Stick to the Plan

Ch.7: Dismissal👋🏾

"I'm so sorry, but I have to leave. Like, now," Morgan said, slipping her sports bra and shirt on, along with some fresh briefs and shorts. I sat up, pulling the covers around me.

"What? W-why?" I stuttered, baffled at her quick movements.

"I've just gotta take care of something..." Morgan said vaguely. I started to put my own clothes on.

"So you're kicking me out after what we just shared? What's going on here?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow and finding my glasses so I could look at her. Her expression was unreadable, sheltered. And then it hit me. "Is there somebody... somebody else?" I dared to ask.

"Of course not. Look, Emery, I really like you, but this is important-"

"What could be so important? Surely you can tell me," I interrupted. Morgan looked right at me.

"Well the thing is I can't, Em. I said I'm sorry. I'll text you, okay?" Morgan said. I didn't even have time to process that new cute nickname she had for me before I was practically pushed out the door.

"Bye," I squeaked, standing outside her open apartment door.

She kissed me on the forehead.

"Bye."

The door was closed in my face.

🏖🏖🏖

I drove home. My mom was sitting on the couch watching House Hunters and eating almonds. I gave her a short hello before I went up the stairs to my room, plopped face first on my bed, and sobbed my eyes out.

My mom heard me in a matter of minutes and eased my door open. I felt her hand on my back as it moved up and down with my cries. I just felt so triggered. The amount of times my ex would get cold after sex were too many.

It was almost like I was with her again.

"Honey, what's wrong? Did something happen at the beach today?" she asked, rubbing my back all the while. I felt her weight as she sat next to me.

"It's-it's Stacey all over again!" I cried. My mom sighed.

"What do you mean?" she asked. I sat up and told her I'd met someone only to be let down by them.

"Honey, Stacey was an abusive asshole, and I can't see you go through that again. If you see red flags you run from them, not towards them. You ain't no bull," my mom said wisely. I was hearing her. I sat up, sniffled, and gave her a hug, crying into her chest. She held me, rubbing my arm all the while.

After my crying fit my mom made me some soup and brought it to me. Whenever I was emotionally upset, she always treated me like there was something physically wrong.

And it always worked.

I slurped my soup happily and gave her the thumbs up. She returned it, closing the door and giving me my privacy.

Once my soup was all gone I worked on some illustrations for a new book at my desk. A little bit into coloring it, my phone buzzed with a notification. Being a creature of habit, and also temporarily forgetting I was mad at Morgan, I immediately snatched it up to see a text from her.

Morgan: I'm back, and I'm sorry again for rushing you out like that. I feel like an ass. Let me make it up to you. Dinner and a movie at my place?

I scoffed in a pessimistic fashion and ignored the message, even though it made my heart flutter. I ignored that too as I put my phone face first on the desk.

She wasn't gonna get a piece of me ever again, and she could count on that.