Page 86 of The Two of Us

I continue walking down another hall and she follows me. The volume around pounds against my head and I feel my simmering anger come to a boil. I try to escape before my emotions get the best of me, but when Sasha doesn’t give me space, I turn the anger on her, letting it overflow. After all these years, I’ve finally had enough.

“What the hell is your problem with me?” I yell.

Sasha is momentarily taken aback by my raised voice and the words begin fumbling out of my mouth. “You have shit on me every day for years. Years, Sasha. I haven’t done anything to you. All I’ve done is exist. Out of your way, I might add. Don’t you have anything better to do than waste your time hating me? Because I do. I don’t even fucking think about you.”

My chest heaves from the adrenaline. I ready myself for her attack, but instead, her face breaks out into a slow grin. She looks… proud. She begins slow clapping and I bristle in discomfort.

“It’s about fucking time.” She laughs, throwing back the rest of her drink in a single gulp. “When Ambrose broke up with me, I knew it was because of you, I just didn’t understand why. I knew there had to be someone with a little more oomph under all that nice.”

“He… what?” Ambrose broke up with Sasha? The news crashes around me.

“I know.” She flips her hair. “He’s obviously lost his mind.”

Sasha makes it clear she’s done talking to me then, when she leaves me there stumped and she makes her way to the den, grabbing a guy by the neck to dance with her.

Ambrose broke up with Sasha because of me? A million conflicting emotions fight their way into me. I practically run to the kitchen and clutch the countertop as I catch my breath. I set Ambrose’s gift on the counter, massaging my temples with my hands.

“Mara!” Ambrose waves. I can hardly hear him above the music. He looks amazing and I hate the way my heart surrenders to him without hesitation. Without permission.

His smile is beautiful and it’s the most open his face has ever looked. “You came.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you broke up with Sasha?”

He jerks. “Who told you that?”

“Sasha. She said you broke up with her because of me. What’s she talking about, Ambrose?”

He yells so I can hear him. “Can we go somewhere quieter to talk about this?”

“You kept me at a distance for years and now suddenly you’re dumping your girlfriend for me? We’ve just reestablished a friendship—barely.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Don’t tell me what I don’t understand. I understand that you used to be one of my best friends in the entire world and then one day that meant nothing to you. I understand that you never even told me why you pushed me away. You still haven’t. Your communication skills are shit, Ambrose!” My voice grows raw from the yelling.

He moves closer, reaching for my hand but I pull away before he makes contact. “I know. Please. Let me explain.”

“No,” I say, backing away. “It might be your birthday, but you don’t get to have your cake and eat it too.”

---