I Still Hate You by Marie Skye (top 100 novels .txt) 📕

Ash was already out there smoking and his eyes widened when he saw me before looking down at the direction I was going. I too looked down at my little garden and practically stopped breathing.

They were ruined. All of the flowers were ruined. I started to think about what could’ve happened. What could have destroyed them? Did something in the air destroy them? Did I accidentally use bleach instead of water? Even I knew that was impossible.

“Yeah... about that...” Ash came up to me, looking sheepish. The expression on his face said it all.

“I asked for one fucking thing, and you couldn’t even do that!” I bent down assessing the damage of my now ruined garden. I looked up into the unconcerned eyes of Ash, who was a complete piece of shit, and hugely uncaring about what he did... again. He lit up another cigarette and took a moment to blow smoke before finally acknowledging me. He shrugged. That was it. A shrug.

I stood up, hands balled ready to rub that disgusting cigarette into his probably bleached asshole. I took a few deep breaths, before trying to act rationally. There weren’t many things I enjoyed or cared about in life, but gardening and my almost-ready van were the top of the list. “You know how much this meant to me.” I found myself whispering because if I said it out loud then the tears would come and he would probably enjoy that. He took a step toward me and I immediately stepped back. “Just don’t, you’ve done enough.”

I finished picking up the rest of the now shit garden and threw them in the trash before going inside and slamming the door. I went straight to my room, making sure to slam that door even harder. I stood against the door for a few moments before sliding down and before I knew it, I started crying. I know what you’re thinking, who cries over a garden?

9

Ash

Who cries over a garden? I asked myself as she went inside and slammed the door. I too went inside and slammed the door as well, because fuck her, that’s why. After a moment, the guilt set in. I backed my bike over them by accident. I didn’t mean to destroy her garden—at least that type of garden. What can I say, I’m a guy with a dick? I went up to my room and was just about to turn on the light when the glow from her room caught my attention. Our apartment layout was U-shaped, which meant our bedrooms faced each other as did our balconies. I left the light off as I stepped closer to the window and watched her. Crying.

She was crying. Fuuuuuck.

I grabbed my keys off the nightstand and headed out. It was almost midnight so I doubt any place would be open but I had to at least try.

An hour later I was standing outside her bedroom door, holding... something as I knocked on her door and waited. It was damn near one in the morning so I didn’t even expect her to be up. I was about to leave the item at her door when it suddenly opened and she looked at me wide-eyed. She was in a silk robe, skin flushed like I just disturbed her. Wait, was someone else here? That would be shocking. I never saw her with anyone and only occasionally saw the so-called boyfriend. I stared at her, not saying anything.

“What?”

I blinked a few times before realizing why I was standing there and held out the potted plant. She stared at it as if it was completely foreign to her. “It’s a…” I paused trying to remember what the card said. “Crouton.”

She looked like she wanted to smile. Who knew she actually had a smile. “Croton,” she corrected me. She took the pot gently from me, and I stood awkwardly at her door as she placed it on a small table in her room.

“I figured you could plant it. I mean, I know it won’t replace the ones ruined but…”

She smiled again. “It’s more of an indoor plant but thank you. I appreciate the gesture.” I was going to say more but an impatient knock on the door stole my attention. Who the fuck is here this time of night? She looked at me nervously before she rushed over to the door and opened it. “I didn’t think you were coming,” she loudly whispered.

“I had time,” someone drunkenly said. I watched the guy walk in and stroll past her, already taking off his shirt. The smell of cheap vodka wafted in with him. He didn’t so much as notice I was there before heading straight to her room. I’ve seen him here before, but he was never here for more than fifteen minutes, and I’m sure ten of those fifteen was him trying to find his own dick.

“Thank you for the plant, it was really nice,” she muttered, looking almost embarrassed.

“Not a problem.” I walked to the front door and gave her one final look before shutting the door behind me. I didn’t go inside my room, not yet. I went back outside and leaned against the side of the house and lit up a cigarette and breathed in the night air. I wasn’t even done with my smoke before the door that led outside opened, and out stumbled the same guy that was just up in her room, acting like he just gave her the best fuck of her life. A car pulled up, he got in and took off. I smirked. That was it?

I finished my smoke before finally heading into my room. The light flowing from her bedroom easily distinguishable. I was about to climb into bed when I saw her and froze.

She always kept the shades drawn, but this time they weren’t. She was in bed on her back, robe still on. I watched as she gently parted her lips as one hand moved inside her robe.