Winning Back Ryan

by S. L. Siwik

  “Come here, you little chicken,” he said, motioning with his hands for me to come over. “Wouldn’t want you bumping your nose again.”

  “Arrogant,” I muttered, but slid over, placing my head on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around me and all of the drinks took their effect, lulling me asleep. I was woken up by Brian when we reached the train station. Half- asleep, I followed him onto the platform. He must have bought the tickets, I haven’t a clue, but I did remember stumbling onto the train and making some stupid comment about how the polls in the train looked like the polls in the club, and suggested that Brian give it a try. I remembered Brian woke me up when we arrived at our stop and nearly dragged me home to his apartment, because my feet were useless at that point. Once inside and up the elevator, we stepped inside his apartment. I heard the locks behind us clicking into position, and he walked me into the bedroom. Pulling the covers back, he helped me into bed, and I grabbed his shirt. “Stay. Don’t go sleep on the couch. Get in bed.”

  Brian breathed out long and slow before he nodded, sliding into the other side of the bed.

  “Come here,” he said, and I rolled over, and saw that his hand was out. I scooted next to him, my head on his chest as he wrapped his arm around me and we fell asleep.

  Chapter Ten

  The next morning when I woke up, Brian wasn’t there. I looked out the window to the same incredible view, and then over to the picture frame to see a few more pictures of Brian and me float by. When I walked out of the room, he was in jogging pants looking all disheveled and sweaty.

  “Did you go running?” I asked.

  He stood by the blender. “Cover your ears.”

  It was a repeat of the day before. One awful green shake later, and he told me that he went for a jog because it seemed like jogging weather. Whatever the hell that meant.

  Silence hung between us and I thought it best to clear the air.

  “Brian about yesterday…” I sighed, fumbling on how to begin, “I had a lot to drink and I’m sorry if I sent the wrong message…”

  “What are you talking about?” he asked, looking perturbed.

  “I just thought I…in the club when we were dancing. When we got home… “ I rubbed my forehead, frowning, “the memories are a little shaky.”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong,” he said.

  I blinked, surprised that this was so easy. Clearly I was making a big deal over some non-existent perceived issue in my head. Great, now I was fabricating drama, because apparently I didn’t have enough of it in my life already.

  “So, you and I are cool?” I asked, and he nodded. I sighed in relief, thankful that I didn’t do anything monumentally stupid to ruin our friendship.

  “So, I’d like to say that paying two strippers to feel me up for your own amusement is exceptionally pervy, but I get why you did it, and...thanks.” It was one heck of an ego boost.

  A mischievous smile spread across his face. “I didn’t ask them to do that. It was entertaining nonetheless.”

  I rolled my eyes, walking back to his bedroom to put on my shoes and retrieve my pocketbook. As I walked by the ever-changing photo frame, I saw a picture of Brian passed out on the floor. He was clad only in pink boxers and face full of make-up, holding a fistful of twenties. Crouching down next to him were George and I - smiling maniacally. I smiled at the memory of the fraternity party we went to, the cover charge going to breast cancer awareness funding. We all had to wear pink to the party. The picture suddenly gave me an idea, though. I took all the cash I had and opened his drawer. I meant to stuff the money in his jean pockets, only I came across his boxer drawer. I picked up the top pair and realized that they had a built in pocket for condom wrappers. Nice to see Brian was being safe. Good for him using his head, no pun intended. I rolled up the money, sticking it in the pocket, and put the boxers back how I found them. Grabbing my bag, I headed out.

  “See you tomorrow,” I said.

  “See ya at five. I’ll have everything ready for you.”

  I had no idea what that meant and was sure I didn’t want to. I’d find out tomorrow. For now, it was back to relax in my empty apartment as per the agreement struck with Ryan. On the way back to my apartment I texted Brian: Green is my favorite color on you. I hoped he’d figure it out and find the money. There was no way I would let him pay for dinner, drinks, cab rides, and subway tickets without contributing.

  As I made my way down to my apartment, I found Chuck outside my apartment building wringing his hands.

  “Are you alright?” I asked in concern.

  “You don’t want to go upstairs,” he said.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “There are about a hundred people up there. The party’s been going on since last night. People just keep comin’ in, but no one’s leaving.”

  “What!” I shrieked. I rubbed my forehead, pulling myself together. “So, you didn’t see anyone leaving with any valuables or anything.”

