or the indignant posture Suzy’s taken up against the still open doorway.
“You pig,” I say, finally getting his attention.
The last time I caught Tim unawares, he had the good grace to at least try and pretend that what I walked in on wasn’t what was really happening. This time, all he can muster is, “Oh, shit.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” I say. I turn to leave but I think I’ve earned the last word when it comes to this relationship, so I spin back around to face him. “I got your text from this morning, telling me that you wanted me back. I just came by to tell you that I wouldn’t have you back if you were the last man on this earth. You’re sick, you know that, right?”
“Ellie, wait, I—”
“You what?” accuses Suzy from the door.
“I—shit. I know this looks bad but you weren’t coming around and—”
“And you can’t go one month without getting laid?” I spit at him.
“One month?” interjects Suzy, “Try one day.”
I look back at her then turn my steely gaze on the man who thought he was maybe in love with me, but definitely, surely, disgusts me. “Don’t come near me ever again.” I pause at the door and turn to face off with the woman who, unwittingly, has saved me from yet another mistake. “Even you can do better this douche bag.”
She shoots me a venomous look, but she’s not my problem anymore. I flee the apartment, run down the hall and leap past a neighbor and into the open elevator she’s just called. As the doors close, I hear Tim tearing down the hall after me, calling my name. My last glimpse before the doors close is of him trying to stop the elevator with his hands. How ironic.
I’m shaking like a leaf, unable to stop the tears that splash down my cheeks. My old neighbor from 11C, a fourteen-year old girl wearing a skirt so short even Luanne would disapprove, says to me, “Are you, like, alright? I mean, he was, like, gonna lose a hand in that door. Did you guys get back together? Cuz I thought he was, like, seeing that pretty girl from the second floor.”
I cry harder and when we reach the lobby I half run, half slide my way across the slick marble floors, throwing open the building’s door to escape onto the sidewalk.
“Ellie?”
It’s the only voice that could still shock me after the morning I’ve just had. “Sam? What are you doing here?”
Sam and Jason are standing next to a pick-up truck with the auto shop information scrolled across the passenger side doors.
“We came to tow a car back to the shop.” Seeing my face, Sam rushes toward me, concern spread across his handsome features. “What’s going on? Are you hurt?”
I jump back before he has the chance to touch me, my hurt turning to anger as it boils over inside of me. “Yes, I’m hurt! I’m hurt and angry and I don’t ever want to see you again!” I yell at him.
“What?” Sam tries again to reach for me, and again I turn away from him as I wipe the tears off my face. “Ellie, what’s wrong?” he demands.
“I trusted you. You told me you’d never hurt me, that I could believe in you, but you’re no better than the rest of them.”
“Ellie, you’re not making any sense. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I went to your house this morning. I must admit, I was surprised to find out you have a new roommate.”
Understanding floods Sam’s face and he again moves toward me, catching my arm at last and pulling me close to him. “Wait, let me explain.”
“Ha!” I laugh. “Where’ve I heard that one before?” I try unsuccessfully to wrench my arm from his grasp, but his hand is too strong.
“Stop being a fool and listen to me,” he orders, gripping my other arm tight, pulling me close to him. “I’m not with Roxy anymore. She needed a place to pass the night, that’s all.”
“Yeah, she told me it’d been a long night for you two,” I say, standing on tiptoe to look him squarely in the eyes.
“Ellie, nothing happened.”
“If it was all so innocent, why didn’t you just tell me about it?”
“Because you didn’t need to know and I didn’t want you getting the wrong idea.”
“Yeah, well, I think I’ve finally got it right.”
“Stop,” Sam says, shaking me a little.
Tim bursts through the building’s doors but, seeing Sam’s hands