Fold

She sat at the park bench with her umbrella, the hot chocolate in her gloved hand keeping her vaguely warm as the Oregon afternoon rain fell softly onto the ground around her. She wasn’t too keen on being stuck outside in the cold but inside there was room to think, room to feel and remember the events that transpired in that God forsaken apartment. That was the last thing she wanted.

So she stayed outside.

People were running along the sidewalk, laughing and joking as they rushed to get back into the safety and comfort of their apartments straight from their work. One man was different though, walking calmly with an umbrella in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Her eyes caught his and she slightly gasped, frozen in place with wide eyes. A small smirk appeared on his lips as he walked over to her, as if this were a normal thing and he was greeting a casual friend. As if he wasn’t a monster. As if he didn’t leave without a single word. As if she didn’t run away and as if he didn’t magically find her.

“Hey.”

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?” she hissed, switching her gaze and keeping her eyes forward.

“It was a coincidence, I swear.”

“That’s not answering the question.”

He sighed in annoyance. “Jesus Christ. I have a buddy who lives down the street and I’ve been staying with him for a couple days now. I’m not fuckin’ following you. If I knew you were here-“

“Stop. Seriously,” she interrupted. She could practically feel her blood boiling and she struggled to breathe regularly.

“What’s your problem?”

She looked up to stare at him in bewilderment. “Are you kidding me? You. You are my problem. For last six months every fucking day has been plagued with the thought of you. That is my problem.” She stood up and angrily threw her cup away and began to walk away, tears fighting to go down her rosy cheeks.

“Wait,” he called to her, but she only walked faster. She could hear him following behind but there was no way she was turning around. She grabbed her keys out of her pocket as she walked up the stairs and prepared to unlock her front door at lightening speed. When she opened the door and slipped inside, something blocked her from closing the door.

“Let me inside,” he pleaded, all arrogance gone from his aura. The dark circles under his eyes were nearly as bad as hers.

She bit her lip and looked down to see his boot keeping the door open and she felt her heart sink. She silently cursed to herself as she stepped out of the way. She hated herself as she did so but she didn’t care. She just wanted him, his touch, his smell, his everything back, no matter how toxic and destructive it may be.