Over

107. Over

🤍🖤💜 Jacob 💜🖤🤍

When I pull over in Ira’s building’s parking lot, I don’t call her. I plan to trespass because I must see her today. I am tired of trying with no results. After waiting barely a few minutes, I see some kids entering and I tag along with them.

That was easy..

I just hope she is at home. I rush to her apartment and knock on her door.

“Great! I cannot even fight in peace!” her voice booms behind the door and I stiffen.

Someone is not in a good mood. I am not sure how she will react to me entering her building like this.

“Well, how about you don’t fight me at all?” A guy retorts as Ira opens the door.

She squints her angry eyes at me and says, “You don’t understand when someone is avoiding you, right?”

“I guess not!” I say and walk inside as she gives me passage into her apartment.

“Liam!” I nod at him.

“Jacob!” He nods back and says, “I will go out now. It’s useless to talk to her.”

“Well, I think it’s useless to talk to you!” Ira snaps back at him as he leaves the apartment.

Ira angrily pours orange juice into a glass and slides it towards me on the kitchen counter. I wonder if I am supposed to placate her first or should I simply shoot my question about Natalie’s whereabouts?

“Are you guys still together?” I ask unsure if she will hate Natalie because she told me some details about their mess.

“That’s the point, Jacob. We were never together…” She taps her foot and sniffs, then says, “...and can never be...”

“Looks like a season of heartbreak…” I mutter under my breath.

Me, Norris, Riley and now Ira…

“What brings you here?” She asks.

“I think you know very well.”

“I want you to say it.”

Does…” I swallow and ask, beholding myself, “Does she want me to leave her alone?”

“Probably…” she says.

I look at her, confused. “Didn’t she tell you? What does she want?”

She laughs bitterly and says, “I haven’t been in touch with her either.”

I feel as if someone has pulled a rug out from under my feet.

“Why?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know… I think it’s her dad! I am fucking surprised how he has isolated her! I have called them so many times! Trying to talk to her, but he simply said I can talk to her when she visits the city…”

She takes a gulp of juice then says, “I guess he thinks I am a bad influence on her daughter.... That would explain why He wouldn’t even tell me when she will visit the city or if she will visit at all.” She rolls her eyes and slams the glass back on the counter.

I just stare at her. Unable to believe what I just heard. I thought he just wanted me to keep away from her. But Ira too?

“I only know she is in Michigan… It’s a vague guess… but she probably is at Michigan university. Although I am not sure what she is doing there exactly….” She says in a single breath.

I feel a dread rise up my chest.

“Do you think she is okay?”

Natalie never would have let her father control her life to this extent. This is not the girl I know.

“I fucking hope so…” she says with bitterness in her voice.

What?

“You are angry with her,” I state.

“Yes, I am! I need her right now! My life is a mess too, Jacob… and I needed her with me. I have always been there for her. All that shit happened… She didn’t even call me. Not even once… I had to coax all the bullshit from Amy!”

She walks away from the kitchen and says, “As if it’s only my job to maintain the fucking friendship… I have to run around trying to take care of her. I am damn tired of her!”

I listen to her quietly as her voice rises.

“I was so fucking miserable that day and I called her… and guess what! Her father picks the call and says…” Her throat chokes and she goes quiet.

She takes a deep breath and says, “Anyway, it doesn’t matter…”

Then she adds after a while, “What you did was not right!”

I hang my head low and reply, “I know.”

“Amy told me Natalie was a mess when she came back home that evening…”

“I didn’t know Ira… I know it’s not a good enough excuse but…” I sigh and shake my head. There is no point trying to justify myself.

“I just want to apologize to her.” and get her back…

As if she hears the undertone in my words, she says, “If she wanted to patch up with you, she would have contacted you.”

I go miserably quiet after hearing her words.

She lets the words sink in then adds, “I get it… Her number has changed and her dad removed contacts from her phone… but it barely takes a minute to create social accounts and contact someone.”

My stomach twists. It’s suddenly hard to breathe.

Were we over the day when all that mess happened? Looks like I was just holding onto false hope.

…..

When I reach home, I see Riley’s text on my phone.

Riley: ‘Did she tell you something… anything?’

Me: ’She is in Michigan… Probably at university.’

Riley: ’Oh My God!! I know.. I know where she is… They contacted me about it.’

Riley: ’There was a new runner program! They were interviewing high school seniors about it.’

A part of me wants to ask her for more details about it. But I stop myself.

Me: ’Can I ask you something, Riley?’

Riley: ’What?’

Me: ’Do you wish West would stop bothering you?’