Shifted #Wattys2016

LXXIII

Maxine

I came home, tear stricken, my good mood caused by the euphoria of sex ended by the realization of what I did. My eyes were red and surely puffy, and there would be no way I'd hide this from Julie.

So why try?

I came home and went straight to Julie's arms. She was in the kitchen, washing the dishes, and she stopped, at first confused, but then wrapping her arms around me. "What's wrong, honey?"

It's late, the sun starting to set. I couldn't bring myself to come home right away, and tried to take a walk in the woods to clear my mind. I ended up crying again, sitting down at the base of a tree, and falling asleep. When I woke, it was starting to get dark.

I looked up at Julie. "I've messed up. I've really, really messed up."

Julie shushed me and we sat down in the living room. Julie made me herbal tea, with the smallest hint of lemon, and I began to tell her everything. It took forever between my sobs and tears and boxes of tissue, but I finally got my story out.

And she just looked at me.

And hugged me.

I can't be the first person in the world to sleep with the identical twin.

I hardly slept, but when I woke, I called my mother.

"Mommy, I want to come home."

Mom's letting me come home next week. She bought a train ticket for me and I'll leave the way I came. An hour drive to the station, and a fifteen hour train ride. Cheaper than a plane, but easier than a drive.

I'll say goodbye to Julie, and that's it.

Felix...

He won't want to hear from me.

Not after what I've done to him. To myself.

I went to the grocery store, just around closing time, craving homemade cheesecake. But sadly, out of cream cheese.

I walked in and an employee glared at me. I was that person, for sure. That person who comes in just as the store is about to close and spends an hour wandering around.

I grabbed the cream cheese and checked out quickly. There was a group of boys in the store as well, picking up soda and chips and anything else that could fill potential late night munchies. I noticed them following me as I walked out of the store.

My car was parked on the other side of the building, and I hurried to cross the parking lot, hoping those guys' car just happened to be nearby mine. I looked around, and saw two other cars, both in front of the store.

I reached my car and opened the door, a hand reaching over me and shutting it. I was so startled and on edge that I dropped my keys.

I turned around, the leader of the boys' hand on my car.

He whistled, long and low pitched. "Someone's out late,"

"Speak for yourself." I said.

"She's a pretty one," one of the others said. "And all alone out here," He smiled at the third.

"Listen, baby," the first said, stepping close to my body. He was taller than me by a few inches. "Here's how this is going to go: you are going to be quiet, and we are going to do what we want with you until we get bored." He put a hand on my hip.

"Get off of me," I pushed his hand away. At the entrance of parking lot two headlights shown then turned towards the front of the store.

"Hey!" The first boy slapped me. "You will do as we say." He put his hand back on my hip, pressing his body against mine. I turned away from his face.

"Hey," the three boys turned their heads to the voice. "I believe she said to get off."

The boy on me didn't move back much, only enough to turn around. Enough to protect what he thought was his. Who was that? The voice sounded familiar.

He kept walking towards us.

"Get the hell out of our business, asshole," the leader said.

In a split second, the man had cleared the distance between us and had the leader pinned against the wall of the grocery store. "Listen here, asshole, she said that she doesn't want you to touch her. So you better keep your dingy hands off of the lady."

Greyson? Or was it Felix?

No, it was Greyson. I could only tell by how he walked.

"Okay, okay!" The leader put his hands up, surrendering.

Greyson let go of him.

"Come on, guys," the leader said, starting to walk away.

Once they were a good few feet away, Greyson walked over to me. "You okay?" He asked.

I wiped my eyes, nodding. "Yeah, I guess. Thanks." I bent down and grabbed my car keys. I stood up and opened the car door and sat down. I thought about saying something about what happened.

He did. "You aren't mad at me, are you?"

"Thanks for the help tonight." I shut the door and started the car.