Page 33 of Embers in Our Past

“I know I do, hence why I’m walking away from you.” I’m proud of myself. Prior to this last time I left my mother in California, I had lost a lot of the person I felt I was. I was turning into a person who would have let people like Rios walk all over me, probably allowing him to trample over how I was really feeling. I just felt numb.

But that Abby will no longer resurface. I was raised to stand up for myself, and Rios needs to know what he did was not okay. I’m livid with him. What he did with Clay and with Malloy, who is now my friend, was wrong.

“I’m going up the elevator, Rios, so I’m going to ask again—what do you want?” I cross my arms and wait as the elevator descends.

“I was hoping you’d give me a moment to explain myself,” he says, and I look at him, literally hoping he will do just that. What does he think I’m doing, standing here waiting for him to write me a letter explaining his actions?

“Okay, then use your words, Daniel.” I use his first name, throwing him off. Most of the guys rarely use their first names in acknowledgments at the station, so when I do it now, he straightens his spine as if I’m scolding him the way his mother would.

“Listen, you have to understand, Malloy was messing around with my sister,” he starts.

“Bullshit. That’s you assuming, and you know it,” I say in return.

“Fine. I think there’s something going on with Malloy and my sister. When Marissa called, I used the opportunity to test out my theory. The minute he accepted the date, my sister stormed out of the room, and an hour later, she left and returned to school. If that’s not proof enough, then I don’t know what is.”

“Wow. Too bad you’re not a fucking detective, Rios. You could really do well at the precinct down the street,” I spit out.

“Were you always this assertive with your opinion when you were with Clay?” he throws back, and I swear I see red.

“Are you fucking serious right now?” I whisper-yell. The elevator dings and opens, but I ignore it and continue to stand in the lobby, my focus solely on Rios. I will not go up to my apartment with this guy and infest my building with his poor attitude.

I point my finger into his chest. “Here’s the thing. You need to get your facts straight. For your information, Malloy is my friend, and like it or not, I care about his feelings, so I will not sit here and give you all the facts. You’re going to have to figure shit out for yourself. If you can’t open your eyes and see he cares for you and respects your friendship, that’s on you. But wise up, Rios.

“What you did was not just disrespectful to Clay, but a million times fucked up to Malloy too. Both of them deserve an apology for what you’ve done. Malloy fessed up to your stupid charade from the get-go when he went out with me. But don’t come here acting like the protective brother when we both know you are in the wrong. You were just being an ass and trying to puff out your chest and show your best friend who was in charge in a situation you had no say in. And when it comes to Clay and me, please don’t interfere. We’re good without you getting in the middle. I don’t need you meddling. Now, please, go home. I have work to do.”

“I assume you gave Marissa a hard time too?” He has the nerve to act like he has some footing to bring up my best friend.

“You’ve got to be kidding me? I’ll have you know; Marissa did not consciously choose to make Clay feel like shit with another firefighter on my arm. You get that, right? She asked for your help, and she trusted you.” I point at him. “Yes, she went too far, and she realizes that. But she really does want us back together. I don’t know if that’s actually what you wanted here. I think you had one motive and one motive only. You wanted to see if your sister was messing around with your best friend. You saw an opportunity, and you took it. Marissa saw two friends who were hurting, and she wanted to push them back together. That was it. What was your intention here? Really?”

Rios needed to be put in his place. Hopefully, he takes my advice and figures his shit out. He has no right to interject himself in my life with Clay, nor in whatever is going on with Malloy and Baylee. Although, Malloy better fess up if something does arise with Rios’s sister at some point in the future because a secret could cause a big rift between the best friends.

Before I turn to leave, this rush of nausea comes over me, and I have no time to react. And, like the exorcist, I vomit all over Rios as my grand finale.

Well, that’s one way to make him pay for being a dick.

CHAPTER 12

Abby

“Oh my god!I’m so sorry!” Mortified. That’s the only word to describe how I’m feeling right now.

Tears are clouding my vision, but I can see Rios standing before me, my lunch visibly soaking his shirt, stunned in place. The smell alone is threatening to spill more of my contents out of me. Luckily, one of the employees from reception comes running over.

“Ms. Morris, here, let me help you.” She’s got a basin in her hands and a few tissues.

The moment the trash bin is in front of me, I start throwing up some more. What am I, a never-ending pit? This is so embarrassing.

Once I get back to my apartment, I’ll most likely never leave the confines of my home ever again. Maybe I can move out of here and never return. This is the worst day ever.

Rios is going to have a hell of a time telling this story. Then again, he’s going to have to explain why he was here, and I doubt he wants to do that, so maybe he’ll keep his trap closed about my exorcist debut.

Once my lunch and possibly all the meals I’ve consumed in the last month have stopped making a reappearance, I finally bring myself back to standing. My gaze meets Rios, and he’s still standing there, unmoved because he really has nowhere to go. I mean, he’s covered in vomit. I sort of feel bad for him, but karma’s a bitch, right?

“Listen, I don’t have any change of clothes, but maybe I can help you clean that up. I can at least wash it for you or something?”

Rios takes the opportunity to slowly move the sweater over his head. Luckily, it didn’t soak through to the undershirt, but it’s too cold outside, so I’ll do what I can to help him get cleaned up in my apartment.

“Here’s a bag for clothes.” I look down at her badge and see her name.

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