Nightmare Neighbor

CHAPTER 8 - Maddie

It turned out I was wrong again. The sweet taste of revenge got old fast. As I put away the groceries, a subtle feeling of guilt kept nagging me in the far corner of my mind. I didn't treat people this way; it wasn't who I was. When someone acted like an ass, I kept my head down rather than fighting back to avoid conflict. Sure, I'd get angry, but I controlled my temper. Not with this guy. Alek pushed all of my buttons at once, resulting in a temporary loss of sanity.

I guessed he had a reason to be irritated with me. I messed up his suit and pulled a pepper spray on him a few minutes later. However, the first incident was an accident, and the second one was a panic reaction I had little control over. If you thought about it, I couldn't be held accountable for either. Still, I tried to make things right afterward, but he walked away, disregarding my efforts like a total prick.

I wished I could ignore him, but that wasn't an option since we had to live together, and I'd prefer if we didn't try to chew each other's heads off every time we met. For the sake of the truce, I'd be the bigger person and apologize. If Alek had one decent bone in him, he would accept the olive branch I was offering, and we could find a way to co-exist in some kind of balance.

I got moving straight away, not risking changing my mind if given enough time. The second my foot touched the stairs, Alek's door clicked open, and the man himself stepped into the lobby.

"So did I," he said as he locked his door. He must have been talking on the phone because I didn't hear anyone else. "Instead, I got stuck with this horrible shrew; you wouldn't believe it."

I tried to back away from the stairs, so he wouldn't think I was eavesdropping when my brain registered his words. I froze, my pulse quickening. What did he just say?!

"I did my best to keep my composure, but I was dying to push her off that mighty high pedestal of hers, and I only talked to her for about three minutes."

This gift kept on giving. I clenched my fists, staying quiet while Alek headed for the front door. It slammed shut seconds before I lost it and ran downstairs to tell him what I thought of him. It would be an in-depth and vulgar description.

I could not believe that guy! Here I was, willing to swallow my pride and apologize to have a little peace, although he was equally responsible for this mess. Meanwhile, he was trash-talking me to his friends. I almost made a complete fool out of myself.

I returned to my apartment, blood boiling and hands shaking with rage. This was it; I refused to be his laughingstock, punching bag, or whatever. If he couldn't stop acting like an asshat for two seconds and didn't care if we lived on the battlefield, neither would I.