THICK(8)

Once Teeny has paid for her stuff, I grab the bags from the cart and step outside with them in my hands.

“Let me help you carry something,” she says and I raise an eyebrow at her.

“I think I can manage,” I say, and she laughs.

“I know, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to.”

I start to say something in response, but before I can a guy walks into me and pushes me off balance. I have all the bags in my hands and before I can right myself I swing around and knock the guy to the ground. It was an accident, but as soon as he falls he starts cursing and making a scene.

“Watch where you’re going, you sasquatch-looking motherfucker,” he says as he looks down at his cracked cell phone. “You owe me a phone, asshole.”

“You should watch where you’re going instead of looking at your phone!” Teeny shouts, coming to my defense.

Normally guys like him don’t say a word to someone my size, but there’s a crowd outside the store and people are watching. This is what I hate most and now all eyes are on me. I have to make this stop so I can get Teeny out of here.

“Sorry about that,” I say as I reach into my pocket and grab a business card. “Just call that and I’ll take care of it.”

“Yeah right.” The guy says as he gets up off the ground with his smashed phone. “You expect me to believe that, Sloth?”

I’ve been called worse by lesser men but I can’t get in a fight right now. I could put this guy ten feet underground, but there are too many witnesses and most importantly Teeny is right here with me. I decide to try and keep cool and handle this the best I can. I put down some of the bags and then take out my wallet.

“Here. If that’s not enough, you call that number and I’ll make sure you get what you need,” I say as I hand him a grand. I don’t think his phone costs near that much, but I’ve spent most of my life trying to avoid conflict and I’m looking for the best way to do it now.

“Oh, I will.” He’s smug as he tucks the money away and then glances at Teeny. “Just keep your chihuahua off me.”

Teeny makes a sound, but before she can say a word I reach out and snatch his neck with my bare hand and the crowd audibly gasps.

“You can insult me all you want, and you can claim that your flip phone is worth more than a thousand dollars. But the second you say one bad word about my angel I’ll snap your fucking neck.” He makes a gurgling sound as he claws at my hand and his feet dangle off the ground. “Now apologize to the lady.”

“Sorry,” he says quickly with the last of his air.

I squeeze him harder for just a second to make sure he gets the message and then let him drop to the ground. The crowd steps back as I grab the bags I put down earlier and then turn to face Teeny.

She’s taken a step away from me and her eyes are wide with shock and maybe even fear. In that moment I hate what I’ve done and wish that I could change the last five minutes of my life.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, and I turn to walk back to our building.





Chapter Five





Teeny





I walk next to Bull in silence, unsure if I should keep my trap shut or say something. The longer I’m quiet the worse I might be making it. I went from talking nonstop to mute. Why did he say sorry to me? I feel like I’m missing something here, but I don’t know what it is. What does he have to be sorry for? That man needed to be knocked down a time or two. What a freaking jerk.

The walk back to my apartment isn’t long and with each step I know we’re getting closer to me not seeing him again for days. I can’t do that all over again because I’ve been miserable. How can I miss someone I don’t even know that well? It’s going to be worse this time since we aren’t parting on the best of terms and I don’t want him to actively avoid me.

The mood between us has shifted and I don’t think asking him for one of those cooking lessons is on the agenda night now. If I’m honest I’m not sure I can read his mood. Can someone be super pissed and sad at the same time?

When we get back to our building I loathe each step we take up to our floor. I glance between our two doors and I hate the space between them. I know it’s because I’ve spent too much time checking out my peephole to see if Bull is coming or going.

Twice I debated going over and asking for something like sugar or flour. I chickened out, scared he’d ask what I was making and I had nothing I could use flour or sugar for. I also didn’t want to be a liar.

I wished so many times I just had the courage to walk over to his door and knock on it again like I did that first day, but then I had a reason. This time it would be clear I wanted to hang out, and I learned early in life a lot of people don’t enjoy hanging out with me. I’m either messing something up or talking too much.

After about a day of not seeing Bull I started making up the silliest reasons to go in and out of my front door. I went for a run that lasted three minutes because I tripped over the curb right outside the building and I knew it was a bad idea. But even with all the reasons I made up to go in and out of my door I still didn’t run into him. I started to think he was avoiding me.

Today can’t end this way. I just can’t let it. I’ve gone from having so much fun to empty inside. I’ve been trying to figure out this feeling that took up residence inside of me since I’ve been apart from Bull. There’s an emptiness and it vanished the moment I opened my door and saw Bull standing there. Not only had he been standing there but he was coming to see me.