Chapter 8:
Raya's phone vibrated on the coffee table. She knew who it was and she didn't want to answer it.
“Are you gonna get that?” Lindsay asked. They were hanging out at her house watching a movie.
“Nope,” Raya said not taking her eyes off of Johnny Depp on Lindsay's TV.
“It's Taylor,” Lindasy said seeing is name on the screen.
“I know.” Still no emotion.
“Are we not talking to him now or something?”
“Nope.”
“Because...”
“Because I was doing perfectly fine until he came into my life. Thin in he comes and all I do is disappoint him and bad nightmares start coming back. No thank you.”
“Ray...”
“Please don't try to tell me I'm wrong Linds. Just be my friend and support my decision.”
“Okay... fine.”
It wasn't until Raya went home to get ready for work that night that she listened to the message Taylor had left.
“Hey Ray it's me... umm, did I do something wrong because it has been 3 days and I haven't heard from you. I'm afraid that you're mad at me for something I said at lunch. I really want to talk to you so please call me back... bye.”
Raya erased the message and threw her phone on the bed. It was hard ignoring Taylor, but she truly felt that that was her only option. She couldn't keep letting him into her life it was just messing things up.
She survived one more day avoiding Taylor but was forced to face him when he showed up at the club the following night. She tried to pretend that she didn't see him, but when she had to serve the guy sitting next to him, she could no longer pretend.
“What are you doing here?” she asked frustrated that he'd show up at her work.
“I need to talk yo you,” he said.
“Well I'm working right now, so...”
“It's okay, I'll just wait until you get off.”
“I don't get off until 3,” she said hoping to persuade him to leave.
“I know... I'll wait.”
She eyed him. He really was going to wait and that was going to really bother her. She walked over and said something to the other bartender then hoped up and over the bar.
“Come on,” she said grabbing Taylor's arm. She pulled him out front and off to the side.
“What are you thinking showing up at my job like this?” she snapped, totally irritated.
“Well you won't return my calls, I had to do something,” he said.
“Maybe there's a reason for that,” she spat.
“Well please tell me. What did I do that pissed you off so much?” Taylor was totally confused, but getting kind of irritated himself of Raya's behavior.
“Everything in my life was fine until you showed up and started complicating things.”
“How am I complicating things?”
“By comparing me to how I was. I don't need you to judge me and show how disappointed you are in me.”
“I'm not disappointed in you Ray,” he argued.
“Yes you are! It's written all over your face. I left my past behind for a reason and you're bringing it back. I don't want that and I'm tired of feeling like I'm doing something wrong because I'm not.”
“I was just worried about you.” Taylor was starting to feel him blood boil. How dare she yell at him for caring. It was ludicrous.
“Well I don't need you to be worried about me Taylor. I'm fine. Clearly your life and my life don't blend well anymore.”
“You don't mean that.”
“Yes I do. Maybe it would just be better if we went our seperate ways. I really don't need you to look after me.”
“You are being a completely irrational child!”
“No I'm not! I base my life on happiness and having you worry and wonder about me isn't making me happy. So I'm done.”
“Well I'm so sorry for caring!” he snapped, “I don't want to see you get hurt.”
“I won't get hurt. I don't need you to save me Taylor. I'm an adult and I can handle my own life,” she said and turned to walk away.
“Oh yeah that's real mature. Just run away. You know, you're no different than your mom,” he yelled after her. Raya stopped and spun around.
“What did you say?”
“You moved to get away from your mom, but took her traits with you. You drink wat too much and sleep around way too much and use your body to get money,” Taylor said motioning to her teeny tiny top.
“Fuck you Taylor! I'm nothing like her!”
“Oh yeah? Tell that to yourself tonight when you're fucking some guy who tipped you well.”
Raya couldn't help herself, her hand swung up and connected with his cheek in a very loud slap. Then she walked back inside.