After nearly two years of dating, of living alone in the concrete jungle of New York City, I’d finally have someone to come home to. And to think of all the rent money I’d save! Even after kicking in half with Malcolm, an offer I knew he’d take me up on because he was so frugal, I’d still be coming out ahead each month. Shit, this was even better than a raise.
More than that though, it was a sign of big progress. The advancement of our relationship. The next logical step in—
“I’m sorry you didn’t get that promotion Holly,” Malcolm said pityingly. “But if I’m being honest, I didn’t think you would.”
My eyebrows knit together. It was a cold thing to say. But that was Malcolm: brutally frank about everything, to the point of unflinching honesty. I’d thought it was heartlessness at first, but later on I realized it was only his personality.
Truth be told, I was used to it by now. Marcus approached life the same way he approached our accounting jobs: everything was all business.
“It makes this whole thing a little… harder.”
I watched, trance-like, as he manipulated my keychain. Instead of adding a key to it, he twisted it counter-clockwise and took one off.
“W—What are you doing?”
“Taking back the car,” he said simply.
“My car?”
My boyfriend suddenly looked uncomfortable. And he never looked uncomfortable.
“Holly I’m sorry,” he said. “This… this isn’t working out.”
The words didn’t register, no matter how many times my brain repeated them. I shook my head as if to clear it.
“What isn’t working out?”
“This,” he said, motioning casually back and forth. “Us. Our relationship.”
The realization finally hit me — like a brick being dropped from a 90-story building. The same building we worked at together. The building where we’d met and fallen in love… or at least I thought we’d fallen in love, and—
“It’s difficult for me to do this on a day you’re already disappointed,” he said.
“Difficult for you?”
He nodded, completely oblivious. “Yes. And that’s why I feel so badly. But Holly, please, search your feelings. If you do it honestly, you’ll come to the same realization I did.”
A hard lump formed in my throat. “And what’s that?”
Malcolm sighed gently. “This just isn’t worth it anymore.”
Isn’t. Worth. It. Anymore.
My heart dropped into my stomach. All of a sudden I felt sick.
“B—But why are you taking my car?”
“It isn’t your car,” Malcolm shrugged. “It’s a lease. A lease with my name on it.”
“Yes, but I’ve been making the payments!”
He nodded. “You have. And on time too. I appreciate that, but—”
“You gave me a car for my birthday,” I said, slowly raising my voice, “and you gave me a payment book along with it! Don’t you remember?”
“Of course.”
“What kind of a boyfriend gives his girlfriend a fucking payment book?” I practically shouted. “Who the hell does that?”