Nothing Like Us

chapter 11

The next morning, armed with the directions Chris gave me and my cell, I duck out of the room before B has a chance to wake up and question me. Seeing as how I have absolutely no reason to go anywhere without her, it would be nearly impossible to come up with an excuse. I'll figure out what I'm going to tell her later.

"well?" I ask impatiently the second Mikey answers my call "you get it?"

"yeah.." He responds with a heavy sigh "I still say this is stupid. Scooter'd have my ass if he knew I was helping you."

"fuck scooter." I snap "where am I going?"

He shoots off some quick directions to a nearby grocery store parking lot and then describes the car that will be waiting for me. Too many people she knows saw her in our rental yesterday, it would be linked to me way too easily.

"a '95 Toyota? Are you serious with this shit?" I ask, repeatedly jamming my finger against the elevator button in the hopes of speeding it along.

"hey, you wanted something no one would ever expect to see you driving.." He reminds me "so that's what ya got."

I nod in agreement "yeah, you're right. Okay what about the keys?"

"in the ignition."

"you're fucking joking! It'll be stolen by the time I get there!" I hiss with renewed irritation.

"take a look at the town you're in Justin..no ones stealing shit."

I realize he's right as the elevator doors slide open "yeah, alright..whatever. Look I'm gonna lose you. I'll let you know how it goes."

Ending the call without giving him the chance to give me anymore of his 'you shouldn't go through with this' bullshit, I step in and make my way down to the lobby.

Less than twenty minutes later I'm cruising passed his house slowly just to be sure I've got the right place. I don't spot his car in the driveway but it could be in the garage.

His yard is perfectly manicured with obnoxious diagonal lines left by a lawn mower. "diagonal.." I mutter under my breath, though I have no idea why something so small has caught my eye "mow straight like a normal person you fuckin' idiot."

I circle back around and park a few houses away, pull my hat down low over my eyes, then tuck my chains inside my shirt before stepping out of the car. To anyone who happens to glance out their window, I look like any other guy stopping by to see a friend in the neighborhood. I have to slam the door of the piece of shit car that's nearly as old as I am twice to get it to close. "dammit mikey.." I think, silently complaining even though he's done exactly what I asked him to.

Knowing he'll never answer the door for me, I turn away from the peephole after ringing the bell and wait while my hands continuously clench into fists and then release. Even I'm shocked by the level of rage that is coursing through my veins. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all..what if I can't stop once I've started? What if I kill him? It suddenly seems entirely possible, my entire body is vibrating with uncontrollable hatred just standing on his porch.

After a few minutes its clear he's either not here or has recognized me and isn't going to open up..so I decide to slip around back. His back door is locked as I expected it to be, but it's obviously just a basic lock..no deadbolt. Smiling at his stupidity I pull a credit card out of my back pocket and slip it in between the lock and the door jamb. It pops open on the first try and I'm in. Standing in his kitchen, surrounded by his things I'm even more enraged. Everything is ridiculously neat. Scanning the room I wonder what he did the morning after he did what he did to her. Did he make coffee in the stainless steal machine that sits on the counter? Did he sit down at that table and have breakfast like nothing happened? Maybe that's what I'll do..maybe I'll wait here for him, maybe I'll beat his fucking face in and then hang around for a bit while he lies there ruining his spotless white carpet...make myself at home..maybe I'll grab a beer out of his fridge and..I'm suddenly pulled from my thoughts.