Page 13 of From You to Me

“Gabe, Marcus is nice, but I don’t know. I just don’t feel it.” I straightened out my legs. We were currently huddled up on Gabe’s living room floor, eating some much-needed greasy food.

And damn, I was hungry. I scarfed down the entire meal in minutes like a starved animal.

“How would you know if you haven’t even been on a date with him? Also, it’s not nice to ignore people. I know his text is sitting in your phone like a dead stone underwater.”

“I’m not ignoring him.” I smiled sweetly. “I was gonna text him back.”

“Yeah, right, when exactly?” Gabe scoffed.

“Soon,” I mumbled under my breath.

I shifted to the couch as the soreness in my knee started to grow. I might have to do something about it soon.

“Hey, guys,” a voice called out just as the thud of the door closing flowed through the room.

“Rory! Save me from Gabe. Please,” I mumbled against his shirt as he gave me a half-hug.

He glided his hand along my back and sighed heavily. “At this point, I must put him on a leash because the complaints about him could be filed in a ledger.” Rory grinned cheekily as he let me go.

“Babe, no sex for you,” Gabe shot back but smiled as soon as Rory gave him a kiss to shut him up. And soon, they were full-on making out, which was my cue to leave.

“I gotta go,” I mumbled, pulling myself toward the door.

“Evy, no, don’t leave so soon. You still need to tell me everything.”

“Gabe, I have to work tomorrow, remember!” I said with one foot out the door.

He gave me a pointed look. “I know what you do at work.”

“Bye, Gabe.” I smiled, shutting the door behind me.

“You bitch!” His voice filtered through the door.

I shook my head, the smile still dancing on my face as I exited.

As soon as I stepped outside, a cold, harsh wind rippled through the air, freezing my bones. I huddled closer under my jacket, trying to find some warmth.

The constant buzz of the city filled the streets as I made my way to catch the last bus. I missed the days when I used to walk everywhere, those mindless miles slipping away, calming my head. I didn’t even realize that was a luxury until the mess in my knee happened.

Almost a cripple, they said. But I powered through, it took me months to even step foot on the ground, but I was glad I did it.

The constant physical pain was a reminder to never go back to those dark, dark days. I vowed to live for myself, and each day, I tried.

The ring of my phone cut through the air, startling me. I frowned. Who the hell was calling me at this time?

My breath fogged up the screen, and it took me a moment to read the name on the call. And in a flash, my stomach twisted with unease.

I took a deep breath as I slid my thumb to answer.

“Hello, T,” I said in a chirpy voice although I knew exactly why he was calling me.

“Cut the shit, girl. The payment is still due this month. David will chop my head if you don’t pay it. You don’t want me to come and collect it myself, now do you?”

“Of course not, T. I don’t want you to waste your precious time by coming here. I swear I’ll pay it by this Friday.”

“Then you better do that.”

Beep.