Broken Bad Boy

16

PERCIE

“Oh, she said—”

“Dad!” she shouted, dropped the fork. Then she stood up and left us at the dining table.

A moment later, a bang followed from upstairs.

“You pissed her off, Keith.” My words came out defensively.

“Sorry about that, Percie. She’s so shy,” Lillian said.

“Only to me.” I drunk my water then wiped my mouth with a napkin. I stood up. “Don’t apologize, Lily.

I’m the one who provoked her. Let me check her up if you don’t mind.”

“Go ahead.”

I knocked on her bedroom door. “Hailey, it’s me. Can I come in?” I waited, then knocked again. “Hailey,

please? I apologize if that embarrassed you.”

She still didn’t answer.

I twisted the doorknob, but it was locked. Shit! I was screwing this up. I took a huge breath then walked

down.

I took the paper bag I bought for Lillian and joined them in the dining. They were done eating.

“Lily, I bought this for you. It’s not much, but as they said, it’s the thought that counts.” I gave her the

bag.

“Thank you, Percie. How thoughtful of you. You really shouldn’t have bought me a gift, but thank you

anyway.” She hugged me again.

“You’re welcome. I probably should go. Tell Hailey that I left. I’ll see her on Monday.”

“Don’t worry about Hailey. She’ll be fine,” Keith says, walking me out to the front door.

“Yeah. You embarrassed her. You knew she was shy, but you didn’t stop the first time she warned you,”

I defended Hailey even though I should not have.

He didn’t say a word. He grinned instead.

“You’re annoying. I better go before I punch you in your big abdomen.”

“Take care, son.”

“I’ll be fine. Call me if you can’t send Hailey. I’ll drop by to take her.”

I feel terrible about Hailey, even if it was her dad who pestered her. It still upset me. I took a huge

breath then drive back to my apartment. When I got inside, it was so eerily silent, and I missed her right

away.

I fished out my phone and typed a message.

Percie: Hailey, can we talk?

I pressed send. I noticed Hailey had seen my message, and she was typing back. I waited. No reply.

She was still mad at me.

I dialed. I was done waiting. She didn’t pick up until it reached the voicemail. I ended the call

disappointed.

Percie: Hailey, I know you read my message. Can you please, at least, say something? You can curse

me or call me names. Just say a word.

I hit the send button. I sounded desperate, but who gave a fuck.

Lee: Mad

My lips spread to a grin.

Percie: I know. I’m sorry.

Percie: Sad

Lee: why?

Percie: coz ur mad at me

Lee: sad

Percie: That’s my word

Lee: I know, but I’m sad too

My stomach twisted. Shit! Whatever I felt every time I talked and saw her wasn’t normal anymore. This

shit was scaring me.

Percie: Why are you sad, Lee?

I swore silently. I just called her Lee.

Lee: Who’s Lee?

Percie: Why are you sad?

I rubbed the back of my neck. I was really screwing this up. She was not going to talk to me again for

good.

Lee: You can’t just ignore all my questions, Percie. You can answer and pretend that we don’t know

each other. I’m not gonna tell anyone. I know you don’t trust me. What upsets me is that I don’t know

anything about you. I don’t even know your full name. We’ve been living under one roof for more than a

month, but I don’t even know your favorite color.

I read her message over and over again. It was killing me. I couldn’t let her get into my life more than I

already let her. She would hate me if she knew who I really was and what I did. At the same time, I was

not ready to lose a roommate. I was not ready to lose her just yet.

Percie: What do you wanna know?

Lee: Who’s Lee?

Percie: You

Lee: You?

Jesus Christ. I groaned.

Percie: Hailey Calla Ward, ring a bell?

Lee: Why are you so sarcastic all the time?

Percie: This is me, Lee. A walking sarcasm.

Lee: Why Lee?

Percie: Ask your mom why did she give you a middle name Calla. Is it because your dad calls her Lily?

Lee: Why not just call me Calla?

Sorry, but I got to choose a name to call you.

Percie: None of your business

Lee: Ugh! I’m just asking. Why so grumpy?

Percie: Because you are asking me with nonsense

Lee: Bye

I squeezed my eyes shut. Damn it!

I called her number instead. I was tired of texting.

“What do you want, Percie?” She was really pissed at me.

I chuckled. I was impressed and pissed off at the same time. “Why did you text me bye?”

“If you can’t answer a simple question, then why waste time talking?”

“Are you always this brave when not face to face, Lee?” I liked calling her Lee. It sounded personal and

intimate. That was why I saved her number as Lee.

“At least I have one thing I’m brave of.”

“You don’t have to be scared of me, Lee. We’ve been living here together for a month, and I never

harmed you even once, have I? What do you wanna know about me?” I felt beyond desperate.

Honestly, her presence made sense of the world to me. “I’d tell you as long as I could.”

I wanted her to trust me before I could trust her. What scared me most was if she would run away after

I told her the truth. I couldn’t gamble what we had right now.

“I want you to answer me if I ask.”

I blew one shuddering breathe. “Promise me one thing.”

“Tell me.”

“Promise me you won’t run away from me, and you won’t leave this apartment once you learn who I

am. I promise you, I will never hurt or harm you.”

“That’s— that’s too many promises, Percie.”

“Just promise me first.” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

She didn’t say it. She didn’t want to promise.

I rubbed my free hand over my face. The line went off. Just fucking great.

She hung up.

My jaw dropped. I was torn between pissed off and admired her at the same time. She couldn’t

promise, and it hurt a lot, knowing she didn’t and couldn’t trust someone like me.

Am I this horrible?

I froze. The door unlocked open then closed.

I walked out of my room. Was it Grandpa?

But it wasn’t.