Page 31 of Losing Control
“So, what was it about?” I didn’t say much to Kim last night because I was in such a state when I turned up here. She just hugged me, and I must have eventually fallen asleep on the sofa as I woke up to find that I had been covered in a blanket.
“Tyler.” I don’t need to lie on that front. Most of it was about Tyler.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“So you confronted him?” she asks.
“Yep.”
“And?”
“To be honest, I don’t really want to talk about it. I said some things that I shouldn’t have said, and I felt that I needed to leave Michael in peace.”
“It can’t have been that bad, Luce?”
“Oh, it was.”
“Well you were in quite a state. How’s your face?” she asks me.
“It aches a little, but it will be fine. It’s my own stupid fault.”
“Hardly surprising that you tripped and fell considering you could barely stand up straight when I saw you.”
“Yeah, I kind of overreacted a little.” I smile sheepishly and pray to God that she buys my lame-ass excuse. She doesn’t have time to respond as the doorbell rings and she stands up to go and answer it.
I lay my head down on the cushion of the sofa, but I am soon sitting up straight when I hear Michael’s voice. I don’t know how to act as I hear Kim invite him inside.
Fuck. What the hell am I meant to do now?
With my mind racing, Michael walks into the lounge and he looks terrible. Red-rimmed eyes, slight stubble and nothing but regret in his eyes.
“Hey,” he greets me quietly.
“Hey.”
“I’ll just give you guys a moment,” Kim says before I hear her go up the stairs to give us some privacy.
“I, um, I didn’t know if I should come and find you or not,” he mutters, clearly stuck for words.
“Well, you did and here I am.”
“Lucy, I didn’t mean to––”
“To what? Hit me?” I only say the words loud enough so that Michael can hear me. I don’t need Kim catching wind of this as she would flip her lid.
He nods and hangs his head in shame. “I don’t know what came over me. I’ve been going out of my mind with worry since last night.”
“Oh really? Is that just because you’re worried about who I have told?”
His head springs up and he looks genuinely upset that I have said this. “Of course not. Tell whoever you like, just please come back home with me.” I laugh at his reference to the word ‘home.’
“Aren’t you supposed to be safe in your own home?”
“You are safe.”
“Yeah, away from you.” I can’t even muster up the energy to be nice to him. I shouldn’t have to anyway, I’m not the one in the wrong here.
