by Tyla Walker
As I follow them, the phone rings. I run immediately to pick it up, hoping Kaley doesn’t wake up from it, “Hello?”
“Nikki?” an all too familiar voice responds. A voice half of my heart wanted to hear, but half of my heart wanted to smother with a pillow. “Sam, isn’t it too early for you to be starting your shift as a manwhore?” I snap at him. I wave goodbye to Johnathan as he silently tiptoes to the door and leaves.
“Really, Nikki? Is this how low we’ve sunk?”
I take a deep breath to compose myself, “You’re right, Sam. I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to call so late at night is all. So, what is this all about?”
“I’m sorry,” says Sam, “I just can’t sleep. I heard you eloped?”
“You heard right,” I reply. “What’s it to you? You left me and Kaley, remember? So why the hell do you give a damn?”
“Nikki…”
“Don’t you fucking ‘Nikki’ me. That shit doesn’t work more,” I tell him. I can’t believe how good this is working.
“I’m serious, Nikki. I just need time to think, you know? I let work get in the way of my family, I know that now. I know, I should have treated you and Kaley much, much better.”
“No, motherfucking shit, Sherlock,” I reply. It feels uncomfortable to be cursing this much, but Johnathan did say that I needed to capitalize on the moral high ground we have right now, to make sure our exes will fill nothing but regret for leaving us.
“I deserved that,” Sam replies. “But my love for you and Kaley never wavered, baby. Both of you are always in my mind. Day or night, rain or shine, it’s Nikki and Kaley for me, baby.”
Oh my God. This might actually work.
“I know, this is hard to believe right now,” Sam continues, “But before I sleep, I just want to let you know, I still want us to work out, Nikki. Can you give me just a bit more time?”
Time for what? Nikki, this doesn’t matter. Remember what Johnathan said, we need to make them chase us.
“Yeah? Well…don’t…don’t make us wait too long. Johnathan is an amazing lover and an amazing father. I don’t know how long it’ll be before Kaley starts calling him ‘daddy.’ And since you never took care of shit at home, maybe I will call him ‘daddy’, too.”
A few seconds of silence follow the conversation before Sam responds, “Johnathan…Johnathan is a lucky guy. I should know. I’m glad he’s keeping you company. Can I at least call you back once I’ve got my priorities together?”
“You’re priorities are right here, Sam, together. Don’t call back unless you’ve got your shit together. I am not going through all that breakup shit again.” I say before rudely hanging up the phone.
Holy fuck. I really did it. What if I was too harsh? What if he really doesn’t call back?
I head for the fridge and open a bottle of wine to calm the nerves. I really outdid myself this time.
But what’s more interesting is the fact that Sam and Jessica both said the exact same lines. I mean, is it even possible that…
Really, Nikki? You think that Sam and Jessica have a thing going? I mean, what are the chances of that?
My accountant's brain starts calculating, but I drown it in the sweet, decadent smell of red wine before I find the answer.
Seven
Jonathan
“I’m telling you guys, this is going to work. Jessica and whatshisname aren’t going to know what hit them,” I declare before I roll my bowling ball and immediately getting a strike.
“Woohoo!” Elena cheers.
“Now, that’s what I’m talking about,” says Mark.
I’m lazying around while looking for inspiration, and Elena, Mark, and I always to make it a priority to make sure each and every one of us is there for each other whenever we have a writer’s block moment that keeps work from flowing.
And today’s venue is a short little bowling game at Bob’s, and the loser has to pay. The stakes have never been lower.
“But really, Johhny?” Mark continues, “Having a pretend relationship just to fix your sad, little relationship with Jessica? You really don’t think anything could go wrong?”
I don’t answer right away as I’m too busy focusing on my next set. But as I make my second throw, the bowling ball pathetically teeters away into the gutter.
“Well, that answers his question,” Elena comments. “I mean, what the fuck Johnathan?”
“Oh, come on, you guys,” I complain. “Elena, you’re a fucking romance novelist, and you, Mark, you're supposed to be a poet. Aren’t you guys seriously not impressed by my act of love here?”
Mark gets up and pats me on the back, “If lying and using another woman to make your ‘love’ feel jealous about you is your definition of an ‘act of love,’ well, I’ve got some bad news for you, buddy.”
“You really didn’t have to put it that way,” I say.
“Yeah, but it wouldn’t be as funny,” says Mark.
“And what about Nikki?” Elena asks.
“What about her?” I ask.
Elena and Mark look at each other. I haphazardly roll the bowling ball into the gutter and sit beside them. “What?”
Elena speaks first, “You guys kissed, right?”
“Yes.”
“And did she like it?” Elena asks.
“Are you kidding me, Elena? I mean, look at me.”
“Fair enough, but did you like it?”
And that was the million-dollar question. I lean back on my chair and ponder slowly on it.
Everything’s great. I’ve been enjoying the time I spent with Kaley. Nikki is still the same old Nikki that everyone loves. But that is a good question, do I like her… romantically?
“Me?” I reply, “Of course, I liked it. I liked it as a man and as a friend. You guys have seen her, right?”
“You liked it as a man and as a friend?” they both ask at the same time.
