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“You’re Roxie’s neighbor, aren’tyou?” he says, pointing at me.
Roxie’s neighbor.
“Yes.” I cross my arms over mychest. “You’re the dude who was harassing her outside herapartment, aren’t you?”
He scoffs. “So, you get in herpants yet?”
My body goes on alert. “That’snone of your business.”
“That’s what I thought,” he saysthrough a one-sided smirk. “No one plays the hero in front of agirl they don’t wanna fuck.”
He gets in my face. I try toremain impassive, even though every muscle fiber feels stiff withtension.
“A bit of friendly advice,” hesays. “Run. Run and don’t look back. She is one cold-heartedbitch. I was with her for three years, and the moment I decided toshow some emotion, told her I wanted to get serious, she booted myass and blocked me.” He looks me up and down. “And it’s not anaccident that it happened just when your shiny new dick moved intothe building.”
“That’s not what she told me.”
He laughs. “Yeah. Like she’s gonnatell you what a fucking crazy bitch she really is. Just you wait.She’ll get tired of you soon enough.”
“You’re just a sore loser,” Imanage to squeeze through my teeth.
“Whatever makes you feel better.”He shakes his head and leaves, attempting to shove me on his wayout, just as he did before. This time, I am prepared, so I tilt myshoulder away and he misses. This earns me a derisive snort, andthen he disappears.
I am finally alone in therestroom, breathing hard, my body taut like a guitar string.
I was with her for threeyears.
She is one cold-hearted bitch.
I take a leak and wash myhands.
The moment I decided to show someemotion, she booted my ass.
Just you wait. She’ll get tired ofyou soon enough.
I splash my face a couple oftimes, trying to get my bearings. I have colleagues waiting for meoutside, so I can’t look like I’ve had wind knocked out of me, eventhough that’s exactly how I feel.
As I leave the restroom, I have togo through the dining room in order to exit. I see Dave sittingwith a woman. It looks like a lunch date, and they’ve just receivedtheir orders. The girl beams and talks, using her hands a lot.She’s petite and blonde, her clothes bursting with color. She’s theexact opposite of Roxie.
Dave nods absentmindedly at hisdate, seemingly focused on his food. He briefly looks up at me as Iwalk past, but doesn’t give any indication that he knows me.Minutes ago, he spilled all that shit about Roxie, and so readily.He doesn’t look like he’s hurting for female company, so why thehate?
****
“You’re really quiet tonight,”says Roxie through a mouthful of lamb curry. We’re having a latedinner at her place since she’s having a crunch week at work.
I’ve tried to calm down sinceyesterday, when I saw Dave, even avoided meeting her last night inorder to get my shit together, but it’s not working.
His words keep going through myhead on a loop, and the longer this goes on, the more worked up Iget.
I was with her for threeyears.
She is one cold-hearted bitch.
The moment I decided to show someemotion, she booted my ass.
Just you wait. She’ll get tired ofyou soon enough.
Distilled into a few brief,hate-filled sentences are all the worst fears I’ve ever harboredabout Roxie and me.
