Baby!'
Where in the world did these people get their information?
"I'm not having a baby, Damien. And even if I am, it's none of your business."
"But you're hanging out with the twins?"
"That's none of your concern, either."
"My calls?"
"I blocked you."
He sneered, "You blocked me? Why would you do that?"
"Because you were an asshole, that's why. I don't want to talk to you again after what you've done."
"I said I was sorry."
Was this guy for real? "Sorry doesn't cut it. You slept with someone else in my own bed. And on my birthday. "
He parted his lips in shock. "It was your birthday? Damn. I’m so sorry. I was drunk."
I put my hands on my hips. "Oh, really? You seemed perfectly sober when you yelled at me for being a controlling bitch after that."
"Scarlet, I'm sorry, okay?" He walked toward me, stepping on some of the spilled chips as he came closer. "I mean, we can give each other another chance. I love you."
He reached out for my hands, but I took a step back. I pointed to the corridor again. "Get the fuck out of my house."
"Please, we can just... talk. I'm not leaving until you say yes."
I grabbed hold of his shoulder and shoved him outside. "Don't come looking for me ever again," I said, before slamming the door.
"Scarlet! Don't shut me out like that. You look so beautiful today, babe. Think about all we've been through. C'mon, let's give each other another chance."
I realized I forgot something and opened the door.
He spread his arms opens and beamed a vomit-inducing smile. "I knew you'd come around."
I was so close to slapping him. “Keys.”
“What?”
“Give me your keys. I don’t want you coming back here to mess up my place.”
“Really, Scarlet? Come on, for old time’s sake.”
“I’m taking the keys back from you because of old time’s sake. Hurry up and hand them over.”
“I’m not going to.”
My left eye twitched with annoyance. “Give them to me, or I’ll sue you for trespassing.”
He squinted his eyes. “You don’t have a lawyer.”
“I’m sure the twins have plenty.” I felt bad using their name as a threat, but if I didn’t, I’d have to wrestle Damien to the ground to get his keys. I really hated the thought of having him in my apartment again. The smell of the place was nearly comparable to a public restroom. I had to clean this all up before joining Tyrone downstairs, or it’d be growing fungi by the time I returned.
“At least unblock me from your phone. How am I supposed to get in contact with you?”
“That’s the point. I don’t want to see you anymore, Damien. We’re over. Get that in your head.”
He flashed me sad, puppy-dog eyes as he took out his wallet. I would’ve fallen for it one month ago, but I was too sick of his shit to care about how bad he felt now. “Not even a second chance? I’ll be here for you, Scarlet, not like the Crawford brothers. They’ll leave you after they get bored.”
“Keys!” I raised an open palm.
The keys chinked against each other as they fell into my hands.
“I’m just warning you,” Damien said.
“Thanks for your concern, but I don’t need it.”
“See you around.”
“No, thank you.”
I shut the door after Damien made a turn around the corridor, locking myself in with all the bacteria he left behind. I studied the situation in front of me: the bag of chips spilled earlier, half-empty cup noodles on my coffee table, a couple of dirty socks lying around... I made a mental groan and went to the storeroom to pick up a trash bag.
As I was halfway done cleaning up, I stumbled onto something that made me pause—a pair of panties.
They weren’t mine, for sure. I hadn’t seen them before, and the pink frills and the see-through behind indicated they didn’t belong to me. They might’ve been left behind by that blonde chick he screwed before we broke up, but then I also stumbled on a couple of used condoms in my trash can.
I distinctly remembered clearing out the trash after we
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni