Page 88 of Invisible String
“I don’t know how you can binge-watch show after show,” I throw back at her. I get back to the book I’m reading.
“Fair enough,” she mutters.
Minutes later, the doorbell rings. Bethany looks over at me. “It’s probably Andrew.”
My nose crinkles. He’s not someone I want to deal with right now. He’s pissed I left with Max. If he wanted me safe to ride back with him, then he shouldn’t have been drinking. I value my life as shitty as it is.
Ripping the blanket off, I get up to answer the door. The cold tile floor beneath my feet covers my body with goosebumps. Peering through the peephole. I don’t see anyone. I open it slightly to find a bag on the step.
“Who is it?” Bethany asks.
“No one. They left a bag at the door.” My brows knit as I inspect the plastic grocery bag. A bag of pretzels, Reese’s peanut butter cups, a bag of M&M’s, red Twizzlers, and a bottle of iced tea. At the bottom of the bag is a note.Enjoy your night.“What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath. Why is my heart doing somersaults? I’m frozen in the middle of the living room.
“What is it? Did you forget you Ubered snacks?”
I shake my head, perplexed. “I think Max dropped this off.”
She frowns, standing at her feet. Bethany peeks into the bag. “Why do you think it’s him?”
“Because I told him I would be spending the night reading.”
“I can’t believe I missed him at the café. I would have grabbed him by the balls until he cried out in pain.”
I appreciate my baby sister being there for me. However, he does not need to know how he broke me.
“You aren’t grabbing anything.”
She scoffs, lying back down and sinking into the sofa. “Not in that way, you territorial woman. It’s more like kicking him in the balls for how he hurt you. Don’t fall for this all over again. He seems to be trying hard.” She is right. He has been determined, even after all the shit I’ve been telling him to push him away.
“I won’t. I made it clear to him.”
“He dropped off all your favorites. I still don’t get why you love Twizzlers.” She sticks a finger in her mouth, gagging.
I roll my eyes and drop onto the sofa, tearing the bag of Twizzlers open. I never mentioned my favorite candies to Max, but he got it right.
“Twizzlers are amazing.” My voice muffles, chewing on red licorice. I shake off the waves of euphoria that took pleasure in thinking of the one person I should keep out.
“Rainey,I can’t believe you left with that guy. What were you thinking? You knew him for a short time in high school. So why would you ride with him?” Andrew’s face falls flat. His hands slip into his slacks. I’m unsure if he’s genuinely concerned or just jealous. I’m going toward the latter.
He follows me to the tables I’m cleaning.
“You had too much to drink. I hope you took a taxi home.”
He lays his hand on my shoulder.
“It was fine, Andrew. Max would not harm me.”
“We could have taken a taxi together, Ney. You were with me, yet you danced with him.”
“You didn’t ask me to dance. Besides, you wanted to stay longer. And let me remind you, Andrew, we”—I point from him to me—“are not an item.”
He scoffs. “I know that, but you won’t give us a chance. He’s not a good person.”
My anger rises deep and rooting. I might be pissed at Max, but that won’t stop me from defending his persona. Sure, he broke my heart, but I don’t consider him a horrible person. “First off, you mentioned to me a while back that you didn’t know him personally. So, how would you know he’s a bad person?”
His mouth opens and closes.
“If I didn’t think he was a safe choice, I wouldn’t have gone with him. I know Max a lot better than you think.” Like on me, inside me. Oh, fuck.
