Page 22 of Something New

Slowly her face is becoming more and more focused, less shocked, less confused.

Her jaw clenches tight, and her brows furrow when she pushes away from the mirror.

“You were following me? And now you are in my apartment? What the fuck is this? What the fuck do you think you are doing?” She’s shouting. “I’m calling the police.” She lunges for her phone.

I can’t have her shouting at me, or calling the cops. I don’t want her neighbors hearing and interrupting our reunion.

“Nerissa - it’s your birthday.”

She throws her hands in the air in frustration. “Iknowit’s my birthday. What does that have to do with you trespassing, breaking and entering, fucking stalking?” She is still shouting.

“Lower your voice.” I warn her.

She seems to pause for a moment, my tone a clear warning that she understood.

But then her face changes again and yells. “Get the fuck out of my apartment you psychopath.” She’s seething mad. “You can’t just walk in here. You can’t just come back into my life. Do you want your stupid dress back? Is that it? You can have it. I don’t care.” She is tugging at the dress, trying to pull it off her shoulders, but I can’t let her do that. If she strips out of that dress, I won’t have patience. I won’t be able to stop myself.

“Don’t, Nerissa. Stop. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I snarl, rushing towards her and grabbing her wrists, then tugging the dress back down.

Her eyes are wide with terror. Why is she so scared of me?

We are in love. We have been in love for years. Why would she fear the person she loves - or the person who loves her?

She kicks me hard, her heel connecting with my shin, and it sends a burst of pure anger through me.

I grab her throat and lift her in the air, spinning her towards the bed, I throw her onto it.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” I growl, staring down at her. “Calm down, right now, before you make me do something I will regret.”

She scuttles up the bed, away from me, tears streaming down her cheeks.

I don’t want her to cry.

I didn’t mean to hurt her or make her scared.

This is not how this was supposed to go. She is supposed to be happy to see me.

I touch the velvet box in my pocket, wondering how this went so wrong?

“Nerissa - just calm the fuck down for a second.”

Her eyes are red with tears, her cheeks flushed and bright.

“Please just go. I don’t want to die. Please, just get out. Please.”

“Die?” I say in shock. “I am not here to kill you.” I stammer.

“Then get out.” She screams so loud I rush to the front door and open it to check if anyone is coming out of the apartments on either side of her. But this is a dodgy part of town, and no one pokes their nose in anyone else’s business.

I pull the door shut again, locking it.

When I walk back towards the bed, she is holding a baseball bat, kneeling in the middle of the bed, ready to fight me.

“A bat? Really?” I sigh, reaching forward and as she swings it, I catch it and yank it from her hands.

She stands up on the bed and starts swinging her fists at me.

I grab her around the waist and drop her onto her back, pinning her down with my body. Spreading her legs wide so she can’t kick me in the nuts, I pin her arms above her head.

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