  He shook his head. “But, they’re on something.” He pointed to himself. “I know drugs. And they’re on something.” He paused for a moment, staring at the ceiling before adding, “And his friend, Kelly, is there, but they’re more than friends. I’ll say that. He nearly slept with her right here against the apartment wall.”

  This was all I needed right now. “Thanks. I owe you twenty.”

  I charged into the apartment building, ready to kill him.

  **

  I always thought ‘seeing red’ was just an expression. I never realized that there was actual truth behind the words. Not until I walked into my apartment that is. There were people everywhere, and the apartment was trashed. There was a couple groping each other on my kitchen counter, two others rooting through my fridge, about fifty girls on my couch playing my PS3. A few people stumbled out of the bathroom yanking up their pants- why multiple people need to be in a bathroom at once I didn’t want to know- and where was Ryan? Nowhere to be found. I walked into my room. As I walked in, I found the blonde bimbo- the very one I caught him with- sitting on the edge of the bed. Another blonde rifled through my underwear drawer wearing what looked like dental floss as shorts. Two naked men and a woman slept on my bed, lying on their sides, their limbs- and who knew what else- completely entwined. I stood there horrified. Good God.

  The woman who slept with Ryan watched me quietly.

  I turned to leave the room, wanting to get out of there, until I nearly fell over a couple who had spontaneously ripped their clothes off on the floor and were now having sex. Beneath them, however, was my crocheted shawl. It had been in a trunk buried in the back of my closet. Something inside me broke completely at that moment, and all I felt was blind rage.

  I kicked the two savagely in their side. “Get off my blanket!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

  The two stared up at me, scrambling up, and I picked up my grandmother’s heirloom off the floor.

  I took out my phone, pressing one on speed dial. The second that I heard his voice, I began rambling. “Brian, I’m sorry, but I need you.” I felt really guilty calling him, but I was afraid of what would happen when I saw Ryan. My mind had already contemplated six different ways to kill him.

  He must have heard something in my voice, because he asked, “Annie, what’s wrong?” in a panicky voice.

  “I’ll explain when you get here. In short, Ryan decided to throw a party. I have at least seventy people in my house, if not more. I’m going to kill him. I need you to stop me before I’m arrested.”

  “Holy crap. I’ll be right there,” he said before hanging up.

  I turned, although it pained me, and walked out of my room. I needed to make sure no one left before I checked to see if anything was missing. I didn’t want people walking out with my stuff.

  I tried to blend in standing near the doorway, which disturbingly worked with ease, until Brian came. I was livid standing there watching people just trash my place, a place I worked so hard on making into our home.

>   “Annie,” Brian yelled out, and his eyes met mine.

  His eyes scanned the loft, and then went wide by the sight.

  “Holy crap! This is nuts! Are you alright?” We both turned to see a guy yanking up a chick’s mini skirt, nailing her against my wall next to us. I wanted to fall apart and hysterically cry, but I needed to keep it together a while longer. Ryan would pay.

  I shook my head. “I don’t have time to deal with this. I need to make sure nothing was stolen. I need you to man the door. Make sure no one gets in or out, especially with my stuff.”

  He nodded while I walked back to the bedroom.

  “Get the fuck out of my room!” I screamed and the two women gasped loudly.

  The whore who slept with Ryan glared defiantly. “Ryan invited us here.”

  “That’s nice, but Ryan is nowhere to be found, and you’re in my room uninvited. How about I call the Hoboken police and you can sort it out with them down at their station?”

  The blonde who had been rifling through my underwear drawer, looked nervously around. She dropped my panties back in the drawer before strutting out like a peacock. She could strut however she’d like to, it was my name on the lease.

  The whore slid off the wall to walk out.

  “Nice to see you with clothes on,” I spat at her. “I was wondering if all you did was lay around in beds with your legs spread open, giving it to any idiot who looked your way.”

  I’m rewarded with an open mouth glare, so I winked at her.

  I grabbed a half-drunk water bottle lying on the ground and poured it on the three sleeping in my bed. “Get up! Get out now!” I screamed.

  Blinking, bleary eyed they look up.

  “What the fuck?” one shouted at me, irritated that I’ve woken him from his cat nap.

  “You’re in my room, in my bed, uninvited. Get up now!” I shouted before slamming a book that I picked up off the ground into his face.

  He shouted and all three stood up. I grabbed all the clothes off the floor and threw them into the living room.

  “Figure out where your clothes are out there!”

  Once out of the room, I began quickly searching for everything. Thankfully, no one thought to look under my bed. Everything important seemed accounted for. I notice several DVDs and CDs missing from my shelf along with some books. I slammed my bedroom door loudly, causing everyone to jump. A guy walked into the living room opening a can of my soda.

