“Oh, I asked, but he kind of hedged around that question. He did mention that they had a huge fight, but he didn’t expect her to just walk out like that.”
I think about how calm our last encounter was. When he told me he wanted to end things because he’d met someone else. How quietly devastated I was, but I tried to keep everything inside. I didn’t want to fall apart in front of him. I didn’t want him to think he had that much power over me.
How would I react if Knox told me he didn’t want to see me anymore?
The mere thought almost has me choking up.
“I don’t feel bad for him.” My voice is flat.
“I don’t either. He’s a giant dickhead.” The meaningful look Nat sends me immediately fills me with worry. “I feel like he’s sniffing around you, Jo.”
“What exactly do you mean?” I ask carefully.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he came crawling back and begged for your forgiveness.”
I absolutely hate the idea of that. “I won’t take him back.”
“I know you won’t, but that probably won’t stop him from trying.”
“I don’t even want him to try. I don’t want to talk to him.”
“Has he tried to message you anywhere?”
“I blocked his phone number, remember?” I’d done it in a fit of rage, and I don’t regret it. It kept him from contacting me—and kept me from trying to reach out to him. “And I unfollowed him everywhere else.”
“Check your DM’s.” She waves a hand at me.
I pull out my phone and do as she says, opening my requests inbox.
My heart drops into the pit of my stomach when I see it.
“He sent me a message.” I jerk my head up to find Nat watching me with huge eyes.
“Read it,” she whispers.
I open the message, hating how shaky I feel. I don’t want him affecting me anymore. It’s annoying, and honestly, so unnecessary. I don’t care about him, not like I used to, but he still has this way of getting to me.
More like it makes me nervous, how he’s trying to reach out to me. Why? What are his motives?
Clearing my throat, I read the message out loud.
“Hey Jo. I hope you’re doing okay. I was thinking about you and just wanted to reach out, but couldn’t since you basically blocked me everywhere. Hopefully you see this message and if you do, maybe we could talk? I’d love to hear your voice.” I drop my phone onto the chair cushion and lean back with an irritated sigh. “I didn’t really block him. I just unfollowed him.”
“I know.”
“And I don’t want to hear his voice. If I had the choice, I would never hear from him again.” I stare at the ceiling, trying to calm the tumultuous feelings swirling deep inside me. “I wish he would leave me alone.”
“If you ignore him, he will,” Natalie suggests.
“Yeah, you’re right. If he reaches out to you again, tell him I’m not interested in having a conversation with him ever again. I don’t care how harsh that sounds.”
“It’s not harsh at all. It’s what the asshole deserves, if you ask me.”
My phone dings with a text notification, and I grab it, half-believing it’s going to be another message from my shitty ex. But it’s not.
It’s from Knox.
Smiling, my heart eases, and I open the message to read it.