The Ex That Decided We Werent Over.

Today was the same kind of day. Same kind of job and same kind of routine. Sit in my desk, log into E-harmony and chat with Derek as I was on the phone with people that need help with their computers. I took my job seriously but I could also multitask. Derek was my “perfect match” Or so the computer had told me. He was funny, charming and handsome. Sounded to good to be true. We had been talking a little over six months now. He had never been married, wanted children, was tall, worked at a Bare Essentials counter and he also didn’t like mushrooms. The mushrooms was a random fact I had learned about him through twenty- questions. He also preferred vanilla flavored milk over the chocolate kind. My mom approved of him, said she wanted to meet him. He lived 4 hours away. Which meant hardly seeing him in person. We facetime all of the time and we met once. Our first date was to go to an old style town. Everyone was dressed like the twenties and it was wonderful. No one had a phone or anything electronic to keep them busy. They kept each other occupied with their own company and family. I wish it was still like that sometimes. I think back to when I was little. I didn’t have a phone, computer, ipod, or anything like that. I had my toys, friends and a tv occasionally. I wouldn’t worry about who texts me or who had called me in the fifteen minutes I was gone or if something had been posted about me on Facebook. But then I think about Derek. If I-phones weren’t invented we wouldn’t be able to factime, talk or text easily. I kept thinking of all of these things until my shift officially started. Then my computer beeped.

Derek: Hey you :)

It was Derek! I was happy he was online.

Malia: Hey! :)

Malia was me. My name was Malia Lilliana Monroe. Funny thing was is that I looked like a brunette Marlyn Monroe. Or so I had been told.

Derek: How are you?

Malia: I’m okay. You?

Derek: Okay?… And I’m good.

Malia: Oh, ya know, just sitting at a desk while I listen to people having computer problems that are easy to fix.

Derek: Of course, That’s always the case ;)

Malia: Well yes.. That is my job.

Derek: Exactly why you need a new one.

Malia: My job pays fine and if I look for a new job it could result in loss of money.

Derek: But you don’t like your job. A job is supposed to be at least a little enjoyable.

Malia: It is.

Derek: How?

Malia: I get to talk to you the whole time. ;)

Derek: Aw, that’s sweet. But seriously you need one you enjoy. What if something happens and you cant talk to me?

Malia: Then I will have to find a way.

Derek: If your happy, I’m happy. Even though I can tell your not.

I sat in my chair thinking about that. I’m not happy. But the thought of quitting makes me scared. What if I don’t find another job? What if nothing better comes along? That’s all that kept running through my head the rest of the day. Deciding on happiness or money. I don’t know where else I would go. I mean I love to sing. Singing is my passion, my soul and its all I know talent wise.

I got home and to my surprise I had three missed calls. The number was familiar. It was Nick. My ex. He didn’t take the break up two years ago to well. I guess it was just now setting in, coinidentialy as I meet Derek. The messages he left said “Hey, its me. You probably don’t even think about me but you don’t know how much I cant stop thinking of you. Call me please” That was the first message, yawn, I have heard this a million times. Couldn’t he at least be a little original? The second one went like this “ Babe. I miss you. Please pick up. If your at work call me from your cell. I will be awake all night. I havent slept in days. Love you.” What? He must be reading a script or something. Considering I saw this on just about a hundred movies. Finally the last one sounded like this “Babe. I need you. You are my air, my heart, my food and my love. I need you like nobody else does. Cant you see im dying without you? I need to know if you think about me? I’m coming over tomorrow at 10 in the morning. Cant wait to see you.” Wait. Did he just say hes coming….to my house. I need to go and I need to go now. He lives two hours away. I checked the time the message was left. Fifteen minutes ago. I have time to leave. Unless he was already here and knew I was going to try and leave. I called his phone back to see.

“You called!” He sounded overly excited.

“Yeah, I did… You said you were going to come see me?” I made myself sound like I needed time because of a problem.

“ Yes, I was going to leave right now. Did you want to see me tonight for dinner?”

I had to think quickly.  Time to put my big girl panties on.

“Look. You and I are done. Two years ago I made a decision to leave you. And two years later I still believe I made the right choice. You chose to leave me. You chose to be without me. You didn’t care how I felt. You wanted to control me and own me. You chose to throw me away like I was a piece of garbage. Nick… I miss you but I miss the part in the beginning. The part when we loved each other and their was no cheating, lying or heartbreak. Leave me alone. I have Derek. We are getting married. I need some time alone now. Goodbye.” And just like that I hung up the phone. I had never felt so powerful yet so hurt before in my life. That was hard. And telling this to Derek was going to be even harder. I missed the good times I had with Nick. Derek isn’t going to like that I even called him back.

I woke up the next morning and I was shaking. My house was freezing cold. I could have swore I turned the heater on last night… I walked over to my thermostat and it was blank. My heater was turned off. Great. I went downstairs and into the basement. I looked and the heaters power cord was cut. All I could think about was how did that happen. I was asleep all night and I didn’t sleep walk. And no one was in my house. I had changed the locks on my door just last week. No one would have the key.

I slowly turned the lights on, I was now afraid someone was in my house. I looked around and their was no one. However, there was a note on my heater. Stating “ You gave me the cold shoulder when I tried to fix things, so im going to make your house just as cold as your heart. Keep acting like you have this new found confidence, which you and I both know isn’t real, and I will keep making your house match your personality. One insult at a time.” Nick? Immediatley I thought of him. What do I do now?

I ran up my stairs and picked up my house phone. I had a vintage looking phone with a wire. No signal. I put the phone down and their was another note strapped to the inside. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.” I have to get out now. That wasn’t my only thought. My main concern was how did he get into my house and was he still here. I was afraid to get into my car, what if he knew I would try that. He could be waiting for me.

I snuck out my window. And ran to my neighbors and I knocked on their door.

“Hello?” She looked at me confused. My neighbor was a young mom with 2 kids. The kids were young, Jenny was five and Niel was one.

“May I come in please? Please. I am in danger.” She looked at me and didn’t say anything. “Please. I have a crazy ex- boyfriend who I think is stalking me. I will tell you what happened but I need to come in.” She then let me in and made sure all of her doors were locked and shut all of her blinds.

“What’s wrong?” She said as we sat on her couch in the living room.

“Last night I got home from work and I had missed calls from my ex, Nick. He wanted me back after I broke up with him 2 years ago. I have a new boyfriend and all of the sudden he wants me again… I called him back and told him that I was over him and he told me he was on his way to my house, which now I believe he was already inside when I got home. He was angry and  upset. I went to bed and woke up and it was freezing. I knew I had left my heater on and I couldn’t figure out why it was so cold. I checked my thermostat and it was blank. Immediatley I went down to my basement and found the cord had been cut to my heater. There was a note that said ‘You gave me the cold shoulder when I tried to fix things, so im going to make your house just as cold as your heart. Keep acting like you have this new found confidence, which you and I both know isn’t real, and I will keep making your house match your personality. One insult at a time’ I tried to call for help but my home phone was also cut and had a note saying ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all’. I came to your door so I could be safe for at least enough time to call the police.” After I was done telling her what had happened she asked me if I knew for sure he was in the house. I told her I wasn’t sure. She gave me the idea to call him and ask him to meet her for breakfast at a Denny’s and see if he comes out of my house.