The Game Changer The Final Score - By L.M. Trio Page 0,41
right reasons.” I slowly turn to walk away, suddenly not sure why I felt the need to spill my guts to this stranger. I walk out of the smoked glass doors, and he doesn’t try to stop me.
My mind is racing with a million different thoughts as I arrive at the next destination, her apartment. I reach in the back seat and grab the shoe box that I grabbed from my bedroom closet. It contains every letter I’ve ever written to her while I was away. Hopefully, she’ll read them someday. Maybe, it will give her some insight as to what was going through my mind at various times throughout my ordeal. Then, she’ll know that whatever I may have been going through at that particular time, my feelings for her were my one constant.
I walk towards the entrance of her apartment; thankfully someone is leaving and holds the door open so I can slip inside. I check the names on the mailboxes located in the lobby, and then take the stairs to the top floor and knock on the door of apartment C2.
My heart pounds louder against my chest when I hear footsteps on the other side of the door grow closer, but I’m surprised by the person standing before me.
“You must be Mya,” I say to the girl with the piercings and purple-streaked hair, who is staring at me as if she’s about to put a dagger through my heart.
“You must be trouble,” she says dryly, blocking the doorway so I can’t see inside.
Great, another hostile person to deal with. Why not? Everyone else seems to hate me.
“Actually, I’m not. I’m Luke,” I say, forcing a smile.
“I know who you are,” she answers, not amused.
“Can I see her… please?”
“She’s not here.”
“Really? I was just by the gallery and Frank said he dropped her off.”
“He did, but now she’s gone.” She begins to close the door.
I stop it with my hand. “Please, Mya. I need to see her. I have to talk to her.”
“She’s really not here. He dropped her off, but then she said she was taking a walk to clear her head and now I see why,” she says defensively.
“Please…” I beg. “Tell me where she is, it’s dark… and it’s about to rain, she shouldn’t be out there by herself.”
“Funny, considering you’re the reason she runs out in dark, stormy weather in the first place. If you only knew all of the times she had to get out, get air, because she couldn’t breathe late at night… because of you.”
Her words cut through me like a knife piercing my heart. I know that’s what she’s hoping to accomplish by her comment. I finally see the extent of the pain I caused JJ and am beginning to doubt that I can ever make her trust me again.
“I’m sorry,” I answer, feeling defeated. “Could you see that she gets this? Maybe it will help.” I hand her the shoebox and turn to leave.
“Luke, wait. There’s a marina she likes to go to. I’ve followed her there before, just to make sure she was safe. I’m only telling you because I agree, she shouldn’t be out there alone at night, especially with the storm coming in.”
She gives me directions, and then I drive like a mad man, all kinds of scary thoughts going through my head; worrying something bad will happen to her before I have a chance to see her.
I pull into the almost empty lot of the marina and run along the docks, searching up and down for her while the thunder roars from above. The wind is picking up and it seems as if the sky will open up at any minute. The dark water is rough, slamming angrily into the sides of the docks, spitting water into the air, and boats ram up against the wooden beams. Finally, I spot her sitting on a bench facing the water. I want to scream at her for being out here by herself, but it’s because of me that she is here.
“JJ!” I call out, my voice deep with emotion.
I startle her. She jumps up and turns to face me. I hurry down the narrow dock, closing the gap between us, but she turns her back to me and walks within steps of the water.
“What are you gonna do, jump in?” I try to crack a joke to ease the tension as she realizes there is no place left for her to go.