“Of course, Nikki’s my buddy. My pal. And she’s not like that. She only kissed me because she wanted to help me get back at my ex, like what any good buddy would do.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t ask Mark to make out with you sooner,” jokes Elena.
“Ha ha ha,” I sarcastically laugh. “Nikki and I are like brothers and sisters for life. At most, if I ever have feelings for her, which I don’t, it’ll only be probably because I have rebound feelings. Come on, Mark. You know what I’m talking about, right?”
Elena crosses her arms and turns to Mark, “Yeah, Mark. You know what loverboy here is talking about, right?”
Mark suddenly gets up from his seat, “Uh, I don’t know what you’re talking about Johnathan. You guys, thirsty? I’m thirsty. Lemme get you guys some drinks.” He quickly walks to the refreshment stand.
I look at Elena and can tell that I’m missing something here, “Did we say something wrong?”
But before Elena could answer my phone rings. It’s Nikki. I immediately head for the quietest place in the area, a stall in the men’s bathroom.
“Hello, Nikki. What’s up?” I greet her.
“Johnathan? You won’t believe what just happened last night. Sam just called.”
Fuck yeah. “You’re welcome, Nikki.”
She laughs, “He called me just as you were going home last night, and you were right, he was bound to call me at some inappropriate hour in the night. You should have heard the begging Sam gave me.”
“Was he crying? No, was he about to jump off the bridge? Or did he propose to you again? Tell me!”
“It was like you said, he didn’t want to break up, and just that he needed time to work things out, almost exactly like what Jessica said to you.”
“Like the same gist,” I correct, certain she means that it was just similar.
“What?”
“You meant he said something similar, right? Not, ‘almost exactly like what Jessica said to you,’ right?”
“No, Johnathan,” she replies, “I really do mean EXACTLY like what Jessica said to you.”
Exactly. Like literally. As in something’s going on in here.
I feign laughter, “What a coincidence, exes of the same feather, beg together.”
“Only beg?” she asks.
“What do you mean?”
I hear her exasperated sigh, “Come on, Johnathan. You’re not that dumb, are you? I’m sure you feel the same way I felt last night. Something must be going on with Jessica and Sam.”
That is a thought. They all had been close friends, and Jessica would disappear sometimes for several hours. But she says she’s always just hanging out with her friends.
“Really? Jessica and Sam? Are you really sure, Nikki? I mean, they don’t have an ounce of chemistry between them. And you heard what they said, they are pining for us.”
“You know what,” Nikki replies, “You’re absolutely right. There is no reason for me to even think of such far-fetched ideas. Sorry, Johnathan, I still must be hang-up about the whole break up thing with Sam.”
“It’s alright, Nikki. I understand. It must be that special time of the month,” I joke.
She laughs, finally removing the tension from the conversation, “Fuck you, Johnathan. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“It would be your pleasure, Nikki. Bye,” I say before hanging up the call.
I return to the bowling lane and find Elena and Mark sucking each other face like a bunch of horny leeches.
“What the fuck?” I scream at the both of them, their hands all over themselves.
My two best friends are apparently fucking each other behind my back.
I wonder what else could my ex and Nikki’s ex be doing behind my back.
Eight
Nikki
The phone rings incessantly.
I roll over the bedside and check to see who’s calling. The morning light burns my eyes, but I force myself to reach for the phone and check.
Sam?
“Hello?” I finally ask.
“Nikki! It’s me, Sam. I’m really sorry about calling you this early, but can we talk?”
I get up off my bed. My head is still drowsy from the abrupt morning wake up call.
“Sam, it’s too early. Call me later,” I tell him on the phone.
“I just wanna ask, how are things going for you over there?” he sincerely asks.
Damn.
“If you really got to know, Sam…Everything’s fine. Kaley’s in good hands with Johnathan…”
Sam interrupts, “That’s really great and all, babe. But can we continue this conversation tonight? I wanna come over and visit you and Kaley.”
This is it.
“Again?” I feign irritation, “Have you already forgotten about our deal, Sam?”
I’ve never seen anyone drop their jaw so quickly.
“No, of course not, Nikki. I’m calling to tell you that I’ve sorted out all my priorities. Everything is clear to me now, because you and Kaley are my everything. So, can I please see you tonight?”
Something feels strange now that I’m back to speaking with Sam. Something is definitely missing something.
But I decide to ignore it for the moment and continue with the plan.
I let out a deep sigh, “Okay, Sam. But this is your last chance. Make the best of it.”
Or else hell will break loose.
As soon as night falls, Sam really does come over, bearing gifts of a bouquet of flowers and red wine.
“Hi,” Sam calmly greets.
“Get inside,” I coldly tell him. Sam still looks as handsome as ever, slightly tousled hair, and his trusty phone, always on his right hand. Sam was wearing the checkered shirt I bought him for Christmas last year.
So, this is what it takes for you to actually wear that shirt, Sam? Jealousy?
But as I continue to observe Sam’s face, I find it strange that I no longer feel the longing in the pit of my stomach. I no longer see the glow around Sam’s face. And finally, I can no longer feel the familiar flutter in my heart.
What is happening to me?
