out of her bed. The sheet half way slips off the bed and to the floor. Matt does not look away from her barely-covered body, having seen it all multiple times before. He keeps his intense gaze on her blue eyes. His own hazel are swirling with a mixture of emotions.

"Get out," she demands of him firmly, walking around him and into her closet. Gail takes her time in choosing her clothes for the day. Matt takes a few steps in the same direction but does not follow her more than that.

"Gail, listen to me."

"No!" she yells again from inside her closet before walking out with her choice of clothing at hand; a graphic tank with a pair of jeans. "I've done enough listening to you, Matthew! Now you listen to me and get the fuck out of my house!"

Matt says nothing and simply stares at her before turning and walking out of the room. For a moment, Gail believes that he is actually going to leave her alone.

"I'll be waiting downstairs," he says and Gail's hope deflates. Of course he wouldn't leave that easily. Gails waits until she no longer hears his foot steps on the stairs to go into her bathroom and start her shower. She, obviously, locks the door behind her. Half an hour later, Gail is drying off her skin and doing the painstaking task of braiding her hair. After a few tries, the blonde hair is tied off with a hairband and she goes back into her room to put on her clothes. It is quiet in her home, and she almost forgets that Matt is waiting downstairs for her.

Almost.

Grabbing her keys and purse from the table at the top of the stairs, Gail makes certain that she has her phone before slipping down into the kitchen. Matt sits at the table waiting for her, his back to the stairs. She makes up a quick lie.

"Just got a call from Richie. She's sick and I have to open the restaurant!"

She leaves no room for an argument as she shoots out the backdoor and around to the front of her truck. Gail hops up into the seat just as Matt walks out the front door. He's not happy with this and she can tell by the look on his face. Gail drives away quickly.

But no matter how much she curses her subconscious for it, her fingers can't be stopped from playing with the infinity pendant of the necklace she has around her neck. She can't face Matt, not after what happened. She's had her last heartbreak. She won't take anymore.

She can't afford to take anymore.

Once to her restaurant, she parks just as her host, Richie, unlocks the doors. He looks up seeing her hop down from the tall cab, carrying herself in an irritated manner.

"Hey, Gi. What are you doing here?" he asks, holding the door open for her.

"My ex," she grumbles and walks inside, flipping the lights on to brighten the small bar and grill. "And my laptop is here and I have to write a paper for my business class." The last part was true on some account. Her laptop was in her office, and she dd have a paper due the following Monday, but it had been written almost two weeks ago.

"Well don't look now, but here he comes," Richie warns Gail. The blonde turns quickly, watching through the window as Matt steps from his car and begins to walk up to the open door.

"Shit, Richie! Lock the fucking door!" Gail shouts, diving behind the bar as Richie goes to lock the door. Matt gets to it just in time for him to stop the door with his foot. He has a good grip on the door frame and his pushing on it, trying to fight Richie to get inside the building.

"Richie," Matt growls, trying to intimidate the younger man with his size and angry gaze. "Let me in."

"Sorry, dude, but I would really like to keep my job, ya know."

"How about your head on your shoulders?"

"Matthew Sanders!" Gail screeches, standing quickly from behind the bar. "Don't you dare threaten my employees! So help me god I will call the police and tell them everything I know about you and your petty gang if you don't leave me the fuck alone!"

There's hesitation on Matt's face, something that surprises Richie, but not Gail. Matt steps back.

"We're not through, Gail."

"Like hell we aren't!" she yells after him as Richie finally gets the door closed and locked. Matt turns away and walks back to his car, getting in and driving away. Gail watches him leave before sighing with relief and falling into one of the open chairs at a nearby table.

"You should have called the cops," Richie tells her, looking with disapproving eyes. Gail groans and drops her head into her hands.

"And what? Watch two more innocent lives be taken? I don't think so Richard."

He chuckles and holds up his hands, surrendering to Gail's logic. "Okay, okay, chica. Put away the fangs."

Gail holds an unamused expression with her middle finger flashing in the air, before she can't hold back the laugh and smirk.

"Get to work you lazy bum," the blonde jokes to him, both going into silent chuckles before Richie disappears to the back to turn on the grills and ovens. Gail stays sitting in her chair, looking over the restaurant's interior.

With one last glance, Gail goes against everything she has just said and pulls her cell phone from her pocket. After a quick scroll through her contacts and one simple push of a button, Gail puts the phone to her ear and waits. It only takes two rings for the phone to pick up on the other side. She gives him no time to talk.

"Alright, Matthew. You wanna talk? Then talk."