by JL Davis
Alone?
Lol! Yeah why?
Wow Jessa he must trust you. You are so good for him. Again, you’re welcome lol!
Thanks! We’re getting pretty serious lately.
I’ll come there and we can decide from there.
Ok. See ya soon.
I walk upstairs and change into the only other clothes I brought with me. I honestly had no idea what Alex’s plans were so I packed a skirt and a matching tank. I also have a light jacket to wear over it. I throw my hair in a bun. I don’t have much time left so I put on mascara and some lip gloss.
On my way back downstairs, the doorbell rings. Brittany’s right on time. I open the door and she hurries inside.
“Remember that car that kept driving past the office the other day?”
I freeze. “Yes. Why?”
“I saw it again today. A couple of times passing by the office and then when I was coming here I saw it leaving this very road.” I feel all the color drain from my face.
“Jessa, do you know who that is? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. If you promise not to say anything to Alex, I’ll tell you okay?”
“Are you cheating on him?” She looks angry.
“Are you fucking kidding right now? You know me better than that! It’s Tyler.”
“Your ex?” She looks confused.
“Yes. He seems to have a problem with me being with your uncle and I believe he’s now stalking me. I saw him that day at the office, I just didn’t say anything. I also ran into him yesterday while I was at a boutique.” She doesn’t need to know which one. She’d probably puke.
“Do you feel unsafe? You can always call the police, you know?”
“I think he’ll get over it soon enough. We were together for so long. I think it’s just hard for him to see that I’ve moved on.”
“That fucker cheated on you. Why the hell is he acting like a crazy person? He’d better hope I don’t see him again near the office. I’m fucking serious. I’ll call the police.” I smile because I know she will.
“If he continues it I will I promise. Please don’t tell Alex. He’s come so far. I’m afraid he’ll go all cave man. I don’t want him to have a setback.”
“He has Jessa. All because of you, he’s doing so good now. I haven’t seen him in the office in over a year and when he came in earlier this week, I thought I would die. I’ve very much enjoyed him helping in the office, but I still need more help. I kinda left early, so you can’t mention me being here this early, okay?”
“Your secret’s safe with me,” I laugh. “Seriously, though, if this gets any worse with Tyler, I will call the police and I’ll also tell Alex. I promise.”
“So, do you think we should go out knowing he’s lurking around?” She seems a little scared.
“Yes. I don’t think he’d do anything. I’m not going to live in fear of him, either. You remember what a pussy he was in school. I don’t think we need to worry, but if he’s still out he will be looking for my car. Could we take yours?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
Soon after our conversation we arrive at the best Mexican restaurant in town. It’s busy on Friday nights but luckily we are seated at a two-person booth. I’m so glad. I hate tables and so does Brittany. Another one of the random things we have in common.
A waiter brings us chips and salsa along with our menus.
“May I have a margarita with sugar, please?” I ask.
“Make that two but with salt for me, please,” she smiles.
“Sure,” he says with his Spanish accent.
I eat a few chips, before speaking. “So, we haven’t gotten a chance to catch up lately. Guess who’s in one of my classes?”
“I don’t know who?”
“Fucking Tyler. I think it’s kind of how it all began.”
“Can you transfer into another class?”
“It was the only one left. The rest are full. Remember Julie from school?”
“The nerdy one?”
I frown, “Well, yeah, but she’s really nice. She’s in my classes with me. I was thinking maybe we could take her out one night when we do a girl’s night?”
“Sure, I guess we could. Does she still dress the same?”
I laugh. “Don’t be a bitch, but yes she does.”
The waiter arrives with our drinks and more chips. We’ve already finished the first basket. I’m glad because now the tequila has something to settle on.
“Have you decided what you’d like to order?” he asks.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted the chimichanga or the quesadilla. “I’ll have the chimichanga please.”
“I’ll have the grilled chicken quesadilla please,” Brittany says, closing her menu.
“Good choices. I’ll get that right in for you,” the waiter smiles and takes our menus before walking away.
Our food comes before we’ve even finished our drinks. The service here is great and the food is always delicious. We gossip a bit on celebrity news that I’m obviously not getting to hear much of lately. We enjoy our food and finish our drinks, waiting for the bill to come. It’s now even more busy than before and our poor waiter is running around like a chicken with his head cut off.
“Ladies, so sorry about your wait,” he says while another table is trying to get his attention. “Here are your checks. I’ll be back in just a minute,” he sighs, looking at the rude people at the next table over.
We ended up leaving enough cash to cover our bills and a nice tip for him. He was a great waiter. He’d just gotten busy is all. No need for us to be rude. We reach Brittany’s car and I have that weird feeling again. I look around for Tyler’s car, but I don’t see it.
“What’s wrong, Jessa?” Brittany asks before getting in.
“I don’t know. I have a weird feeling again. I’ve been having it since Alex left this afternoon,” I tell her, shaking my head and then getting in the car.
“Do you think it’s because of Tyler?”
“I’m starting to think so,” I say, looking around. I still see no sign of his car anywhere. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid. I don’t know.”
“Well, you’re starting to freak me out about it,” she says. “Do you want to come to my house until Alex gets back tonight?”
