Love is a Game

Chapter 2

A couple days have passed and Rachel is now back home in Texas after a long and interesting visit. I haven't seen Ryan around lately ever since that lousy excuse of a fight. Anytime we cross paths he ends up turning around and heading the opposite direction.

I walk into my apartment and hop in bed; turn on the television and put on my favorite soap opera 'El Presidente'. It's about a hot Latino president that meets a beautiful woman, but she's a peasant so they have to go through the struggle of trying to maintain their passionate relationship. I know it's pretty basic, but I'm a sucker for the cliches.

As I pause my show I head to the kitchen to make myself a baloney sandwich. I gaze at the counter top and see a stack of mail that hadn't been there before. I thought to myself Rachel must have brought it in before she left; beginning to dig through this enormous pile of bills and magazines I find something rather peculiar. It was an envelope labeled 'NOTICE'. When I opened it it read, This is your last notice, if you don't have your rent paid by next friday the 9th we will be forced to evict you.

My mind started racing with a million thoughts, Evicted!! This couldn't be true, I'm great at managing the little money I have. How could I have possibly not paid my rent. This must be a mistake. Frantically I inspect every word of the letter to make sure this was addressed to the right person. And then I see it right there in bold smack dab in the bottom right corner 'Kylie Madox, resident in apartment 12 Mockingbird Terrace.' As I'm having a mini panic attack, murmurs start coming from the direction of my television. I thought I had turned it off, but turns out it was just muted; which my clumsy cat Patricia came along and sat on the remote. My brain was slowly comprehending the murmurs. It wasn't what I thought it was, I thought it was my soap, but it was actually a talk show. Intrigued, I turn up the volume and listen.

"Alright Maraiah, Let's talk about that new reality show," "Yes, folks if you didn't know there is a reality show named 'Love in Paradise' and 5 lucky couples get chosen to come to a tropical island in the Carribean to compete against one another to win the grand prize" Of course it's a couples show, what else would it be. "So what you're saying Brendan is that everyone should go enter to get into this reality show?" "That's exactly what I'm saying Maraiah. Go enter now for a magical island vacation and the chance of winning half a million dollars!" Wow, half a mil that's insane. With half a million I could pay my rent and have a bit of money left over to pamper myself for once; It's definitely not cheap living in New York. The only problem is that I don't have a boyfriend, so I'll be living in debt the rest of my life.

Taking a scrumptious bite of my carefully prepared snack I begin to here loud drumming coming from none other than Ryan's apartment. Being as cranky as I am right now I don't feel like listening to idiotic punk rock music. Me and my messy bun and sweats go over to Ryan's front door. Is this a good idea? I thought. Probably not, I've never been over here before; Ryan has always said to keep away from his space and that was never a temptation of mine, so it was quite easy abiding by his command. I'm having a trashy day; so proceeding to knock on the door I find it left ajar. Walking in slightly I look around to find his place trashed; there is glass smashed everywhere and books scattered across the floor. I become rather worried; what if someone had broken in??

The place reeked of whisky and 7 dollar gin and coke that you can only get at 'The Star Club' on Saint Street. Finding the stereo I turn it off, and my eardrums are relieved. With the music off I can hear distinct groaning; when I walk over to the room in the back of his apartment, and while coming through the archway I spot Ryan lying in his bed. His eyes are bloodshot, his hair is a mess, and he had spills all over his white sheets. He'd been drinking. It's never good when Ryan drinks; he's a mean drunk and will mentally abuse anyone and everyone around him.

   "Ryan.." I stammer, "Are you alright?" As I sit down on the edge of the bed, I gently put my hand on the small of his back. Ryan then looks up at me; "What the hell are you doing here I never invited you in now get out." "Ryan, you and your apartment are a mess, what's going on?" "It's none of your business just get out this is the last time I'm telling you." "Ryan please-"

"No get the hell out! How about you leave and never come back just like your father."

My jaw practically dropped to the floor. How is he this insensitive that he would make such a cruel comment like that; he knows that I'm very tender about what happened with my father. Never in my life I would imagine anyone to act this reckless with what they say to others. " Go to hell!" Frantically pushing through the door and into the living room I start to sob; I trip on a pile of clothes and fall to the cold tile scraping both of my knees. Hearing Ryan chase after me only makes me go faster. As soon as I get to my apartment I lock the door and fall to the floor in a heavy sob.

Banging on the door behind me forces myself to wipe up my tears. "Kylie open up!" I stay silent, "Please just open the damn door, I'm sorry ok I know I shouldn't have said that I'm just really drunk right now and I didn't feel like talking to you." I won't let his words hurt me I need to be stronger than this. My hand reaches for the door knob and turns It slightly enough for me to poke my head through and look at him. "You're right you shouldn't have said that, but you did and it really disgusts me how you don't even have one apathetic bone in your body; It didn't occur to you that what you said would hurt me??" " I know I screwed up please forgive me, I'll do anything to make it up to you." Hmmm what could he possibly do that would make this whole situation better; then it dawned on me. "Ohhh I have something in mind."