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"Don’t throw up," I whispered to myself. "Whatever you do, don’t throw up."
103
Piper
Ripped And Torn Apart
The car eased to the curb and the conversation died down. June adjusted the rearview mirror to get a look at me.
"Ready, Piper?" she asked.
"Here’s the plan." Zariah leaned forward. "We’re the Romans, right? All three of us hang out in front of her on the walkway, like the shield, legion thing. We ring the doorbell and just keep shuffling so he can’t see her."
Kassie shifted back in her seat. "Z, is that Romans? I thought that was the Spartans."
"Well, fine, we’re also the Gladiators. So…we need some spears."
"Romans had testudo formulations," I explained, glum. "You could apply the legion formation."
"I love our geek." Zariah beamed until her smile faltered. "So, we’re doing the plan?"
"No…" I hesitated. "I have to do this alone."
Everybody turned with surprise on their faces but nobody was as surprised as me. It was the truth though. I needed to be the one to get my stuff back, I needed to be the one to face up to my fears. No more shrinking away from things.
Slowly, I unclipped my seatbelt and opened the door.
"Do you want me to keep the car running?" June called after me.
"Yes." I sighed. "This should be quick."
Let this be quick.
My first knock on the front door was too small to hear. I took a deep breath and rapped my knuckles harder. It was difficult not to check out the place. I had so many memories here, high school and college.
Footsteps echoed behind the door and I clasped my hands together, trying to stop them from shaking.
The door yanked open.
"What the fuck do you want?"
I cringed. Part of me wanted to apologize for what happened at the rodeo but that wouldn’t be honest. That was just me wanting to apologize for everything. The truth was, I wasn’t sorry.
I cleared my throat. "I want my stuff back."
"What?" Thomas leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. His face was a collection of old bruises and a few new bandages. "Did you come to apologize? Tell your boyfriend to eat a dick."
For a moment, I didn’t say anything, I just stared at him. This was the same Thomas Sullender I went out with? It was. Of course it was. But the longer I gazed at him, the more confused I was. This was the guy I’d been wrapped up with for years? A blonde football player with an anger problem?
He’d been everything to me but looking at him now…he was just some guy.
Adam was right.
I rolled back my shoulders and straightened up my back. A little braver. "I want my stuff back."
"What stuff?" He sneered.
"You know what stuff."
