Beautiful With You (Norman Reedus)

Chapter 16

I kept looking over at my phone and chewed on my lip. It had fallen silent not even a few minutes ago and I couldn't help but feel relieved. My phone went off again and I groaned, putting my hands over my face and peeking out between my fingers. I saw the little red balloon and knew it was Norman calling me. The small device moved a bit when it vibrated on the table but I was ignoring it, glaring at the phone. Maybe I should just change my number and give it to the ones I felt worthy of having it. My fingers itched to grab my phone and answer it, my palms sweating as I tried to resist it. My eyes closed and I took a deep breath and pushed myself up and tried to busy myself. I wasn't going to give in because I missed him, but I was hurt. He didn't deserve my time.

My iPod laid on the table and I grabbed it, putting the earbuds into my ears and turning my music on as loud as I could stand and began to clean. My first stop was the small kitchen and I began rooting through the fridge and throwing out old food that had been sitting in there. I sang along to the songs, not even know how bad I was doing because I couldn't hear myself. I began to dance while I turned to the trash and dumped old spaghetti into it, tossing the container into the dishwasher before pulling out another bowl and continuing on until I was done. Now I was on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor with a sponge, getting the corners with an old toothbrush. The sweat began to build along my hairline but I wasn't paying attention to it as I sang along to Fall Out Boy.

"I love the way, I love the way you hurt me baby!" I sang out loud as I threw the sponge into the little black bucket and stood up, slowly walking over to the small hallway that led to the bedroom, the bathroom, and a closet. My apartment was fairly small and I was grateful for that. Especially when I was trying to clean like I was right now. I just wanted to take my mind off everything and it was helping, which was something else I was grateful for. I stretched as I moved to the closet and grabbed out some of the old jackets that don't fit me, some of them a little larger, I tossed them to the side and put the empty hangers towards the far right of the closet, that way I can see what hangers I had and if I needed anymore at any point in time. I then moved onto the shoes that were in the bottom and looked at them, deeming which ones were acceptable and could stay. My music continued to shuffle as I worked, some songs I belted out and some of them I just hummed as I made my way around the house. I was intentionally keeping myself busy and it was working. Finally I flopped back on the couch and closed my eyes, the sounds of Fiction by Avenged Sevenfold filling my ears. This song always made me feel down but I couldn't help but leave it on. I let the music take over me as silent tears fell down my cheeks, tears that I wasn't able to stop.

I sang along unaware that there was a knocking on my apartment door, my music flooded my ears and made me deaf to anything else around me, besides Poe who had curled up on my stomach, resting on top of the iPod. It was him that alerted me that someone was at the door and I sighed, pulling my earbuds out and pausing my music.

"Coming!" I shouted before dropping the music player on the table and headed towards the door. I had a pair of shorts on and a tank top on. My hair had been pulled back in the process of cleaning and I had a headband resting on top of it. I undid both locks on the door and without looking into the peephole, I flung open the door and froze when I saw a disgruntled Norman standing there. Is hair was slightly mussed and wet from the snow that was falling outside. I bite my lip and everything came rushing back to me. I went to slam the door in his face but he stopped it with his hand.

I glared at the man before me and I crossed my arms over my chest. I cocked my hip to one side, feeling the door frame against it. I leaned into it a bit and didn't say anything.

"We have to talk," Norman spoke, although I could tell that he was struggling with what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it. I shook my head. I couldn't do this and I didn't want to talk to him.