Free Metal Urge by E.D. Wilbourn

we have.  I just wanted to tell you how I feel.  I thought maybe you felt…well, that you…  It doesn’t matter, Nigel,” she stammered, her hands shaking so badly she could barely hold the receiver to her ear.  “I’m sorry.  I never meant to ruin anything.  Honestly I didn't.”  She knew she sounded desperate but she couldn't lose him now---he was her life.  “I won't say it again.  I promise I won’t.  Please, Nigel,” she whimpered.
    He rubbed his face, debating whether to hang up the phone or allow this hopeless exchange to drag on.
    “I’m sorry, Deanna but it’s over.  I don't want to see you anymore.”
    She heard a soft click followed by the steady whine of dial tone and stared at the receiver as though it were a strange, alien object before placing it in its cradle.  She gazed at nothing for a long time, unmoving and numb, not bothering to wipe away the tears that rolled steadily down her cheeks.
     
    ****
     
    Nigel paced the bedroom floor aggravated that he felt like such a rotten, heartless shit for blowing Deanna off after revealing her feelings for him.  He could still hear her saying those three damnable words and wanted nothing more than to stick his fingers in his ears and dig them out so they would stop mocking him.  The strains of some sappy love song emanated from the radio on his dresser.  Angrily, he crossed the room and knocked the radio to the floor where it shattered with a metallic, cat-like screech.  “Fuck!” he shouted, and tried to gather up the pieces.  He had just destroyed Wild Bill’s property in a fit of rage over an impossible situation that he should be happy was resolved.  Why was he still picturing her beautiful face smiling so radiantly at him or remembering in painful detail the wonderful feel of her body pressed close against his as they lay entwined in her cozy bed after hours of incredibly satisfying sex?
    She was just a girl---she was nothing bloody special.
    Grabbing his keys he stormed out of the house.  He would find a club or a pub somewhere nearby, pick up a tasty little tart who was nothing bloody special either and sort out whatever the hell was eating painfully at his guts with the help of her tight little body.  He’d be right as rain in no time at all.
    He had to be.
     
    Chapter 10
     
    The car honked its horn twice so Maggi picked up her heavy suitcase and looked at Deanna’s red, swollen eyes.  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
    Deanna nodded and pressed a facial tissue to her nose.  “It’s just a summer cold.  I’ll be fine in a couple of days.”  She walked over and patted Maggi’s shoulder.  “Go and have fun.  I know you miss Trevor.  He’s going to be so glad to see you too.”
    Maggi smiled and grasped her unwieldy suitcase with both hands as she moved toward the front door.  “Trevor’s going to put me to work so it won’t be all fun and games.”
    “Well at least you'll put some of your schooling to good use, right?”  Deanna sniffed, wiping her nose with the soggy tissue.
    Maggi set the suitcase down and hugged her.  “It’s too bad you stopped seeing Nigel.  I would have loved for you to come along.”
    “Yeah, well it’s really no big deal, Maggi.  Besides, I have a ton of schoolwork now that I’m taking a couple of summer classes.  I’m so busy I don’t have time to breathe much less waste time hanging around some conceited rock star wannabe.”
    Maggi laughed and hugged Deanna one last time.  “I never thought he was the right guy for you, D.  He always seemed a bit arrogant and self-centered.”
    Deanna wrinkled her nose and nodded, praying she wouldn’t burst into tears.  She didn't want Maggi to know the truth about her feelings for Nigel.  She had played down their relationship so that it appeared to be just a casual summer diversion.  Now it seemed that's exactly what it was---for Nigel anyway.  Deanna stood by the window and waved as the cab pulled away from