"Here's your money sir," Shannon said as he handed the hotel manager two hundred dollars.
He broke the bathroom door down. I tugged the robe around me more. Shannon's arm was like a magnet to my shoulders.
The manager left, Shannon looked down at me, he almost had tears in his eyes.
"Why did you do that?" He asked as he let go of me and sat down on the bed.
"I don't know…I'm sick of you guys leaving me alone. So when Jeff came in and I got his note I thanked him for showing he cared and he said 'I've always cared.' and I was like 'so that's why you leave me alone every night?' and he told me to stop being a bitch and I lost it. I don't want to go through things like I did with Ryan."
The mere mention of his name made my stomach turn. I hate him, I hate how he only shows up every now and then. It's like god slaps me in the face with my past. And he only shows up when I'm alone. Like he did a few weeks ago. Shannon only keeps him at the shop because he's a good artist.
Shannon sighed, "I understand and as much as I don't want you in a relationship period, I know Jeff won't hurt you. Adam hurt you, Jeff wouldn't hurt you for anything."
A tear rolled down my face, "He's hurting me now."
Shannon smiled, "It takes two people to be in a relationship. So if he's going out you have to go out too. You can't just ask him to stay in with you every night when he wants to go drink."
"Shannon, you know I don't drink."
"I know but you can go out without drinking."
I laughed, "Not around you guys."
Shannon laughed then hugged me, "I'm gonna go hang out with Matt and Jeff."
He left the room. I grabbed my cell phone off the nightstand and turned it on. 1 Missed call - Phil.
I smiled and hit his number on speed dial.
"Jess?" He answered.
"Were you expecting me to call?" I laughed.
I could hear the smile in his voice, "Yes, Matt told me about what happened last night. Are you okay?"
He sounded truly worried.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
He sighed, "Good. What happened exactly?"
I ran my fingers through my hair, "Me and Jeff got in a fight and I locked myself in the bathroom."
He laughed, "No offense but that sounds really childish."
I smiled, "I know but it reminded me of a horrible relationship I was in. I had to get away from everyone."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault I dated an asshole and I'm currently dating a wonderful man. I'm just a little…"
"Not over your ex?" He finished my sentence for me.
"Not exactly. Ryan was overprotective, the story of my life, and he still doesn't want me to be alone. So when we dated he was always around me, he tried to fight anyone that wanted to be alone with me. Even Shannon couldn't be around me."
"I understand." Phil said.
"It was like that for so long I have a problem with being alone with Jeff. I don't know why it still bothers me like it did."
Phil sighed, "Maybe it's not because of Ryan, but you're just blaming him because you have intimacy issues."
"Thanks, Dr. Phil."
He laughed, "Clever."
I smiled, "Thanks."
He doesn't give a damn about you, overrated boys and attention starved girls.
----
The room was starved of conversation. Jeff sat on one bed, I sat on the other. We spent the last hour stealing glances at each other.
I turned the TV on with one remote. Jeff turned it off with the other.
I tried again. Failed.
"Give me that remote!" I yelled, becoming aggravated.
He shook his head no.
"Yes!"
"Why do you always fight with me over remotes? Do you have control issues?" He asked, the expression on his face was priceless.
I frowned, "No!"
He laughed, "I'm joking, Jess."
I smiled.
"Come here." He held his arms open.
I crawled from my bed to his, he engulfed me in his arms. It felt like home.
"Don't ever do that again." He whispered.
"Never." I said, he smiled and my heart raced.
"Good."