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Halfway to my apartment, I hear a soft whispered, “FC!”
No.
No, no, no. I just spent at least an hour in the gym because of this woman. Why is she here again?
Slowly, I turn around. There, a few feet away, Lila stands with a slightly worried look on her face.
“Please give me ten minutes, FC.” What sucks is that I see the Lila I first met. The sweet girl who seemed to want nothing more than to be loved and taken care of, but apparently has a serious dark and evil side hidden beneath the surface. What sucks even more is that I see that side of her and I still feel like I owe something to her. Like she deserves to be heard, that she deserves my time, because maybe, just maybe, there’s a tiny heart inside that chest of hers. I know better than that, yet I still find myself nodding my head.
“Say whatever you want. You have five minutes.”
The relief is evident as her shoulders relax and she gives me a small smile. Lila comes closer, but she’s smart enough to stay two feet away from me. And I listen as she gives me her side of the story.
“Mom told me that you’d be more willing to get back together with me if I gave up my rights because it meant I would be looking out for Sawyer’s best interest and giving you what you want. I figured I would do that, wait a few months, and then reach out to you. But you moved away and,” she glances down as if in shame, “I met someone.”
Lila looks up at me for a reaction, but my expression is emotionless. She sighs a little, but continues. “Things were great for a while. Then everything changed and he became abusive. I didn’t know how to get away. I thought about calling you.” At this, I snort because I’m honestly not sure I would’ve helped her. Lila frowns. “Our relationship was pretty toxic, but I was finally able to end it and now, here I am. I want to be with you, FC. I love you. You should be with me, not that South Carolina slut. I messed up and I’m sorry, but things will be different this time around. So, what do you say?” She looks so hopeful, but I have no issues with what I’m about to say.
“No. Hell no. Please go back home.” I turn to leave and that’s when Lila’s true colors burst free. She takes a swing at me as rage explodes on her face, contorting her features into something ugly. She misses my face and hits my shoulder. It’s in that split second that I realize I forgot my phone. Lila begins to scream, but I keep walking.
“You can’t do this to me! We belong together! I won’t stand for this! It’s because of that girl, isn’t?”
And it goes on and on until I finally reach my apartment. I worked so hard to get rid of the stress she gave me only for her to show back up and give it all back to me again. The temptation to slip into the darkness by finding something to drink looms over me, but that can’t be an option. I need to figure out how to get rid of Lila.
Yelling from outside sends my heartbeat galloping faster and faster. I hurry to the door, but before I can peer through the peephole, FC storms through the door, slams it shut behind him, and locks it. He sees me and relaxes.
“Come here, love,” he says softly as Lila shouts something about getting revenge. I hurry to him and he wraps me in his arms as tight as he can. “It won’t be easy to get away from her, but as long as I have you and Sawyer to keep me grounded, we’ll be okay.” He kisses my forehead. “Let me take my shower and then we’ll go to bed.”
Things suddenly quieten outside as he leads me toward his bedroom. Before I know what I’m doing, I blurt out, “Shouldn’t I go home?”
FC nearly breaks his neck when he looks back at me. “No. I don’t want to risk you running into her and it’s late. You should stay here tonight.” He tugs me down the hallway. “You should take a shower with me. Let’s wash the filth of her memory away.”
There’s no sense in arguing with him. I allow him to lead me to the bathroom. My breathing is unsteady as we slowly undress each other, steam building in the bathroom. If I didn’t know FC loved me, if he hadn’t said the words, I know by the way he looks at me. I can feel it with his touch. And when he kisses me, his love consumes my very soul, reminding it to whom it belongs and of our bright future together.
There’s nothing special about our shower other than we’re both here together and FC eyes me with such a heated gaze. After we dry off, FC grabs my wrists before I can grab my pajamas.
“We don’t need those right now,” he says with a smirk.
“What do we need?” I ask.
He walks us backward until my legs bump into the bed. “We need some lovin’ from each other. Don’t you agree?” His hands slide up my back while his head dips to drop kisses on my neck and shoulder. My body lights with the fire he sets with his every touch. He somehow sends my heartbeat accelerating while steadying it all the same.
Sex with FC makes the world complete just as much as when he looks at me or holds my hands or tells me he loves me or says something sweet. It brings us so much closer each and every time. I have never felt as cherished and loved as I do when I’m with FC. How one person can emit so many emotions? It’s overwhelmingly perfect.
“What are you thinking?” FC asks me afterward.
“I think you make me too happy for words.”
FC smiles. “Right back at you, love. Let’s get some sleep.” He kisses my forehead and pulls me in tight.
Snuggling with him and falling asleep in his arms is heaven on earth.
In the morning, Nana comes over, FC leaves for work, and I leave for my apartment. FC doesn’t like the idea of me unpacking alone, but I’m looking forward to the time to do so. I’m hoping beyond all hopes that I hear about a job soon. My anxiety is low, but constant, and the longer I wait, the worse it’ll get.
With some music playing from my phone, I begin to unpack my things. It’s blissful, actually. Doing all of these things means I’m not thinking about Lila, needing a job, my new relationship and responsibilities. My mind is a carefree blank. Well, mostly. It’s been on my mind what FC said. How maybe we should get some fish.
If I can get everything unpacked, then maybe Nana and Sawyer would like to go with me to pick everything out. Then again, that might be something FC would want to do with us. How long does it take to hear about a job anyway? Can’t I hear about one today? That would be pretty awesome. I probably shouldn’t buy fish until I find a job. I need to be smart about my money before I run out of it.
Miraculously, I finish unpacking. After a call to my grandpa to check in with him, I lay on the bed to revel in my accomplishments. I’m freaking exhausted. Add on to a steady stream of anxiety because my mind thinks I should’ve heard about a job already and I’m even more tired.
