Prologue: One year ago
I ran after him. He picked up his car keys from the hook by the door and swung the door open. I caught the door with my hand and swung it hard so it hit the wall. He made a dash for his car but I grabbed him by the arm. It was down-pouring out and the rain was making it hard to see if he I even grabbed him or not. I could've grabbed my neighbor by accident or something.
He jerked back and turned around. He tried yanking his arm but I kept my grasp, "Don't leave me, please!" I begged but I saw him roll his eyes. The rain was soaking through my clothes and I was shaking. I let go of my grip and he made a break for his car.
He swung the door open, got in, and slammed the door. As he started it I pounded heavily on the window. He rolled it down and looked at me, "Goodbye, Seth."
He rolled his window back up and I backed away from the car. He sped away in the pouring rain and thunder cracked over my head. I jumped and I felt my own hot tears rush down my face. I ran inside our place and started grabbing his things
I went for Erick's clothing first. I grabbed the drawers of his shirts from our dresser and opened the window in the bedroom. I dumped out all the clothes and they landed in a heap in the driveway. I did the same with his pants and work clothes.
Once that was done, I grabbed his work supplies like his laptop and portfolios and ran outside. I swung his laptop and it cascaded down our driveway with a river of sparks. I then took his portfolio and chucked it and the papers went flying through the air but were soaked once they landed.
I stood outside for a few minutes after that and put my head in my hands. I started choking on my own tears. I was gasping for air and about ready to hyperventilate when my neighbor Bill came running out from his house.
Bill was married and had five kids—not joking, five kids—so I knew his wife had probably made him. He rushed over to me and put his arm around me.
"Did you and Erick get into a fight again?" Erick and I had some pretty intense fights over the three year's we've lived together and the year before we moved in together when we were just dating. We started dating our senior year. Then I went to college for two years to get my associates degree and we moved in together. Erick is still going to college right now for business and he has a job working with his uncle at his uncle's bank.
"It was way worse than just a fight, Bill." I barely made out those words. He handed me his jacket and I wrapped myself in it to keep myself warm for a few, "He ended it tonight." I leaned into Bill and wrapped my arms around him for a hug. He was always there for me when I needed him. I was crying way worse than before now and he was trying to whisper things into my ear but the only thing I could hear was the sound of my own heart's pounding.
"Do you want to stay with Lilly and I? I'm sure you won't want to go back in there for a day or so." I lifted my head up and let him guide me to his house. I never wanted to step foot into that house again.
One Year Later
I was on my lunch break at work. I was sitting with my co-worker just talking. I was a secretary for a doctor's office. It was so boring but the money was pretty good and since I'm paying on court charges from Erick for damaged property, I needed the money. I owed him about five grand and I wasn't prepared for paying it. I agreed to pay him about one grand every couple of months. He figured that would work.
Kristie, the other secretary, was chewing down on her protein bars while I was just drinking water, "You need to start eating something." She said in-between chews. She's the one that shouldn't be eating. She had to be going at least two-fifty and was short so it made her look even bigger. I was five nine and weighed around the one fifty area. I considered myself fat even though I was in the normal weight range.
"I'm too fat." I said and she started laughing. Then she finished off her protein bar and pulled out a bottle of Pepsi. She had the down just as fast as the protein bar. I was disgusted with people that ate like that. But yet again, my boyfriend eats like that so I guess I could. I've been with the same guy for about a month now. I have just gotten back on my feet since the heart-wrenching split between Erick and I over a year ago. I met Jack during a jog. I was jogging down a road and he almost hit me. A horrible way to meet but I did threaten for a lawsuit if he didn't give me his name and number. I just laugh at that actually.
"Eat this." She tossed me over a huge chocolate Hershey Bar. I stared at in and looked at her like she was joking. She cocked her one eyebrow up so I unwrapped it and took a bite. I don't even remember the last time I ate a candy bar. I've been focusing on my body a lot lately. I've been hitting the gym and running as much as I can.
I ate it all and threw the wrapper away. I got up and grabbed my water. I walked away from the table I was sitting at in the cafeteria and walked to the bathroom. I needed to get this out of my system before I gained like ten pounds just from eating it. I was about ready to get sick just thinking about it being in my stomach right now.
I made it to the bathroom and started to push the door open when I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I turned my head to see Kristie standing behind me. She was a little shorter than I so I had to look down at her, "Don't do it Seth." I turned my head from looking at her, "Just give in once in a while. It will do you good. You're like a twig." I yanked my shoulder from her grasp and walked into the bathroom anyway.
I stood in front of the sinks and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I saw a twenty three year old guy with bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and medium spiked brown hair that was starting to feel greasy from having no time to shower the night before. I backed up from the mirror and saw my blue eyes weren't as bright as what they normally were. I turned so my side was to the mirror. I was skinny but I still found myself a little fatter than what I should be.
I turned my back to the mirror and took a few deep breaths. I was not the same person I was a year ago. I was worse. I rubbed my face with my hands and walked out of the bathroom.
Kristie was standing next to the door when I walked out. I looked over at her but I kept walking. I checked the time on the clock. Only two more hours and I'll be on my way home to get ready for a dinner with Jack.
I clocked out right at three. I needed to stop at the post office before it closed at three thirty. I rushed from the hospital to the post office.
I walked in and got my mail quickly. I was greeted by a few people as I was walking out. I got in my car and went through my mail. As I ripped up the junk mail, I came across a letter. I looked at who it was from and I felt my heart skip a beat. The letter was from Erick. My heart started racing. He was probably asking for more money or I was over due on my one grand payment this month which in my argument, I have ten more days until the end of June so I still have time. I threw the letter on the passenger seat and put my seatbelt on. I wasn't prepared to read it just yet.
It was a five minute drive from the post office to my town house. I still live in the same house that Erick and I bought four years ago. I just changed it up a little bit. I changed the color of the walls in each room and now it doesn't even look like the same house.