“No. I’m not letting Tyler get to me. He’s probably just trying to scare me. He wants me to take him back and I flat out told him no.”
Brittany smirks. “If he wants you back, he’s going about it all wrong.”
“I hope he’s given up by now. I’m happy and it makes me realize how unhappy I was with Tyler. I don’t know why I stayed as long as I did. He was just familiar, I guess.”
“I don’t know, either. I saw back then what a dick head he was. I always wondered what you saw in him. I thought maybe he had a big dick or something. Maybe he had a wicked tongue.”
I crack up laughing, “No, he doesn’t have either. He never wanted to go down on me. He was so strange. Now Alex…”
“Shut the fuck up right now. I don’t need to hear any of this. It’s fucking gross.” I can understand why she wouldn’t want to hear about her uncle and our sex life, but it’s still funny as hell to get her all flustered.
“I know. I know. I was just joking.”
“That’s not a joke, Jessa. That could give me nightmares,” she shivers and I die laughing. Those margaritas were stout tonight and I’m having too much fun with her. I’m glad, too. It keeps my mind off Tyler and his craziness.
“Let me know if you need anything,” Brittany says dropping me back off at Alex’s.
“I will. I promise,” I tell her, looking around.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay until Alex gets back?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Alex has a pistol in his bedside table for protection against intruders.” My face is utter shock. I hadn’t thought of Tyler being physical to that extent, but I didn’t think he’d bruise my arm, eith
er.
“Just in case,” she says.
I shrug it off. That’s just silly. “I’ll be fine. Now go home bitch.”
“Okay. I’m not far if you need me.”
“Thank you,” I say and she pulls away and I hurry inside and lock the door.
Chapter Seventeen
I study for a couple of hours and doze off on the couch. I wake up hearing someone at the door. Alex must not have his house key. I hurry to the front, all excited to see him and open the door. I try my best to shut it just as quickly, but I can’t. He’s stronger than me. It’s Tyler and he looks crazed. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I scream and try to overpower him, but I can’t. He bursts through the door and I fly backwards into the wall. I’m dazed as I try to get up, and fall backwards. He’s standing above me, looking down at me like he wants to kill me. I feel helpless, but I’m not that helpless girl. I move as fast as I can and kick upwards connecting with his tiny balls. He yelps and drops to his knees, holding himself with two hands, when one would obviously work just fine. I get up quickly, hurrying for the stairs.
“You fucking bitch. You’re gonna pay for that you fucking whore,” he yells running after me. I run faster, still a bit dizzy and slam the master bedroom door behind me. I rush to Alex’s side of the bed and search for his gun in the drawer. Just as I get it in my hand, Tyler flies through the door. I jump, and quickly point it at him. He stops in his tracks. I find the safety button and switch it off.
He laughs, standing in the doorway. “What are you gonna do with that? Are you gonna shoot me?” The look in his eyes is something I’ve never seen before. I’m not sure if he’s lost his mind or if he’s on something.
My hands are shaking as I hold a gun for the first time in my life. I’ve seen enough movies to know what to do but I hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t’ want to shoot him. “I will if you come any closer. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I want you back, Jessa. How fucking clear do I have to be? You’re mine,” he roars between his teeth.
“You’re crazy. You don’t own me. You fucked my best friend remember? What makes you think I’d ever take you back?” I know I should be calm. I don’t need to piss him off more, but I have the gun and thanks to the fear mixed with adrenaline, I don’t fucking care.
Tyler laughs like a psychopath. “If you want it rough Jessa, I can give it to you rough. Why don’t you wear that slutty outfit and go downstairs and bend over his couch? My face goes pale at hearing those words.
“You watched us? You sick fuck. What’s happened to you? Why would you do that?” I don’t understand what’s happened to him these last few months. He never got this angry when we were together, ever.
“I’ve been following you for a while now. I wanted to see what was so great about the asshole you’ve been seeing.” He pauses, and looks around the room, letting out a low whistle. “I guess you’ve moved up, haven’t you?”
“It has nothing to do with his money. He’s a good man and makes me happier than I’ve ever been.”
Tyler tsks as he shakes his head. “No. He just likes having you as his maid and he gets to fuck you, too. It’s a win-win, Jessa. He’s using you. Don’t you see that? Or are you too fucking blind?”
He takes a step forward, as I step back. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You know nothing about our relationship. We love each other. I love him more than I ever loved you.” He makes a quick move forward and I scream and raise the gun up, meeting his face, stopping him from coming any closer.”
“You won’t shoot me.” He laughs again. A creak in the floor has us both looking to the door. Alex is standing in the doorway with his fists balled ready to kill Tyler; his chest heaving. He barrels into Tyler, tackling him to the floor. I start crying, so happy that he’s come home early.
“What the fuck is going on here? Why are you in my house? Did you fucking hurt her?” He screams in Tyler’s face. I reach for my phone, which had fallen on the floor when I was looking for the gun. I dial 9-1-1; the woman on the other end says an officer is on the way.
“They’re on the way.” I say, still shaking with the gun in my hand.
“Jessa are you okay?” he asks, still holding Tyler down.
