Does that mean he knows where I live?
I’m not afraid of Jesse. Despite what happened last night, there’s nothing to be afraid of. He’s an asshole and he barks and insults and ultimately storms away like a child who hasn’t gotten his way. Last night happened because I told him in no uncertain terms that we would not be getting back together. He moved before he could think, but it would have gone no further than it did.
But…
The look in his eyes is the one thing I can’t explain away. That half-crazed expression that made me step back.
So, if it is him at my door…?
Slowly, I reach into a nearby box, for the first time grateful that I haven’t organized any of this stuff yet. I pick up a heavy dictionary. It’s not the greatest weapon in the world, but it will do. I draw my robe tighter around myself and go to the door, peering out the eye hole, my dictionary raised just in case the intruder has decided he’s tired of waiting and wants to try breaking in.
When I see who it is I almost drop the book.
I scramble to open the door and throw it open, staring.
“Kyle?” I ask, shocked and confused.
He’s standing on my doorstep, soaking wet and looking more than a little drunk as he sways on the spot. It suddenly reminds me of Jacqui’s warnings, when she reminded me that I didn’t know Kyle at all, and now he knows where I live.
Well… Now what?
“What are you doing?” I hiss, blocking the doorway, still holding the dictionary, just in case.
But Kyle isn’t looking at me at all. He doesn’t make any attempt to come into the apartment. He’s looking frantically over my shoulder, his eyes a little wild. After a moment, however, his shoulders relax and he breathes a sigh of relief.
“Good, he isn’t here,” he says with a nod.
Only then does he look at me. He blinks, as though he isn’t quite sure when I got there, and runs a hand through his hair.
“Sorry about this,” he says to
me. “Didn’t mean to wake you. I’m just going to sit out here, okay?”
And then, before my astonished eyes, he slides down the wall, crosses his arms, and directs his eyes to the end of the hall, where he’ll be able to see anyone coming long before they reach him.
I gape at him.
“What’s going on?” I ask when I find my voice.
“I’m staying here tonight,” Kyle informs me, in the sort of voice that tells me there’s no point in arguing with him over this. “So I can keep watch.”
“Keep watch?” I’m so confused. What the hell is even going on right now? “For what?”
A dark expression crosses his face.
“Jesse,” he growls.
I blink at him. And then I laugh incredulously. Because, what, seriously?
“Are you joking?” I ask, only just managing to stop myself from raising my voice at him; I’m going to get so many complaints from the neighbors tomorrow. “I told you that you don’t need to worry about him. Is this about last night? Because he ran off, like I told you he would. We won’t see him again.”
“It’s not about last night,” Kyle huffs. “It’s about tonight.”
He’s not making any sense at all. I sigh, considering my options. It’s too early for any of this crap, to be honest. I can either leave him out here and let him do what he wants, or I can invite him inside and figure out what all this is about.
I’m a little uneasy about that idea. I don’t know what he’ll do if I let him inside, especially considering how drunk he looks. But I also don’t want to leave him out here; he’s soaked to the bone and he’s already shivering in his wet clothes. Did he run all the way through the rain to get here?
I sigh.