It's Not You, It's Me (Book Two) #Wattys2018

Not Theo

My dad knocks on the door, but I don't reply.
He tries to open it, but it's locked.

"Honey, you have to get out of your room. At least to eat!" He shouts.

I don't reply.

"Just give me a sign that you're still alive."

I cough.

"Thanks." He says. "Look, this has gone too far. I'm calling for backup."

"Don't call Theo." I warn him. He pauses, and leaves.

An hour later, a gentle two-fingered knock on the door.

And a whisper: "It's me."

I hesitate, but open the door swiftly and don't keep him waiting.

As soon as the door is opened I hug him.

He swipes my tears from my face with his fingers.

"It's okay. I'm here." He says to me.

I lean out of the hug, let him in, close the door and sit on my bed. He sits beside me and side hugs me, making me feel better.

"Ace to the rescue, as usual." I say, dispiteful. "I feel so pathetic. I'm sorry my dad called you."

"I want to be here. A best friend's job is never done. Plus, I've missed you."

I smile at him and lay my head on his shoulder.

"Now tell me: What happened?" He asks.

I look up at him, already dreading having to tell the truth.

...

~

"So you cheated on Theo. Just like that."

"Well, thanks for that fantastic comment, Ace. Really. Thanks."

He sighs. "I'm just disappointed at you, Tobes. I'm not mad at you or anything, just disappointed." He says it in a friendly manner, but the words don't sound friendly to me at all.

"Well, if you don't mind I would rather you be disappointed at me from your house." I tell him, mad, and start ugly crying mid-sentence. "Feel free to leave if you want."

"Toby, don't be like that, okay? If we survived Jack, twice, we can survive this. I'm just saying, you're better than this."

I sigh. "Yeah, I know." I breath in and out strongly, and stop letting new tears form.

"Your father said you haven't left your room in a while."

"I can't see Theo or Avi, and I didn't feel like taking any chances. Plus, I can't stop crying." I say.

"You should talk to Theo." He says. I look away. He knows me all too well. "Wait, has he called you? Have you called him?" I don't answer. "He called you, didn't he?" I look at him not answering, but confirming his question. "Did you answer?" I still don't reply, but look at my phone resting on top of my pillow. I lay in bed staring at it go off, without answering people.

I exchange looks with Ace, and in a jump he and I try to get my phone at the same time, but he gets there first.

"Don't read anything! Give it back, give it back!" I say, following him around the room. But he's too tall and agile, and knows my phone's password.

"Toby, I'm sorry about the other night. Can we talk?" He reads the texts out loud, and I try to shout over his voice to not hear it, but it's useless. "Toby, we need to talk. Toby, you didn't answer any of these!" He comments. "Toby, come on, answer me. Toby! Toby, can you at least answer my calls?" I grab the phone from his hand, and he looks at me open-mouthed. "Toby, what the fuck?"

"I told you not to read anything!"

"Toby, you're being really stupid, right now. I don't even know what to say."

I look at him, offended. "What the hell, Ace, you're not helping me at all!"

"Well it looks to me like you don't need any help! You have a boy who is perfect for you who is still madly in love with you and you ruin it! You ruin everything." He says, then walks out of my room and bangs my door shut on his way out.

Great. Just great.