Haru takes a step back. “If that’s what you want.”
Then the doors close between us. The next thing I know, I’m heading down a hallway to his apartment. I ring the doorbell and wait. There’s no answer. Eventually I start knocking until someone opens it.
“Eric?” Christian stands in the doorway, looking at me. “What are you doing here?” His voice is sharper than usual. It sobers me up instantly.
“Uh—” I don’t know what to say. I hold up his jacket. “You left your jacket at the rooftop.”
Christian stares at it and back at me. “Why didn’t you just text me?”
“I did, but you didn’t answer…”
“So you came here anyway?”
This silences me. I’m not sure what I expected from this.I wish I could turn around, pretend this was some misunderstanding. Then I hear another voice inside the apartment. I tilt my head to see who it is. It’s Zach, the guy he was sitting with at the rooftop.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt—”
“Did you need something else?”
The edge in his voice stabs like a knife. I don’t know what else to say. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to see you, since we didn’t get the chance to…” My voice trails off.
Christian rubs the space between his eyes. “You can’t show up unannounced like this,” he says. “We’re not together, Eric. I don’t know how to make that more clear.”
“I know we’re not,” I say. “I just thought there was something more.”
“Because we spent the night together?” He lets out a breath. “Listen, Eric. You and I had a good time. Let’s just leave it at that, okay?”
“What are you saying?” I ask.
“That we shouldn’t see each other again.”
A silence as I take this in.
“I’m sorry if I—”
“I don’t need you to apologize.” He stops me. “I just need you to go. And you can keep the jacket. Now have a good night.”
Then he closes the door.
I stand in the hallway for a moment longer. Then I head to the elevator and make my way back down. I leave the building, stumbling down the sidewalk. I’m not even surewhere I’m going. I throw Christian’s jacket into a bush as I turn the corner.
Haru appears again. I forgot he was out here. But I don’t bother to stop for him. I just keep on walking.
“The train is the other way,” he says.
“I’m not going home.”
I can barely see what’s in front of me. Tears form behind my eyes, making it hard to walk straight. The world is a gray blur. I wish Haru would stop following me. I don’t want him seeing me this way. As I step off the curb, Haru appears in front of me.
He places his hands on my shoulders. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Do you even know where you’re going?”
I try to step around him. But he blocks me again. Then he reaches into my pocket, grabbing something.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
