Two Steps Behind

Part 10

 Elizabeth was walking to the coffee shop the next afternoon. She couldn't believe she was about to do this but it had been plaguing her since last night. She had been thinking about Angie all morning and had decided that maybe her mom had been right. Maybe the girl did need a friend. If you would have told her she'd be volunteering for that role at any time, she would have laughed in your face but here she was.

Sure, Angie had been a bitch to her in high school but that had been over ten years ago now. People grew and changed. Elizabeth knew that firsthand. It wasn't always for the better. She'd give anything to go back to who she used to be, but Angie may not be the self-involved little mean girl anymore. She couldn't help empathizing with her over having an asshole for a husband. She definitely knew how that felt. Elizabeth kept seeing her face as Jake had practically asked for a hook-up right in front of her and it gutted her.

She knew people would think about Angie exactly the same way they would think about her. It was what Eddie had said yesterday. Why didn't she just leave? Why did she continue to put up with it? Elizabeth knew the answers weren't always that simple, and she knew how lonely life could be when you were stuck in an unhappy marriage with absolutely nobody to talk to about what was going on.

Her foot paused mid-step as the hairs on her arms stood up straight. Goosebumps covered her flesh and Elizabeth spun around, anxiously looking up and down the street. There it was again, that feeling of being watched. Her fretful eyes searched all around her, but she didn't see him or his car anywhere. There were quite a few people out and about this morning, but not so many that he would have an easy time hiding. Of course, he could be inside one of the buildings along the street, watching her through the windows.

Elizabeth picked up her pace and silently chided herself. She was probably imagining things. He most likely wasn't even here. It was a weekday and he had work. David was too ambitious to miss a day of work. He wouldn't be stalking her in Hawkins right now. He had probably already found some new girl to take care of his needs and was glad to be rid of her finally.

It was also daytime, there were people all over. Even if he was somehow there, he wasn't going to suddenly appear and grab her in front of a bunch of witnesses. No, David had always been too smart for that. He couldn't tarnish his perfect image, the mirage that he was a wonderful husband and an amazing guy. If she was going to move on with her life, she was going to have to let this constant fear go. She could never be happy if she kept expecting the worst to happen.

She pushed the door of the coffee shop open, banging it against the wall and practically lunging inside, relieved to be off the street.

"Elizabeth? Jesus, are you okay?"

She looked up to see Angie staring at her in concern. She got it. She knew she probably looked like she had just seen a ghost, and in a way she had. That man would probably haunt her for the rest of her life. Elizabeth inhaled deeply, hoping the extra hit of oxygen would calm her nerves. Placing her hands on her knees, she leaned forward, willing her body to calm the hell down.

Angie quickly came around the counter, placing her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "Elizabeth?"

"Yeah, sorry," she said quickly, shaking her head and brushing her off. "I'm fine, really. Sorry about that. Anyway, I came to get some coffee."

"Oh, of course. This is a coffee shop, after all. What else would you be here for?" Angie laughed and hurried back behind the counter. "Same as the other day?"

"Yes, please."

Coming here had seemed like a good idea this morning, but now that she was here, Elizabeth had no idea what to say to her. Sorry your husband is a douchebag didn't seem appropriate even if it was accurate. She wanted to let her know she was here if she needed someone, but how did she do that without pointing out why she needed someone.