The Checklist (Explicit Version)

Chapter 19

   Nellie remained quiet for a moment. "Maybe he hated himself because of what he was doing. To you."

   Even though she wasn't actively defending Myles, her words had me jerking my head off her shoulder. Sensing my surprise, she quickly added, "I mean, maybe he felt bad?"

   "Myles doesn't feel bad," I scoffed bitterly, but there was a snag in my chest.

   I thought of all the times he tried to make me hate him. Scold me for trusting him. And when he saw me upset, he'd seemed... he looked upset, too. It was all an act, Thea. Myles is a great performer.

   "I think if I see his face, I'm going to punch him."

   My words came out hard but true. That seemed to zap Nellie with surprise because her eyes widened at my pursed lips. Almost as if she was waiting for my joking smile. It never came. Her mouth opened and closed, almost as if she was thinking about saying something—until she finally did.

   "Does that mean you'd want to know he's camping our front door?"

   It felt like the air was stolen from my lungs as I stared at my best friend.

   Her eyes roamed over mine before cringing when she noticed I'd become rigid. "Allie?"

   "He's doing what?" I tried to say casually, but seeing how the words came out through clenched teeth, I knew I failed.

   Nellie breathed in sharply. "Okay, listen. I didn't want to tell you, but the dude is not leaving."

   "Since when?"

   My short replies had her frantic eyes falling back to mine. I ignored the worry stretching across her expression before she simply said, "Yesterday morning."

   "Yesterday morning?" I repeated, dumbfounded.

   "When I say he's been camping outside, I wasn't kidding."

   "I haven't heard him..."

   "I keep telling him you're sleeping," she explained with an exhausted sigh before tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. "But then he demands to wait inside."

   "Did you threaten—"

   "To call the cops?" She snorted. "Yeah. I told him that five times. Today. And it's not even noon. He's not relenting, I'll give him that."

   He's stubborn, I thought to myself. I used to like that about him. Now, I just wanted to throttle him.

   "And he's still there?"

   At my hardening tone, Nellie's eyes rounded. It took a few seconds before she stammered out, "Yeah. He's—what are you doing?"

   I shot out of bed, but I must have overestimated myself because combining my empty stomach and my weak muscles, I nearly collapsed on the floor. Thankfully, I managed to press a hand onto the wall across from me before my knees could give up.

   Once I was sure I wouldn't fall, I straightened and slid the mug onto my nightstand before stomping toward the door. Without turning back, I shouted, "I'm getting rid of him."

   It wasn't until I was halfway to the front door when I realized two things. One, Valerie was idling behind the peninsula, her eyes bulging when she saw me. And two... I was about to exit the house half naked.

   Well, not exactly half-naked, but close enough.

   Seeing as how I spent the last two days in bed, I found pants useless. While my tee-shirt was on the long side—it ended right below my ass—I also wasn't wearing anything else. But I was already unlocking the door, and I couldn't find the urgency to put on some more clothes.