Throughout the night, Sam hangs out with the baby, as I try to calm myself down and bake some cookies. The act of baking itself helps me focus.
I need to bake if I’m going to have any chance of solving what’s going with me.
Even though I see Kaley and Sam sitting together in our living, it’s just somehow doesn’t feel the same when Johnathan was playing with Kaley. Kaley is sitting up straight on the couch as she intently watches her favorite month for the millionth time.
The newly baked cookies almost fall off my tray as my hands are now sweating profusely. I’m starting to think that all of this was done for nothing.
After dinner, Sam offers to put Kaley to bed as I clean up the dining room.
Isn’t this what you wanted, Nikki? We’re a family again.
I’m putting the last of the plates into the dishwasher when I suddenly feel two manly arms wrap around my waist. Hot breath breathes down my neck as his lips mark their way all over my neck.
Johnathan? Is that you?
But of course, there’s no way in hell that it would be Johnathan, I told him not to come because Sam’s here. And he’s too busy trying to get back his girlfriend.
“I’ve been waiting for a long time for this,” whispers Sam in my ear as he continues to kiss my neck. “Kaley’s gone to bed. I suggest we follow suit in our own bedroom.”
Everything is going as planned. Sam is acting like he always acts before we broke up. I have everything I need. But somehow, I’m not happy. I no longer feel anything for Sam.
But Sam does not notice my lack of participation and continues to kiss my neck. I only feel nothing but apathy on whatever moves he made on me.
Sam eventually decides to take it to the next step, by kissing me on the mouth, but after just a minute of feeling nothing but an exchange of fluids in my mouth, I push Sam away.
Sam looks confused, “Is there something wrong, Nikki?”
“I’m sorry, Sam. Everything’s going well for us. It’s just that it is just too soon. I’m still trying to recover from what happened between us. If you remember, you broke my heart, and besides Johnathan and I are about to be married. You understand, don’t you, Sam?”
Sam lets go and takes a step back, “I know how you feel. And I do understand you. But you and me? We belong to each other. We are meant to be together.”
“Excuse me?” I ask. This has gone far enough, “We were meant to be together? Then do pray to tell me why in the world would you even leave us in the first place? And now, you’re barging into my life as if nothing ever happened?”
“Nikki, you are right. You’re absolutely right. I may have overstepped my boundaries on this one. Rest assured, I will make it up to you,” says Sam before abruptly ending the conversation and leave the apartment. His silhouette slinks out of my apartment and into the
And yet, here I am standing in the dark. My mind telling me that I should be with Sam, but my body is telling me that I should be with someone else. But that someone can’t be with me. No, he is clearly still in love with his ex-girlfriend.
But as I stand here on the open door in my apartment, I begin to ask myself.
What the fuck is going on with me?
Nine
Jonathan
I still can’t believe those two are actually a couple.
I’m walking back to Nikki’s house and wonder how could have I missed seeing Elena and Mark being romantically involved with each other. They’re not bad looking people, but I wonder what makes the people close to you that makes it seems like having romantic notions with them would be considered disgusting.
I mean, that’s how I thought of Nikki, you know, before all this. We were just two friends hanging around, with lives of our own. But only one stupid joke from my end, and one foolish kiss from her end, and now my world is turning upside down.
I’m slowly losing my mind thinking about Nikki.
I wonder if it’s the same for Elena and Mark. I’ll have
to ask them once they’ve done ravaging themselves in bed.
“Jonathan Winters?” a voice calls me from behind.
“Sorry, I don’t do interviews,” I reply without looking back. “So, goodnight.”
Always make it a habit to never meet strangers whenever you’re walking home alone at night. You never know who it might be.
A loan shark who’s been dying for you to pay up.
An estranged woman who thinks you’re the father of her imaginary child.
Or the worst of them all…
“Autograph? What the hell, man. It’s me. Sam.”
The ex of the woman you can’t get your mind off of.
“Oh, hey man. What’s?” I greet as I turn around to meet him. I quicken the pace of my walk, hoping to escape the inevitable awkwardness that soon follows. “Love to stay and chat, Sam. But you know us writers. We gotta write, write, write. I need to find a paper and pen.”
“Hey, wait up,” says Sam as he grabs my sleeves. For a quiet guy, he’s got one hell of a grip, “We need to talk, Johnathan?”
“Talk? You must have me confused for a talk show host, Sam. I’m a W-R-I-T-E-R. Writer. We write. So, it was really nice meeting you, but if you could just let go of my sleeves…”
“Johnathan, you’re an interloper,” Sam earnestly declares.
“Oh. Are we doing this now? Okay. I’m an interloper. Here’s your gold star for the day. Way to go on learning your big words, man.”
But Sam never does, “You’re an interloper, Johnathan. And I can’t blame you for that. Nikki…is one helluva woman, as you should know by now. But know this, I’m still the one she thinks about before she goes to sleep. I’m the one who gave her a kid. I’m the one who will get her back, Johnathan. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
I’m surprised by his words. Not because of the aggressiveness, but by the sheer calm demeanor on which he says them. He’s not declaring war or anything at all. No, Sam sounds like he’s stating the fact that he will get Nikki back.