“Just leave your number and your friend’s address, and you can go,” the officer says kindly.
I nod and duck into the bathroom, grabbing my toiletries, stuffing them into my bag. When I get to the kitchen, I jot down my number and Jacqui’s name and address, as well as her number.
“Here,” I say to the officer that gave me the card. “Thanks.”
He waves me off and I step through the doorway. Hopefully, the next time I come back here will be to collect my things. It was a mistake to settle for this place just because it was cheap and I was desperate to leave Jesse’s apartment. I should have stayed with Jacqui for a little while so I could find somewhere a little better, like she offered.
Oh well, regrets are pointless, now. I won’t regret anything that’s happened so far. I’ll fight Jesse with everything I have, and live my life out of his shadow.
I close my eyes and Kyle’s face swims into my mind as I head down the hall.
I’ll try not to regret anything.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Allison
I’m going insane.
That’s the only excuse I can think of.
That’s the only reason for why I keep seeing people in the corner of my eye, only for them to not be there when I turn around.
It looks like my decision to fight on equal ground with J
esse has driven me mad.
And it’s only been four days since I started staying at Jacqui’s house!
“Do you think it’s Jesse?” Jacqui asks, concerned, when I finally tell her about it.
“No… Maybe?” I groan, burying my head in my pillow. “I just want them all to go away already. Why are they stalking me?”
“Maybe I should find out?” Jacqui suggests darkly.
“On top of that, I have seen Jesse a few times,” I admit, raising my head up. “But he’s always in the distance. And he always looks frustrated.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jacqui asks, exasperated. “That’s something you’re supposed to tell me, Allison!”
“Sorry,” I sigh. “I just really don’t want to deal with any of this, anymore.”
I bury my head in the pillow again. I hear Jacqui sit down on the couch beside me.
“Do you want to talk?” she asks gently.
“No,” I say, my voice muffled.
Jacqui waits patiently. I groan and lift my head again.
“A week, Jacqui,” I say to her pitifully. “It was only a week.”
“A week for what?” Jacqui asks.
I glare at her. I know she knows what I’m talking about. She’s just playing dumb because she wants me to admit it.
“You know,” I say.
“I don’t, actually,” she replies.