Be Rude but Love Me | ✔

CHAPTER 2

He runs a hand through his jet-black hair and I watch as the locks fall back just below his shoulders.

"Look," I begin saying, "this is my ol–"

He whips around so fast, the rest of the sentence dies on my lips. "Get out."

It's said with much less hostility than anything he's said so far but it isn't less rude. I am tempted to comply but feel like I at least owe him an explanation as to why I am in his house.

"This used to be my house," I say as I look for a hint of surprise or interest on his face. There is none. "I just wanted to come and see it."

"What is this?" He spits out, "A fucking museum or a zoo?"

OK, he's right to be mad. I did trespass, after all. "This," I gesture to the house, "holds all of my childhood memories and–"

He gives out a bitter laugh. "I couldn't care less about your damn childhood memories." He says and starts speaking again.

However, before he can say anything, I decide to use an approach different from explaining my presence. "You must be the tenant." I say though that much is already obvious.

He looks slightly taken aback by my words, maybe not expecting the change in topics. When he remains quiet for a few more seconds, I talk closer to him and extend my hand, "I'm the landlord's daughter."

He doesn't take my hand. He doesn't even look at it. "What part of get out didn't register through that thick," he pokes the side of my head in an insulting way, "skull of yours?"

It's only now that his attitude really starts to piss me off. "You don't have to be a jackass, you know? I did trespass, yes. But I am trying to explain and if you could drop the attitude for two minutes, I would be glad." I say. Then for good measure, I add, "Asshole."

His face turns into something more ferocious than before and I am afraid for a moment. Then –

"Finally, you stopped playing!" I can almost hear the sound as Ellie's eyes roll back. "Let's –" Momentary silence. Followed by, "Yann?"

And it's almost surreal how fast it happens. The expression on the tenant's face goes from deadly to pleased in a split second and he turns away from me. In three long strides, he's away from and in front of Ellie who doesn't wait to wrap herself around him.

"It's you," she says.

He lifts her up the ground and I swear my eyebrows touch the ceiling at how shocked I am. Capable of being nice? He swings her around and her happy giggles fill the silence of the house. When he finally lets her down, she gazes up at him affectionately, her smile sincere.

"I missed you," she says.

He ruffles her hair playfully, "I missed you too, Cookie."

Cookie? Really?

At last, they seem to realize I am still here as Ellie turns to face me. I look up at Yann whose scowl is firmly back in place.

"Yann," she says as she takes him by the hand and drags him behind her, "I want you to meet Tracy."

"So, that's Tracy," he says as he looks me up and down.

I take offense to his words, angered more by those three words than by anything he has said ever since he came here. That's Tracy? What am I, a dog? Even Shelby at home – our dog – gets more respect than that.

However, Ellie doesn't look offended at all. She only rolls her eyes before saying, "Behave, Yann."

"Tracy, this is –"