The Guy Next Door *editing for publication*

The Ex Boyfriend

Troy arrived to pick Ashley up within moments of her walking out of the hospital, she smiled and waved at him.  He jumped out the driver side and opened her door, kissing her as she slid into the seat.  He turned and winked at her stupefied classmates before running to his side of the car and driving off.

"Aren't you attentive," Ashley shifted in the seat as she glanced back seeing her classmates staring after them.  "Thank you for picking me up," she tried to smile but her growing uneasiness was building, "Are you like a serial killer or something."  She giggled nervously.  "You seem too good to be true."

Troy finished the drive amused and silent listening to her ramble about not worrying about if he was an ax murder with a small smile on his face.  When he parked in her small parking source she hurried to open her front door, he walked in before she could blocking her way.  He'd already noticed in get haste she didn't see the red mustang parked on the street in front of her house.

"Who are you?"

Troy stared into the dim room staring at the tall dark skinned guy from the mustang.

Ashley looked around Troy and anger guided her as she tried to walk farther into her house, "How did you get into my house?"

Rashawn stared down at Ashley with contempt, "I used a key."

Glaring at him she started forward but was pulled back by Troy, "You a damn lie!  I would never give you a key!"  Pulling out her cellphone, "I'm calling the campus police."

Troy stared at Rashawn clenching and un-clenching his fist as he looked around for how he got in.  

"You're going to call the police on me, baby?" Cajoled Rashawn smiling prettily at her.  "How you gonna act like that."

Turning her nose up, Ashley looked at him as if he'd lost his mind, "You need to get out my fucking house and never come back!"

"But Ashley, I'm here to work this out."  He stepped toward her ignoring the man that separated them.  "I forgive you for leaving, emptying the joint account and for your indiscretions” he looked at Troy, "while you calmed down."

Ashley hung the phone up after listening to the campus police recording saying they were busy and to dial 9-1-1 if it was an emergency.  Full of rage she snapped, "Forgive me! Are you damaged in the head?"

Troy stood there silently but now he'd had about enough, "You need to go."  He held Ashley's hand and walked farther into the house directing her attention to the broken window in the kitchen.  "You need to leave before campus police get here."

Rashawn stared at the buff brown haired, blue eyed white boy that had been with Ashley since yesterday.  "You need to leave so I can talk to my girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend," Ashley interrupted him.

Smirking, "Have you told your mom that we aren't together anymore?"

Ashley stared at his smirking face and pulled her cellphone out of her pocket again.  Pressing a button she held the phone to her ear. Foot tapping she glared at Rashawn waiting for the other person to answer.  After several seconds she smiled, "Mom, how are you?  Yes, I know it's been a while but I was calling to tell you a few things."  She hummed while she listened to her mom talk for a few minutes.   She frowned and looked at Rashawn, "Mom I don't know why he called you every day.  We broke up 3 months ago."  Closing her eyes she listened annoyed as her mom questioned her.

Troy could hear her mother's voice asking questions loudly through the phone, when she stopped talking Ashley opened her eyes glaring at Rashawn, "Mom while he was telling you about us having a small argument did he mention that I came home to find him and Janelle in our bed fucking?"  She closed her eyes as she listened to her mother on the other end of the phone, "I moved out that very day and have cut contact with both of them."  Staring toward Troy she smiled a little, "As a matter of fact, I may have a new boyfriend."  An excited voice came from the phone, "I'll think about inviting him home mom but I need to tell you now that he's a white city boy."

She closed her eyes waiting for her mom's reply and was shocked when instead of hearing bitching and moaning she had responded, so what.  Ashley ended the conversation telling her mom she loved her, would call more often and glanced smugly at Rashawn.

"Now she knows!  You can get out now."  She snapped as she pointed toward the door.  

Rashawn glared at her as he walked pass them, "This time I'll leave but next time we will talk."

Slamming the door behind him she turned to Troy, "What da faque! The nerve of him!"

Troy walked to the kitchen and stared at the broken window, "Why don't you stay at my house after dinner?"

Ashley walked into the bathroom to freshen up, when she exited she had on gray slacks, purple blouse and gray flat.  "You want me to stay at your house tonight?  I'll call Mr. Hamad so he can get the window fixed."

Troy smiled vaguely as he watched her leave a voicemail for their landlord.