Page 116 of Love Me Stalk Me
I close my eyes, exhaling slowly. Here we go.
"I wasn't ignoring you," I say, keeping my voice even. "I just?—"
"You missed your appointment yesterday!" he snaps. "And I had to reschedule it for this morning, but guess what? You didn't pick up your phone for that either!"
I rub my temple, stealing a glance at Callahan.
He's still leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed. His track my reactions, assessing every wince, every shift of discomfort.
I try to act unbothered. I swallow, forcing myself to focus. "Evan, I?—"
"I'm coming to your place," he interrupts. "We're going to that appointment. No more excuses."
"I'm... not home right now."
Evan pauses. "Then where are you?"
I grip my phone a little tighter, the plastic case digging into my palm. "At the store. I had to handle some things for work."
Silence.
Then, flatly: "Fine. I'm coming to get you. We'll go to the appointment together. We should be able to make it before they close."
I turn back to look at Callahan. He hasn't moved. But something in his eyes is different. Something dangerous. He’s mad for me, and in a weird way, it givesmethe confidence to be mad for me.
I shift my focus back to my phone. "No."
Evan scoffs. "What do you mean, no?"
"I can't," I say, voice stronger this time. "I have things to take care of for work."
"I'm just trying to help you,Izzy."
There it is.
The gaslighting.
The subtle manipulation.
"Why are you being so difficult?" he presses.
I close my eyes. Steady myself. "I have things to take care of for work," I repeat, still watching Callahan.
And then, suddenly, something inside me snaps. I don’t know what causes it. Maybe it’s the way Callahan’s expression hardens with every word Evan says, or the way I feel nauseas at the idea of being around Evan any longer, or the fact that I’ve been defending myself against this man for far too long.
Either way, the words come out before I can stop them.
"And actually, I don't want to go to that appointment."
Silence.
I exhale, my pulse racing.
"Because there's nothing wrong with my weight."
He groans. "I can't talk to you when you're like this."
And then the line goes dead. I stare at my phone, my chest rising and falling fast.
