The Ring

seven

I sat on the brown couch, opposite of Channing. He sat back casually as if he was trying to get comfortable. I looked at him, waiting for him to say why he came back but he remained silent.

"So..." I started. "What are you doing here?"

"I've got another..." He looked at the black Rolex on his left wrist. "Another forty-six minutes left of my break." He answered. He clearly said to me in the car to back off and now he wants to spend time with me?

"And you want to spend time with me?" I asked, as he simply nodded. "In the car, you told me to mind my own business." I argued.

"Okay..." He trailed off.

"What are we supposed to do then? Talk about the weather?" I sarcastically asked.

"If you ask me, it's quite chilly out." He smirked. I rolled my eyes. His mood changes were too quick for me, or too quick for any normal person. I stood and walked to the door opening it. Channing turned around and looked at me oddly. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Leave."

"What?" He asked surprised and confused by my actions. Channing stood from the couch and made his way over to me.

"Can you please leave?" I basically pleaded. If it was anyone else, they would have left but Channing is too damn stubborn and persistent.

"No, I drove you home." He argued.

"Voluntarily." I remarked.

"This is how I'm going to spend my break today. Now I'm going to go make a sandwich, do you want one?" He asked and walked to the kitchen. I stood there not even shocked but mostly annoyed. I slammed the door and followed him into the kitchen. When in the kitchen, I saw Channing looking through the refrigerator.

"Are you serious right now?" I asked not actually believing that he was making a sandwich in my kitchen.

"Where's your bread?" He asked, completely ignoring my question. He took turkey, lettuce, and a few jars out of the refrigerator. I huffed and walked over to a cabinet that contained the bread. I reached for the bread and put it on the island. "Thanks." He mumbled. He started making a sandwich for himself. I felt so weird. He just told me to leave him alone and now he's in my kitchen? No! He can't just do that. Right now, he was acting as if nothing happened or as if we were 'friends'. I sat across from him on the island. "Do you want a sandwich?" He asked. I shook my head no. He turned back around to the refrigerator and took out cheese and tomatoes.

"Channing... You can't keep doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Hating me one moment and then acting like we're best friends the next. It's confusing and not cool." I said. I looked at him for any type of reaction but I didn't get one. He just continued to look down at that damn sandwich that I wanted to throw at his face.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm not stupid!" I spat.

"I never said you were." He dropped the butter knife from spreading the mustard and looked up at me. "Mia, I am- I'm not comfortable telling you everything." He said.

"I don't need to know everything. I'm just trying to help but you won't let me." I argued.

"Damn it Mia!" He banged on the counter causing me to jump slightly. " I don't plan on opening up to you and I sure as hell don't need your help." He yelled. I don't know why but I was shocked. I stood up from the stool.

"Just leave when you finish your sandwich. You know where the door is." He stared at me as I left the kitchen. I went to the living room library area and sat at the large white window seat. As I sat there, I kept telling myself to let it go, let him go.