61
Gaia’s apartment is pretty tight. She has a couch in the living room that pulls out into a bed, but there’s not enough space to leave it out during the day, so I have to pack it up each morning only to set it up again every night.
Despite the sleeping arrangements, I am relieved to be here and to have a friend like Gaia.
My phone rings from inside my bag. I reach inside and pull it out. It’s Luna.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Brooks was here looking for you.” I feel all the air being knocked out of my lungs. My phone beeps, telling me that someone else is calling. I look at the screen to see Brooks’ number. Luna has changed his name to Fucking Asshole Pathetic Wanker.
“He’s calling me right now,” I say into the phone. Gaia pops her head out of the bedroom and takes a seat next to me on the couch. Calix appears from nowhere and snuggles into her lap.
“What are you going to do?” Luna asks.
“He can wait. I called him, like what? Eighty times after he left. Seems to me like he’s got seventy-nine to go,” I reply, smiling to myself. My strength was in there after all.
“That’s my girl. I’ll keep you posted. Thai’s here.” She ends the call.
“You’re making the right choice,” Gaia says, placing her hand on my arm.
“I know. It’s just hard. For so long, I wished he hadn’t left, and now I’m hiding from him. I’m pathetic.”
“No. You’re smart. You will speak to him on your terms when you’re ready. He can’t just show up and expect you to be waiting.” Gaia stands and heads into the kitchen. She places a frying pan on the stove and opens the fridge.
“I have no idea what he’s expecting. That’s the scary thing.
” I follow her, take the carrots out of her hand and walk to the bench to start chopping.
My phone rings from the couch, and I know it’s him again.
He’s given me nothing but radio silence, and now he’s called me twice in the space of a few minutes.
Seventy-eight to go.