  “Where is Ryan?” I shouted.

  “In the bathroom,” one finally answered.

  On my way to the bathroom, however, I watched the blonde saunter to the doorway. She glanced up at Brian and whispered something in his ear. He nodded to whatever she said and he opened the door, letting her slip out. I’d have to figure that out later.

  Storming off, I opened the door to find Ryan fucking Kelly, his best friend, against the tiled wall. I grabbed him off of her, throwing him into the bath tub. I yanked her by her hair, and dragged her out of the apartment towards a wide eyed Brian.

  “Open the door,” I said. He complied, and I pushed her out, Brian closing the door when I walked back in. She started banging loudly on the door, so I nodded for him to open. “Yes?” I asked, my arms folded across my chest.

  “I’m naked,” she spat, staring down the hallway.

  I sighed. “You’re right. I’m being unreasonable. I’ll be right back.” Brian closed the door behind me and I walked back to the bathroom. All of our towels were full of semen, so I found the dirtiest one-Ryan still lying in the bathtub dazed- and walked back out to the door. Brian saw what was in my hand and could barely contain his grin. He opened the door for me and I tossed it out. “Knock on this door again, and I’ll call the cops,” I told her before walking back inside and Brian closed the door. “Everyone get out now! Whoever isn’t out of this apartment in one minute will be arrested for trespassing. Your minute starts now!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. They all looked around for a while before settling back into whatever they were doing. “Fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven…I have the Hoboken police on my speed dial…fifty-six!”

  They all jumped up, making their way for the door as I continued counting and Brian opened the door. When my apartment was cleared out, Ryan finally decided to grace us with his presence.

  “What the hell, Annie? I thought you were cool with this,” he said, buttoning his pants up.

  Despite how much I wanted to gouge his eyeballs out, or how much I hated him, seeing him standing there half-naked, his shorts riding low on his waist, I was still turned on. I felt so ashamed and disgusted with myself. But, I only had eyes for him for the last two years. It was hard to just turn it off like a light switch.

  “You said a few friends were coming over, and that you’d have them cleared out by the time I came home. That wasn’t a few friends, Ryan! Look at this place! They trashed our home! I also didn’t agree to my stuff being stolen and chicks rummaging through my underwear drawer!”

  He ran a hand through his hair, looking around the loft. “They kind of did mess it up.” His assessment of the situation astounded me as I watched a sideways cola can spill out onto our wooden floor.

  “You’re going to call a cleaning service and have them come and clean from top to bottom. You’re going to pay the bill, and you’re going to do it now. I feel like I’m going to contract an STD just walking around this place!” I screamed at him.

  Ryan didn’t seem to hear a word I said, glancing around the room before his eyes fell on Brian standing right next to me.

  “Why are you here?” he asked.

  “Why do you think? She shouldn’t have to come home to this. What is wrong with you?” Brian shouted at him.

  “Truthfully, I was trying to get her out of the apartment. I just got a promotion at work. I figured if she caught me cheating, she’d want to move out.”

  I blinked, unable to even comprehend how utterly messed up this situation was.

  “So you thought you’d what? Trash the apartment? Are you on drugs?” I shouted.

  Ryan rolled his eyes. “It’s just an apartment. It can be cleaned up.”

  “Stop lying to her. Just tell her the truth for once, you piece of garbage,” Brian said.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” he shot back.

  Brian raised his brow. “Annie knows about the pictures. She knows about you and Kelly. She doesn’t know what Ben said to you.”

  My eyes travelled between Brian and Ryan. Ryan crossed his arms, refusing to speak.

  “After Ben caught him…and they talked,” Ryan grunted at Brian’s choice of words. “Ben told your boyfriend that he had a month to come clean. If he didn’t, we would tell you.”

  “Is this true? You slept with that woman knowing that I’d be home to catch you just because you weren’t man enough to admit the truth to me?” I asked. Ryan glanced away, refusing to meet my gaze. I gave my afghan to Brian, asking him to hold it. I stepped forward and thrust my hand down Ryan’s pants. I grabbed his balls hard, twisting them. He grabbed my arms to get me off him, but I just twisted harder. “Stop squirming, or I’ll rip them right off. I swear to God.” He screamed out in pain, and even Brian made an uncomfortable sound. In a low, threatening voice, I said, “You’re going to call that cleaning service now. Then we’re going to divvy up everything else in this apartment. Do you get me?”