even called me, asking if I’d seen you!”
“That jerk deserves it! Don’t you dare go soft on him now, El!”
I sighed. He was persistent.
He’d never been this obsessed with me
Join
L
before.
“Don’t worry, I won’t. I just saw him outside
my apartment, so I came here.”
“Don’t tell him where I am!”
Later, Ashton called from a random number.
His voice was frantic, hoarse.
“El, where are you? Why are you avoiding
me? I’ve been looking everywhere! I waited
for you. Why won’t you see me?”
I hung up.
A–ILI—
く
As I blocked the number, a text came
through.
El, if you block me, I swear I’ll never contact
you again!
Unblock me now, and I’ll forgive you!
I blocked the number.
Then, a friend request from a fake profile.
I blocked and reported it.
I finally slept well.
Until my coworker, Sarah, called the next
く
morning.
“El, why did you quit? We didn’t even get to
throw you a goodbye party!”
“Personal reasons. It was kind of sudden.”
Sarah’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“Some guy came looking for you this morning. Said he was a business partner. Asked everyone if they knew how to reach you.”
“When he found out you quit, he stormed out. Said he’d only sign the contract with you.
33
“The boss is going to call you, I bet.”
My boss called right then.
I knew Ashton would pull something like this. Use a contract to force me to see him.
But I’d quit. I didn’t care about the contract anymore.
I silenced my phone and went back to sleep.
When I woke up, I had tons of missed calls and messages.
My inbox was overflowing.
く
6
Most of the messages were from Chloe and
other friends.
And a few from a strange number.
More texts from Ashton, I guessed.
I blocked the number and checked my inbox.
Dozens of unread messages. Friends asking if I was okay.
I posted to social media: I’m fine. Just cutting ties with certain things and certain people from my past.
Join the bookebis
く
Chloe liked it instantly, then called,
exasperated.
“El, you finally woke up! Ashton is acting crazy!”
Chloe sounded exhausted.
Apparently, Ashton had contacted everyone who knew me, then proceeded to harass Chloe.
Calling her all night and morning, showing up at her door.
“He’s convinced you’re hiding at my place! He keeps demanding I let him in! Like I can
L
He keeps demanding I let him in! Like I can
magically produce you!”
