Walking at Midnight

Zoey

Zoey wasn't a good person, nor did she try to be. That's why she found herself at the doorstep of Melissa's apartment at 11:31 PM that night. It wasn't her first visit, but she hoped it would be her last.

It took five knocks before the door cracked open and Melissa's head popped out. Her red hair spilled away from her face as she tilted her head in confusion.

"Why the hell are you here?" Her voice had a bite to it.

Zoey remained unfazed and stepped forward. She placed her left hand on the door and forcefully pushed it opened. Melissa stumbled back, caught off guard. Zoey dipped her head down to meet Melissa's wide green eyes.

"Listen, I told you to break things off with Amelia," Zoey said. "When are you going to get on with it?"

Melissa gritted her teeth together, annoyed. "Look, you just showed up out of nowhere a month ago and you've been harassing me ever since. She doesn't want you anymore. When will you accept that?"

"Never. I fight for the things I want. In this case, it happens to be Amelia," Zoey said with an icy stare.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you so obsessed with her?" Melissa said.

Zoey laughed and shook her head. "I'm not obsessed with her. I just care about her. There's a distinct difference." In all honestly, Zoey really didn't know the difference.

"Either way, I don't care. I'm not going to let you just threaten me and get away with it," Melissa said. She folded her arms across her chest and looked Zoey dead in the eye.

"I told you I would tell your fiance. Have you forgotten about him? With a marriage on the line, you should have some consideration." Zoey said.

Melissa dropped her head and her arms fell back down to her sides. Just as quickly as she had gained the confidence to stand up to Zoey, she had lost it. "No, I haven't. He's one of the most important people in my life."

"I would think that would be enough to stop you from cheating, but apparently it's not. It's going to be hard for me to be the one to tell him." Zoey's expression was dark. Her jaw was tight, lips pressed together tightly, and eyes narrowed.

"You don't even know who he is."

"You don't think I can find out? Amelia didn't tell me about you, but I still found out who you were." Zoey said. She was sure she could find out who he was, and once she did, Melissa would surely be in trouble.

There was a moment of silence as Zoey watched Melissa struggle to respond. Zoey really put her in a bad place and Melissa was aware of how unfavorable her options were. Finally, Melissa looked at her with an expression of distraught.

"I don't want to break up with her." There was such a heavy sadness in her voice that Zoey could feel it. "I need more time."

Zoey shook her head no. "You've had enough."

Melissa glared at her. "I can just tell Amelia what you're doing, you know."

Zoey sighed. "And what's that going to do? If you dared, I would tell Matthew. He would tell your family and then what? Would it really be worth it?"

Melissa pulled at the roots of her hair with one hand in frustration. "Just go!"

"I won't leave until-"

Melissa responded with a door slam.

Zoey sighed and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. She made her way down the stairs and out to the parking lot where her rusted Toyota Camry was parked.

Before she got in her car, she looked up in the direction of Melissa's apartment. "There's nothing wrong with what I'm doing," she muttered to herself. As she dug for her keys in her jacket, she didn't feel her small wallet slip out of her pocket and land on the floor. Her mind was too preoccupied to notice such a thing and only when she stopped at a gas station on her way home, did she realize it was gone.