“I’m fine. I’m so glad you’re here,” I say, still crying.
“Get the fuck off me,” Tyler says, trying to break free. Alex punches him in the face causing, blood to fly and the cracking sound of, Tyler’s nose breaking. I hear the sirens and realize I’m still holding the gun. I turn the safety on, drop it on the bed, and collapse to the floor in tears as the officer comes in the door with his gun pointing down at Alex and Tyler as he surveys the scene.
“Ma’am, are you okay?”
Alex gets up, letting go of Tyler, “I want to press charges on this piece of shit. He tried to attack my girlfriend.”
“I’m Trooper Ellis. Ma’am can you please tell me exactly what happened?”
“Yes, sir. He barged in the house and tried to attack me. I hurried upstairs for the gun to protect myself,” I say, nodding to the gun on the bed.
“I’ll get statements from the both of you shortly. Get up,” he says to Tyler, putting him in cuffs and reading him his rights, walking him down to his police car.
Alex rushes over to me. “Jessa are you sure you’re okay?” He’s searching me over to make sure. I nod and he wraps me in his arms.
“I’m okay. I hit my head on the wall when he forced himself through the door, but I’m fine.” Feeling Alex’s arms around me, I feel safe again. I’m so glad he came when he did. I’m not sure what would have happened.
“I’m here. I’m never leaving you again,” he says, kissing my forehead. “How did you know I had a gun?”
“Please don’t be mad, okay? Tyler had been following me. I finally told Brittany this evening. She’s noticed his car a few times and I couldn’t keep it from her any longer. After she and I had dinner, she told me you had one and where it was just in case. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He doesn’t sound happy. He’s not mad, but maybe disappointed.
“I didn’t think he’d do anything and I didn’t want you to worry.”
“Well, when I called and you didn’t answer I was worried. When I pulled into the driveway and the front door was wide open, I was fucking terrified. I thought I’d lost you.” I can feel him trembling. “Then I heard Tyler yelling at you and I hurried upstairs.
I pull away and look up at him. “I’m so sorry I kept it from you. I’ll never keep anything from you again. I promise.” I’m in tears again and Alex grips my waist tighter. We hold each other a few more minutes and then walk downstairs to give our statements.
We each write down our version of the events. Officer Ellis assures us Tyler won’t be bothering us again. He found cocaine in Tyler’s pocket. He’s never done drugs that I know of. I look in the police car and see Tyler staring at us. He still seems to be so angry. I’m not sure if he would have hurt me, or if he would’ve tried to kill me, because he couldn’t have me back. I don’t want to know. I’m just glad Alex got home when he did. He saved me.
“There will be a court date that you both will need to attend to be sure justice is served,” Trooper Ellis say giving us each a card before leaving with Tyler in the back.
* * *
Things go back to normal over the next couple of months. Tyler is still in jail and I was told he will be going to a year-long drug rehabilitation center for his heroine addiction. It was revealed in the court hearing that he’s been doing heroine for years. It kind of explains some of his behavior while we were together. It makes me sometimes wonder if things could have been different for us. I can’t help it and it seems terrible, but I’m so glad we didn’t work out.
I finish up my business classes and end with a 3.9 GPA, which is pretty great. I’ve been working my ass off. It helps so much, keeping my mind off Tyler and what happened. Alex and Brittany are taki
ng me out to celebrate and have some sort of news, something they want to talk to me about.
We’re meeting at a new restaurant in town. I’ve heard great things about the food and am excited, and starving. I’ve been putting applications in around town today. I applied for a couple of receptionist jobs and an assistant position at my mom’s law firm. I doubt I’ll get it, even though I’m related to one of the lawyers. But, had to try. My mom is extremely proud of me.
Alex has gotten her renovations done and she’s over the moon impressed at the work and how quickly it was done. She seems to love Alex now. I knew she would, eventually. I, on the other hand, wasn’t too excited because the house now has a ‘for sale’ sign out front and my time is limited to find another place to live before it sells. Brittany has offered me her spare bedroom, but I don’t know if I should even though it would be awesome to live with my favorite bitch.
I pull in to the Italian restaurant and see Alex and Brittany talking beside his truck. They see me pull in and smile at me.
“Hey bitch,” she says as I get out of my car.
“Hey whore,” I smile.
Alex is shaking his head and laughing at us, “Hey babe, how was the job hunt?”
“It went well. I hope to hear back soon.” I kiss him passionately as Brittany makes gagging sounds. I laugh as I pull away. Alex takes my hand in his and we all walk into the restaurant.
It’s not too fancy, but has a cute look to it. There are checkered-clothed tables with chef décor on the walls. It smells delicious causing my stomach to growl.
Alex looks at me funny and then smiles, “Hungry?”
“Yes. I’m starved,” I say, licking my lips. He lifts a brow and I wink at him.
We find a booth and that makes me very happy. We decide on an order of mozzarella sticks and a couple of pizzas. I love mushrooms and Brittany likes them, too. Alex hates them so he orders a meat lovers all for himself.
“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” They look at each other, and Alex clears his throat. Shit. He’s nervous about what he wants to say. Now I’m nervous.