Not sure if this is a promise or a threat. But I didn’t come all this way to give up on Casey so soon. I’ll be back tomorrow, and the next day. I’ll come every day until he finally opens that door. I won’t give up.
I grab the sandwiches and coffee from the ground and bring them with me.
I think about giving them to the security guard, but he doesn’t deserve it.
We glare at each other as I walk by.
I’m about to dump the food into the trash can outside when I remember the homeless man I saw earlier.
I walk briskly toward him, holding the bag up.
“Hey, I bought this for a friend but he’s not home,” I lie. It sounds weird even in my head to say that my friend doesn’t want to open the door to his apartment to let me in. “Would you like it? It’s a regular coffee and egg sandwich.”
He shrugs but sits up. I hand him the sandwich and smile. “Have a nice day.”
As I turn around, I hear him ruffle through the bag and pull out the sandwich.
I’m so glad that I thought of him. At least I made someone happy today. But just as I approach the corner, I hear him say, “Who the hell orders a dirty bird?”
19
Casey
Fuck. There’s someone at the door again. I’m sure it’s Brett. He’s the only one who dares to show up. Probably because his paycheck is connected to mine.
He even called the police. That was a fucking disaster. I was in my underwear when two officers showed up at my place. They bang on the door like a couple of assholes and wouldn’t go away until I opened it. Even after I told them I was fine, they said they had to see for themselves.
I don’t understand why everyone feels the need to check on me. I’m alive. I’m here. I just want everyone to leave me the fuck alone.
I told my family as soon as I got here that I didn’t want to see anyone. How many times do I need to repeat myself? If they don’t want to listen, then they can waste their time. That’s on them.
“Casey, it’s me. I’ve got a friend here from New York that wants to see you.”
Fuck, I’m right. It is Brett. Doesn’t he understand from the unanswered texts that I don’t want to see him? And who the fuck did he bring this time? Last time he dragged some girl I was dating months ago. Why would I want to see her?
I open the security app on my phone and check the camera outside my door.
I’m not surprised to see Brett, but the woman standing next to him nearly makes me drop my device.
She fucking came. She sent me a text saying she was here, but I called her bluff. I didn’t respond. I figured that would keep her away. Who the fuck flies across the country for someone who doesn’t even respond to a text? Sage Summers apparently.
What does she want?
It doesn’t matter. I don’t want her to see me like this. There’s no fucking way I’m opening that door.
Truthfully, I wasn’t going to open it anyway, but this cements my resolve.
After a few minutes, Brett leaves as usual. He’s easy. At least he gets it. But Sage stays. Why the hell would Brett just leave her there by herself?
I sit up on my bed, pulling down my old T-shirt that stretches across my stomach. I think I changed my shorts yesterday but I’m not really sure.
I watch her on my phone as she leans back against my door. Her pretty blonde curls frame her face and neck. She covers her long legs with her dress, and I stare at her bare toes. She sits back with her eyes closed, and for a moment, I want to go out there and grab her. I want to pull her inside and kiss those cherry-flavored lips.
But then I look down at my shirt and remember that I’m in no state to see Sage Summers or anyone else for that matter.
I don’t close the app. What if someone approaches her? I tell myself, if that were to happen, I would open the door. But I’m ashamed to admit that a small piece of me wonders if I would and I hate myself even more for that.
She’ll get the hint. She’ll leave. I’ll finally be alone again.
