“Believe it now?” I said calmly. “Now leave.”
Ashley shrieked. “This…thug! He’s nothing
compared to you, Mark!”
I walked over and slapped her, hard, twice. “Get
out. And take your filthy mouth with you.”
She lunged at me, but Mark held her back.
“Go outside, Ashley. I’ll talk to her alone.”
“So that’s why you were so nice…so gentle…
but never let me touch you? Because of him?
Did you ever even love me…?”
“No. Stop it, Mark. Jake hated people shouting
in his shop.”
“Like I said in my answer, I never intended to
actually marry you. I just…wanted Jake to see
me in a wedding dress.” I never would have
married Mark.
14
- 24.
I finally got rid of them. Silence descended,
broken only by the ticking clock. Memories
swirled around me, conversations, moments
we’d shared in this space.
“Jake, this couch is hideous. Can we get a new
one?”
“Sure. What color do you want?”
“Sky blue.”
“Tacky.”
He’d still gotten me a sky–blue couch, even
though it clashed with the dark, edgy décor of
“Old Harbor.”
I brought my suitcase inside, planning to stay
for a while. Our mutual friends told me that
Mark hadn’t gone back to the wedding. Ashley,
having invited a huge crowd, ended up
humiliating herself even further. Jason had
shown up and caused a scene. I didn’t care
about any of them. They were nothing
compared to Jake.
- 25.
The next day was beautiful. I curled up on the
couch and fell asleep. The curtains billowed in
the breeze. The clock ticked.
I drifted back to that summer. I’d found my
haven, spending every afternoon at “Old
Harbor,” sprawled on a table with my
homework, oblivious to the eclectic mix of
people around me. One day, a guy sneered,
“Hey, little missus! Back again, huh?”
Jake kicked his chair out from under him.
“Can’t you see she’s in a school uniform?”
“Just kidding, man.”
“One more word and you’re out.”
“I’ll help you throw him out, Jake!” I’d chirped.
He’d smiled. “Good girl.”
I was so happy then. After my dad slapped me,
Jake held me, comforted me. Soon after, Ashley
and her thuggish boyfriend got…taught a
lesson by some unsavory characters. They
stopped harassing me at school. I didn’t have to
fight with her at home anymore. I didn’t know
the details, but I knew Jake had something to
do with it.
- 26.
One day, Ashley’s attitude towards me
changed. I didn’t trust her sudden niceness. She
followed me to “Old Harbor,” clinging to my
arm.
“Nov” cho caid to Joko “loon you aivo mo
“Hey,” she said to Jake, “can you give me a
unique tattoo? On my thigh?”
I pulled away, disgusted.
“He doesn’t tattoo minors.”
“I’m eighteen,” she insisted. “I was held back a
year.”
Jake looked up at her, his expression flat.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not tattooing you.”
“I’ll pay triple!”
