Chapter 6 We’ve Been Done for a While
I glanced at my phone. The screen was a mess. Calls and texts stacked on top of each other, mostly from Riley and a few other friends. A handful came from some random number I didn’t recognize.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out who it was. Claire must have borrowed someone else’s
phone. Again.
I blocked the number immediately.
Then, I opened my WhatsApp and was greeted with a bunch of red dots. It was as if my phone had contracted chickenpox when I wasn’t looking. A bunch of friends had reached out, asking if something had happened to me.
I sighed, rubbed my temple, and finally posted to my Instagram Story.
‘I’m fine. Just officially done with certain people and certain things from the past.‘
Riley liked it within seconds. Then, he called me.
“Zach, you finally woke up. You have no idea. Claire’s totally lost it.”
He sounded drained. Suspiciously so.
I asked her what happened. When he told me, I couldn’t help it… I cracked up.
Claire had gone on a full–blown manhunt. She had called every single person she knew I was friends with. When that didn’t work, she doubled down on Riley. Since midnight last night, all the way into the morning. Riley had to face nonstop calls.
“She’s insane, man,” Riley grumbled. “I told her you weren’t here, but she wouldn’t let it go. She’s convinced you’re hiding out at my place. She banged on the door like I’m gonna conjure you out of thin air. What does she think I am, a magician?”
I laughed again, shaking my head. No wonder everyone had been checking in on me.
Chapter 6 We’ve Been Done for a White
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I had kept the hotel room another night just to be safe, figuring Claire would probably still be staked out in front of my apartment for the next few days. Judging by the way she acted yesterday, there was no way she would just give up.
That evening, I called building security and asked them to take a look.
Ten minutes later, the guard called me back, clearly rattled.
Claire was camping out by the elevator like a watchdog. Not only that, she nearly threw herself at the guard when he came around the corner, thinking he was me.
Originally, I was going to have him escort her off the property. Alas, she flipped the script. Played the sympathy card hard.
By the time the guard called me again, he was practically pleading on her behalf.
“Mr. Mason, she seems really remorseful. She said she’s sorry. The ground’s littered with cigarette butts. If she keeps chain–smoking like this, she’s gonna end up in the hospital. Maybe just… talk to her?”
It was funny how right his prediction turned out to be.
A few days later, Riley called again. This time, he was calling with an update.
“She’s sick. Real sick,” he said. “Caught something after spending a few nights outside your apartment. They had to admit her. Fever, chills, the whole nine yards. Word is, she was calling your name even when she passed out.”
I nearly laughed out loud.
So now she wanted to play the tragic heroine? After all the games she pulled?
Please.
Some mutual friends started poking around, asking if I planned to visit her. I shot them all down. There was no way I was falling for that performance.
I could already picture it. Claire lying weakly in a hospital bed, whispering my name,
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tugging at heartstrings like it was some indie drama. She was probably begging someone to convince me to show up.
Since she was stuck in the hospital, I figured it was safe to go home.
As soon as I finished checking out of the hotel, my phone buzzed again. It was a new
message.
It was from Leo. ‘Wow, Zach. You really think pulling a disappearing act is gonna make Claire fall for you? This whole hot–and–cold, push–and–pull thing? Please. She’s just not used to being ignored. Give it time, she’ll move on, and you’ll realize you never meant anything to her.‘
That jogged my memory. I had completely forgotten to block Leo.
So, I fixed that real quick.
I was finally back in my apartment. Sadly, I barely got to lie down when my phone lit up again. Mom.
Great.
I picked up, already guessing where this was headed. Claire’s parents must have spread the
word.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Zach,” she said, “I just heard Claire’s in the hospital. What’s going on? Is she okay?”
I kept my voice even. “Not sure. Haven’t seen her.”
That caught her off guard.
“You two aren’t together anymore? You mean you didn’t even know she was sick?”
And just like that, I shut it down.
“Nope. We’ve been done for a while. And don’t start making stuff up. I’ve still got to find a
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Chapter 6 We’ve Been Done for a While
girlfriend one day.”
There was a pause. Then, her voice jumped an octave.
Cue the interrogation.
It took me a full ten minutes of back–and–forth to finally calm her down.
Claire’s game was clear as day now.
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Since friends didn’t work, she moved on to family. She was planting the seeds, stirring up
the pressure, and getting them to push me into visiting. Classic emotional leverage.
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