Page 64 of What if I Told You

Open the last drawer.

Slam it shut.

Sniffle.

“Goddammit! Where is the fucking?—”

The door to the apartment is shoved open and August runs through it, coming to a halt in the middle of the living room. “Ella?”

“WHAT?” I shout a little too loudly, tears streaming down my face in frustration.

His eyes are like saucers as he stares at me, taken aback by my less than cheery demeanor. “Are you okay?”

“Do I LOOK okay to you?” I cry.

“What happened?”

Sniffle.

Sniffle.

“WHERE is the fucking bottle opener?”

He nods with a lift of his chin. “On the counter by the stove.”

“You know it would be nice if you would fucking put things away when you’re done using them so I’m not spending all hours of the fucking night looking for a damn bottle opener that was supposed to be in the first drawer to the left in the first place!”

Yep, I’m aware that came out a little strong but I’m on a pissy roll. Can’t stop now.

Huffing out a breath, I grab the opener that’s been sitting in front of my face this whole time and roughly pop off the cap to my beer and then take a long well-deserved swig.

“Ella?”

Sniffle.

“I am not a prude!” I snap.

I notice the slightest narrowing of Auggie’s brow before he cocks his head. “Okay.”

“And I’m not a bad kisser either.” I pull open the kitchen drawer where the bottle opener is supposed to go and throw it inside, slamming the drawer with my hip.

Because that’s what decent people do!

They put things away!

“That mother fucker can fuck all the way off and go straight to Hell. That’s what he can do! How dare he think I’m not good enough for him? I can kiss! I’m fucking good at it.” My heart pounds in my chest as heat flushes through my body. My eyes are already a puffy mess from crying I’m sure. I’m not proud of it, but it’s who I am.

I cry when I’m mad.

I cry when I’m sad.

I cry when I’m happy.

I’m a fucking crier.

And while I’m at it, let’s just add a super red throwing-a-tantrum face too because that’s…pretty.

“Did he hurt you, Ella?” August asks me with a mixture of sincere concern and malice to his voice. “Because I swear to God if he hurt you, I’ll kill him.”

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