Page 127 of Run Away Home: Tempered

Peter

IWHISTLE AS I UNLOCKthe apartment door and jog up the stairs.

“Back so soon?” Hayley asks as I strut past her on the couch.

“Oh, don’t you worry. I’m leaving again. Don’t know when I’ll be home.”

“Then why are you back in here?”

“None of your business.” I walk down the hallway and into Danny’s room. I continue whistling as I open his closet doors. I pick up a drawstring bag and begin packing. Hayley appears in the doorway.

“I asked what you were doing,” she says with her arms folded.

“Yeah, and I said, ‘none of your business,’” I remind her. I stand up with the bag and walk into the bathroom. I pull Danny’s toothbrush from the holder.

“Is Danny staying out tonight?”

“Yes, but good try at ruining my date. Almost succeeded.” I push past her and into the kitchen. She follows me.

“So, you think I was trying to ruin your date?”

“Absolutely.” I open a cabinet.

“Hate to break it to you, the world doesn’t revolve around you.”

I laugh. That’s a good one. I pull an unopened package of cookies out of the cabinet and stuff it into the bag.

“Oh, the world doesn’t revolve around me? Says the person who thinks I should stay at home just in case there’s another spider? I suppose my life’s purpose is to sit around the apartment waiting for spiders to crawl out of the cracks of the walls since you’re too high to handle it?”

“I thought we were spending the night together.”

I stare at her and squint my eyes just a wee bit. I sigh and turn away. “Don’t play this fucking game with me. I’m done with it.”

“Well, you—”

“Done!” I cut her off and sling Danny’s bag around my arm. I walk out of the kitchen. “And don’t think that because Danny won’t be home you can have your slobby boyfriend in my apartment. He is not to come in here.Ever. Got it?”

“Don’t talk to me like that. Major turn-off.”

“Turn-off? What kind of game are you trying to play? This is my apartment. Mine. My name is on the lease agreement. I won’t be threatened by you or him in any capacity.”

“I didn’t threaten you.”

“You did. You fucking did. Right when you said you were having him come here. I don’t feel safe around him and neither should you. He’s threatened me with bodily harm multiple times. If you want to make bad choices,make them somewhere else. Danny and I will not be dragged down with you.”

She looks away from me. Maybe she heard me. Maybe she finally fucking heard me.

I start whistling again as I head down the stairs. She doesn’t say another word. I slam the door behind myself.

Kara

“HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHTabout this, though,” he says and pounds his empty glass onto the table. He looks to his right side, licks his lips, rubs his chin, and turns back to me. “They’re listening to us through our phones.” The waiter walks by our table. “Yeah, can I get another round?” Peter asks, and the waiter nods.

“I’ve thought about it.” I sip my wine.

“These ads on Facebook cannot be a coincidence! You can be talking about something, not even typing it into Google, but still, all of a sudden, ads! It’s ridiculous.” He scrolls through his phone. “Ads about bug spray... I just squashed a spider in my apartment!” He looks up at me. “I’m going to prove it.” He holds his phone close to his mouth. “I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant,” he repeats into the phone. The waiter drops his drink off, appearing confused. “I’m not actually pregnant,” Peter says to him. “In case you were wondering.” The waiter walks away.

“I’m sure he knew you aren’t actually pregnant,” I say.

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