Is This True?

Chapter 33

"Hey there, sunshine, how've you been?"

"You look a little tired, not sleeping well? You really need to find cream for those dark circles. Long nights writing your new book?"

"How--how did you get into my apartment?" My gun finds its way back up into the air.

"Woah Woah Woah, easy." Scott threw his hands up in the air. "In my defense, you left your patio door unlocked. Also, how about you put that down?"

"How did you find me? How do you know where I live? Why haven't you come back?"

"So many questions. Geez. What can I say, you're a well-known author. I saw your name in a magazine I was reading while I was getting my hair cut at the barber. Looks good doesn't it?" Scott slicked back his hair. "But for real, can you pick the gun down now?"

"You didn't answer my question? How did you get in?"

"How about you put down the gun." Scott slowly walked towards me, carefully but gently pushing my arm downward with his hand. "And then I'll answer all your questions."

My arm back down by my side, he takes the gun from my hand, and I let him. He sets it on the kitchen counter behind him and then faces me.

"So where were we?" He crosses his arms, "right, so I got in by climbing on top of the balcony."

"You did what?" I was still in disbelief. This man I had cared about was now standing in front of me. We were standing face to face. He was here in my apartment. He had found me. I didn't know which was more concerning: he knew where I lived or how to get inside, probably how he got inside.

"Yeah, I'll admit it wasn't easy." Scott nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Had to really pull some parkour moves to get up there. I think I pulled a muscle or something in my neck."

"I'm glad you think this is so funny."

"Geez Jenn, are you really this bitter? I thought you'd be glad to see me."

"You left me." I almost shouted. I wanted to walk up to him and clobber him so badly. He hurt me so much for leaving. "You got what you wanted and you left me. All you wanted was redemption for your parents. I understand that, but you ruined friendships along the way. You never cared about me. You just cared about yourself." As the firey words flew out of my mouth, I could feel my chest burn with resentment.

"Why do you think I kept this rose?" I yanked the rose out of the vase and flung it at him. He didn't even flinch as the rose ricocheted off his chest.

"It reminded me of you! I cared about you, Scott, and you just threw me away. You ran away from your problems, and you ran away from me."

"I was just---I was going through a lot" Scott interrupted, but I stopped him.

"You were just scared, Scott. You were scared. You were scared of someone caring about you, and you were scared."

"I was scared of losing you!" Scott finally fired back. "Okay? I was scared. I lost my parents, and I didn't want to lose you too."

"Then why did you leave? Because when you left, you lost me."

There was a long, quiet pause. Neither one of us wanted to look at the other.

"It's been a year, Scott. Why now?"

"Because when I saw your face in that magazine, and read your book--I had to come back. After hearing all those things that happened to you, I didn't want them to happen again. I want to keep you safe, Jenn. Although, I did break in." He added embarrassingly, shrugging his shoulders.