Everything Has Changed: Book Two

Chapter Nineteen: Breaking In

Chapter Nineteen: Breaking In

"Kyle." He says.

I look him directly in the eye and just stare, but he doesn't falter, he just stares back.

Kyle.

I open my mouth to question him, and then I close it.

I'm not the kind of girl to freak out over this, but he's lying to me.

It's not Kyle. It's Alyssa.

Why is he lying? Is he cheating?

He wouldn't do that, right?

"I'll be back at your place in a little while." He says finally.

And then I notice something on the shoulder of his shirt.

The seam where the shirt was sewn together.

His shirt is inside out.

I feel sick, physically sick.

But what do I do now? Run? Scream? Cry? Kill him? Kill Alyssa? Throw the ring in his face?

All of the above?

I start to back up slowly to run, but I don't want to run. I want answers.

"Why is your shirt inside out?" I ask.

He looks down at his shirt and shrugs.

"I put it on in a hurry."

"Why was it off?" I press.

"Because I got hot, Grace. What's wrong with you?"

"And you're sure that Kyle didn't take your shirt off?" I ask sharply.

"Grace, Kyle isn't even here, and why would he take my shirt off? I'm not gay!" He looks like he wants to laugh.

I clench my jaw so hard I'm worried my teeth my shatter.

"You weren't on the phone with Kyle." I say finally, sucking air in through my teeth. "You were on the phone with Alyssa. You left without saying anything, you've been gone for an hour and a half, your shirt is inside out and I'm standing in the hallway instead of inside your apartment." I wipe my hands on my sweatpants and force myself to stay calm. "I trust you, Danny, and we were supposed to be at my apartment in bed and instead you're here and I'm not trying to accuse you of anything, but I want to know what's going on, and I want to know now."

He rests his head on the door jam and shakes his head.

"You think I'm cheating on you? Seriously? Me? You think that I'm cheating on you?"

"I'm suspicious." I correct him.

"I can't believe you think I'm cheating!" He exclaims.

"I can't believe you're surprised when all the evidence is pointing to you cheating!" I say, frustrated. "I kept telling myself that you were just on an important phone call and you would come back and it wouldn't matter, but I was going to go to Tijuana and I saw you were here and I got curious, Daniel! Am I not allowed to get curious?!"

I hear a door down the hall open and then, "Hey! Keep it down! I have a child sleeping in here!"

"Sorry!" Danny and I say in sync.

The apartment door shuts and Danny lowers his voice.

"You are most definitely allowed to get curious, Gracelyn, but there's a difference between curious and accusing." He says, his hands moving around wildly. "And while you said you're not accusing me of anything, this, right here-" he gestures angrily between the two of us. "Is you accusing me of cheating on you."