Foiled Plans

The rest of the day went by relatively well. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling of confusion and disbelief about what had transpired. I couldn’t comprehend Chris’s audacity in showing up at my workplace and expressing anger towards me for something he had caused. He had shattered our relationship, and now I was forced to endure his presence. Someone who had torn my world apart in an instant.

The drive to Ayana’s house was filled with turmoil. I was overcome with tears, torn between wanting to stay with my friend and avoiding any potential drama at her place in case Chris decided to show up there as well.

Upon entering Ayana’s house, she rushed to me, enveloping me in a tight embrace. I felt a momentary difficulty in breathing, but I knew she was genuinely concerned about my well-being.

“What’s wrong? Did they mess with you at that job?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

I shook my head, struggling to hold back tears as I replied.

“Chris showed up at my job, and my boss informed me that if he returned, I would be fired. I love my job, Yana.”

“What on earth is his problem? Are you considering confronting him?”

“No, Yana. That won’t resolve anything. Then he insisted that I return home. Ayana, I can’t go there right now. I can’t look at that place the same after discovering what I know.”

“So, don’t go. He can’t harm you if you’re not there.”

“What if he comes here? You have enough going on. You don’t need my troubles spilling over into your life.”

“Fuck that and fuck him. He’d be a one-shot asshole if he came trotting over here looking like an old ass coondog.”

Her words struck a chord with me, and I couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably. She had a way of saying the most outrageous things.

“Yana, what the hell is a coondog?” I asked, wiping away my tears.

“I’m not sure, but I imagine that’s what Chris would look like if it exists.”

The room fell silent, and a wave of worry and sadness washed over me once again.

“So, are you going back?” Ayana asked, her voice filled with concern.

“I’m scared,” I admitted, feeling overwhelmed by my emotions.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Ayana offered, her concern evident in her voice.

“Please,” I pleaded, my voice trembling.

“Alright, let’s put aside the drama and go get your things. You’re driving, though.”

We laughed and headed upstairs. Once we were done, we loaded the bags into the car and drove off. The ride back to what I thought was home was incredibly uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to expect when I walked through the door or even got out of the car.

When I parked and got out, the atmosphere felt eerily quiet. All the lights were off except for the one in the living room. My heart pounded as I unlocked the door. I stood there, frozen, as Chris looked at me with eyes as dark as ever.

He approached me, and that made me tremble. He ran his hand down my arm, sending chills down my spine, but my feet wouldn’t move to get me out of there.

He tried to kiss my neck, and my neck hairs stood straight up.

“You just don’t know how lonely I’ve been without you,” he said.

I wanted to vomit. Just then, Ayana finally appeared, and that made him stop and practically hiss at seeing her.

“I hope you didn’t miss us too much,” she said.

“Ugh. What is she doing here?”

“Fucking up your plans. Buster move!”

She pushed him to the wall before we both knew what was going on. I couldn’t be happier for Ayana’s intervention.

“I thought it was going to be just me and you,” he said, rubbing the front of his pants.

“Don’t touch her with those contaminated fingers of yours,” Ayana said.

She stepped forward and pulled me behind her. She couldn’t stand this man with every inch of her body. And it showed.

Outside of his mom, she was the only person I’d seen him back down from. He never challenged her, and I think it’s because she asserted herself from the very beginning.

I was so afraid that I asked Ayana to sit in the room while I showered. I wasn’t sure if he’d come up and try something. Anything.

She was hesitant at first, but then she gave in. I showered, hoping to wash away the feeling of Chris’ eyes on me. The water was hot, but not enough to forget the way it felt when he touched my arm. This was no longer someone I loved. I don’t even recognize this version of him.

I stepped out of the shower, dried off, and got dressed when Ayana approached the door. Her arms were folded, as usual, indicating that she had something important to say.

“You know you can’t keep living like this,” she said.

“Like what?” I asked.

“Like you want to be here when you don’t,” she replied.

I looked down at my feet, a nervous habit I had when I was unsure of what to do.

“What if he hurts someone I love?” I asked.

“You mean Eric?” Ayana asked.

I blushed when she mentioned his name.

“No, just in general,” I said.

Ayana burst into laughter, as if I had just told her the funniest joke she had ever heard. She must have noticed my frustration because she stopped laughing and looked me in the eye, saying something that I couldn’t ignore.

“Look, I’m going to always be here for you when you need me. That’s a given, but you have to figure out what it is you need to do.”

She was right. The longer I remained “neutral” or tried to play both sides, the worse things got. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but it wasn’t a simple one either.

The more time I wasted, the more confused I became. I knew I had to do something.