The audacity. How dare he?!
Me:
Pete Davidson is mine, not yours. Fuck off.
Later, Timmy returns, acting like nothing happened.
I try to ignore him and roller skate around the apartment to clear my head, a mistake on the concrete tile floor.
I fall backward onto my tailbone—twice—pain shooting through me each time. I groan, wishing I’d listened to one of my derby friends’ advice about strapping a cushion to my ass.
As I’m catching my breath, I notice Timmy scrolling through my phone. His face darkens. “What the fuck is this?” he snaps, waving the phone in my face. “Talking about me behind my back?”
“To be fair,” I reply, snatching my phone back, “you behave like an asshole, so that’s how I describe you.”
He storms off to the back room, muttering, “I’m packing my bags! I’m flying to my parents because you’re a fucking bitch, making me look bad!”
“Okay,” I shrug, too tired to care.
I message Alice again.
Alice:
Yeah right? You told him to leave.
Packing his bags is what is supposed to happen.
Me:
Also, I fell on my tailbone twice, so everything hurts, and it’s making processing emotions harder.
Alice:
Jesus! Do you at least wear a helmet when you do?
Me:
Pads but no helmet this time.
I thought we were making progress.
Alice:
Progress is harder to make when only one person is doing it.
Her words stick with me, a cruel truth I already know but need to hear again.
CHAPTER 35
I WOKE UP LIKE THIS
MARGAUX
Timmy insists on accompanying me to meet my high school friend and her wife, promising he’ll be on his best behavior.
I’m hesitant. “If you doanythingto ruin their trip, I will make it my life’s mission to destroy you,” I say. And I’m serious. It might sound dramatic, but if he creates a scene or makes them uncomfortable in any way, I’ll never forgive myself.
“I promise,” he says, gazing deep into my eyes. “I wouldn’t fuck anything up for your friends. I promise I won’t drink too much, and everything will be fine. We’ll have fun.”