Page 67 of Somebody To Love

Hours after Becca and Dana had gone home, I heard a knock at my door.

“I don’t want any more ice cream!” I yelled, assuming it was them again. I had to practically kick them out earlier since they hadn’t wanted to leave me sad and alone.

The knock sounded again and I reluctantly got up to answer it. Probably just solicitors, I thought to myself. Someone probably wanted to sell me a new security system or cookies or something.

I looked out the peephole and saw Ty standing there. My heartbeat picked up. What was he doing here?

I could ignore him or I could yell at him through the door. It was a hard decision, but I went with the path of least resistance.

I crouched down low and crawled away from my door, so he wouldn’t see my shadow from outside the window.

Like an idiot, I crawled from my door to my living room, trying not to make any noise. I’m not sure what I was thinking, after all, he knew I was there, my car was parked out front. And hadn’t I just yelled at him before I realized who was there.

I sat down in front of my couch and just hoped he would give up and go away.

“I’m not going away!” he yelled loud enough for me to hear.

Oh. Well, so much for wishful thinking.

“You can open the door or I can make a scene. It’s your choice.”

“You wouldn’t!” I yelled from my position on the floor. I scrambled to get up as he continued to knock obnoxiously on my door while calling my name over and over.

I didn’t want anyone to call the cops. My HOA would be so mad. They took pride in the cops not showing up in our neighborhood. First I had Dana hollering at my door and now Ty. I was sure my neighbors were not happy with me.

I abruptly opened the door and yelled at him, “Go away, I have nothing to say to you. And if you keep banging on my door, I’ll call the cops.”

“Call them. I don’t care.”

I could tell from the fiery expression on his face that he meant it. “Then I guess you’re going to be escorted away in a police car.”

I picked up my phone, ready to call the non-emergency number, but I didn’t know it and there was no way I was going to call 911. I might be a little flighty and prone to bad judgment, but even I wouldn’t waste police resources on getting my ex to get off my doorstep.

Apparently, he didn’t know that. “I understand if you want to call the cops on me. Just give me a minute to say my part and then I’ll leave you alone. I just want you to hear me out.”

I lowered my phone, but kept it in my hand.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

“No. You can say whatever it is you have to say from there.”

“Ok...” he looked at me and then shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. I had never seen Ty uncomfortable before. I hadn’t had the privilege of seeing him nervous and unsure of himself. I had to admit, it made me feel slightly better. But just slightly.

“So what do you have to say? You’re sorry? You didn’t mean to lie to me? It’s all just one big misunderstanding?”

He shook his head. “Nothing I felt for you was a lie—”

I sent him a chilled look before interrupting, “Try again.”

“I’m serious. Maybe my methods were questionable but—”

I couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth, “Your methods were questionable? This isn’t some sort of scientific study, Ty. This was real life not some sort of experiment!”

“I know that—”

“No. I don’t think you do. I bet you’re so used to controlling every aspect of your life that you thought you could control me too.”

“Piper it’s not like that at all.”