Ambivalence

Troublemakers

Lauren

I held Thunder's leash as we walked back to the apartment. Camila had to rush to meet a paint supplier since we'd both overslept, so I offered to take Thunder out. I could only get in a thirty-minute run, but I wasn't bothered; I felt more than worked out, anyway. Before we could turn the corner, Thunder stopped, sitting his ass on the sidewalk.

"Come on," I said, tugging on his leash.

When he got up, he tried to walk in the other direction.

Kneeling in front of him, I scratched behind his ear. "We can go for a good run tomorrow, but I've got to go to work."

He barked, trying to walk back again.

"Thunder," I said like I was talking to a naughty child.

He whined but followed me.

The moment I turned the corner, I wished I had listened to him.

He hunched over, looking almost like a wolf, and growled at the man standing right in front of our building, holding a bouquet of Sunflower. The fact that I knew what they were proved I had gone flower shopping with my mother one too many times. When we reached the man, Thunder's growls grew louder.

"Thunder?" Shawn turned, looking down at the dog.

Thunder barked, baring his teeth at him.

Good boy, I thought, tempted to "accidentally" loosen my grip on his leash.

"Laur—"

"To you, it's Dr. Jauregui, and why the hell are you standing in front my building? Would you like for me to actually bust your face in? Keana isn't here to threaten me with the cops."

He looked back at the building above. "You live here?"

"And you don't, so why are you still in my face?"

"That's Mila's dog—"

Thunder jumped as if to bite off the finger he had dared to point in his face.

"You should leave before I let him go," I threatened, giving Thunder some slack.

Thunder jumped closer to Shawn, causing him to back up quickly.

"Thunder, it's me, Shawnie—"

Again, he bared his teeth.

"Apparently he doesn't want to see your face, either." His whole presence was pushing my buttons, especially since I knew why he was there.

"I came to see Mila—"

"Why?" I asked him calmly. "You miss her? You know you made a mistake? Those all seem like you problems, because she's fine. Haven't you been selfish enough for one lifetime?"

He dropped his head, running his hands through his Curly brown hair. "I can never say sorry enough for what I did to you. You have every right to hate me, but I need to see her. I know if we talk, if we just remember the good, instead—"

"What good could possibly overshadow the fact that you ran off with the woman who was supposed to be my wife as she walked down the aisle? What universe do you live in?"

I could tell he was getting angry from how tightly he held the bouquet in his hands. His whole body tensed.

"This is none of your business, Dr. Jauregui. I still love Mila, and I'm going to make my universe her universe again—"

"You sound more like a crazy stalker, and not her partner," I said, moving toward the door, but stopped when I was at his shoulder. "But then, how could you be, when she's with me?"

"What?" he snapped. "What the fuck do you mean you are her partner? You couldn't possibly be in—"

"In a relationship? Why not? Come on, use that peanut-sized brain of yours, Mendes. You both dumped us. Who else were we going to look to but each other? So when you say it's none of my business, you are sadly mistaken, because Karla Camila is with me in every sense of the word. And if you, in any way, upset her or try to contact her, I won't just bust your face in, I will make sure you spend the rest of your life being fed through your nose."

He was steaming, his body shaking. "Are you scared she'll go back to me?? What, you guys have known each other for a little while and you think that compares to the years she has spent next to me? Do you know anything about her? She's in love with me, I was her first!"

"Are you trying to make me jealous right now?" I snickered. "Please understand, I don't give a rat's ass about what you both were. She knows you broke up with Keana, and you know what she said? She wished you two had stayed together. That was right before she took my hand. So stop yelling about how you were her first and she wants you, because the truth is neither of us wants anything to do with you people ever again. We're enjoying our lives way too much for your bullshit."

Thunder took this time to lift his leg and piss all over Shawn's Italian shoes.

It took everything I had not to laugh.

"You fucking ugly mutt!" he screamed, trying to kick the wetness from his shoes.