No one knew what to say.
Mike refused Dad’s offer to invest in a new
company. He grabbed Sarah’s hand and left
“I’ll take care of my own problems,” Mike
said.
He held onto his beloved, like he had it all.
As they left, Dad shook his head.
I didn’t follow them. I just stared after them.
As soon as they were gone, Dad grabbed my hand and sighed. “Amy, you and Mike had an understanding. You were supposed to marry
him, and you clearly like him. Why’d you
change your mind?”
“Dad, I don’t want Mike. Don’t mention him
again.”
“And you can’t help him anymore, either. I
く
want all the resources you’ve been secretly
funneling to him back!”
My dad looked shocked.
He seemed like he wanted to say something,
but he just nodded. “Okay. I’ll do what you
say.”
I smiled, squeezing his hand back.
Last time, Mike had used me to get back on
top. This time, I wanted to see how he’d
manage without me.
Mike had been dodging the people his family
had ripped off. I heard he’d almost been killed
a few times and was barely sleeping at the
police station.
<
He was dodging the bad guys and trying to
get his life back on track, and I was busy, too. I’d found an old notebook from high school
and, in the corner, was a number I didn’t
recognize.
It was an old classmate of mine.
The guy who’d risked his life to save me from
the fire.
I called, and he picked up right away.
“Amy, you…
“Jason, can we meet?”
We spoke at the same time. I was anxious.
Jason was silent for a minute. I felt a rush of
L
panic.
He’d always been around, from elementary school to college. But he’d never been too interested, and I’d been so busy chasing after Mike I’d ignored every other guy.
And now, he was the only one who was willing
to die for me.
“Okay, I’ll meet you.”
Jason’s voice sounded good. I relaxed and
set up a time and place.
When I got there, Jason was there, wearing a
black coat.
Seeing his face again, it finally felt real. Last
time I’d seen him, it was in the burning
I was burned and screaming in agony, and he couldn’t care less about the heat, he just ran into the fire, drenched himself in the pool
water, and pulled me from the flames.
I shuddered at the memory.
Jason saw my face and asked if I was okay.
I paused. Had he always cared about me?
“I’m fine. It’s just windy.”
Jason realized he was getting too close and
went back to being distant, showing me the
menu.
He’d already ordered all my favorites.
Jason was great. Dinner was easy, and felt
natural.
We chatted about normal things. I tried to get
some hints about his family business.
His family was in some financial trouble.
Although he’d figured it out on his own.
I didn’t know how to repay him. I just wanted
to help, give him everything I’d wasted on
Mike.
After dinner, Jason went to pay. I waited for
him, but someone else showed up.
Mike, wearing a server’s uniform, came over,
looking pissed.
“Amy. what’s going on?”
<
I knew why he was here.
Without my family’s help, Mike had lost everything. He couldn’t even pay for groceries and had to take a low–paying job.
He must have seen me laughing with Jason.
Last time, I would have been terrified of Mike
being mad, I’d have cried and begged him to
listen.
But now, I just asked, “Who are you?”
Who was he? What right did he have to talk
to me like that?
Mike got angrier. He slammed a tray on the
table, and the food spilled all over my dress.
Г
“Playing hard to get now? Just wait until I get
mad. You’ll come crawling back, crying your
eyes out!”
I used to think everything Mike did was so
great.
Now I realized his so–called “love” was just
him doing the bare minimum, and I’d fallen
for it.
Mike used to talk to me like that. Now, he just
sounded like an asshole.
“Shut up. Who wants to get back together
with you? Aren’t you supposed to be with.
Sarah? Does she know you’re talking to me
like this?”
Mil
Mike laughed.
“So, you’re jealous? You found out where I
work and brought another guy here to make
me mad!”
His shamelessness was disgusting.
I stood up to confront him, but Mike groaned
and fell to his knees.
I turned around to see Jason. He was
standing behind Mike, holding a broken beer
bottle.
“Amy!”
Jason dropped the bottle, rushed to me, and
started checking me for injuries.
୮
I was a little stunned. My face felt hot. I
shook my head, said I was okay.
He looked relieved. He then turned to Mike
and yelled, “Get out of here. Don’t come near
Amy again!”
“Argh…” Mike glared at us, holding his head.
“Jason, right? You’ll regret this.
I stopped Jason.
“Are you planning on cleaning up these
dishes?”
Mike thought he was still some big shot.
Without my family, he was nothing.
Jason laughed. Mike was already furious from
a simple insult.
“Amy! How dare you talk to me like that!”
He was yelling, trying to get closer, when
Sarah showed up with the manager.
Chapter 2
Sarah saw Mike with a bloody gash on the
back of his head and the mess on the floor.
She screamed as she ran to him.
She was dressed as a waitress too. What a
great example of sticking together in hard
times.
Except, she had a ton of fancy jewelry
dangling from her neck and wrists. Guess
things weren’t too rough when she was living
it up at our place.
Sarah finished babying Mike and turned to
yell at me, tears in her eyes.
“Amy! This is too much. Mike doesn’t love
you, so you’re going to get back at him like
this?”
She didn’t even ask what had happened. Just
right to the attack, just like she always did.
“Mr. Peterson, get these two troublemakers
out of here!”
Sarah was talking to the manager, who
obviously didn’t know what was going on.
He knew her though, and just nodded. Picked
up his walkie–talkie to call security.
“Uncle? Mr. Peterson, do you know her and
not me?” I asked coldly.