Love Bird. by Emily. Z. (story read aloud TXT) 📕

He finally got the woman to go away, stomping down the street quite a ways, before stopping to open the letter.

After a moment, he pulled out his phone, and I held my breath.

My disposable phone vibrated in my pocket.

"Yes?" I asked, still chuckling. "Did you...," I paused to snicker, "Find my clue?"

"You're damn right I found your clue. Jane, do you realize how dangerous it is to go waltzing into an alleyway and-,"

"Relax, I had it handled. Besides, from the sound of your voice, it seems like you had quite the...encounter!" I burst out laughing.

"You...you're watching me, aren't you?" He accused, and I watched him scan the area.

I sighed, wiping a stray tear from my eye. "Of course not. I'm not stupid."

"Jane," I sobered at the sound of his voice.

"What?"

"We need to talk."

I was silent. My heart pounded in my chest and I looked over at him. He stood with his head down, kicking at the asphalt beneath his feet.

"A-about what?"

"Logan. Us. Everything," He breathed.

"What about us?" I refused to speak of Logan. Not yet.

"What I said...rather...didn't say...about you not...being able to have our children...it doesn't matter, Jane. I know that now. I mean...yes, it does, but...not in the way that...you think. I mean...," He spluttered, and I watched him reach up and rake his hand through his hair in frustration. "It matters because I thought...that you could trust me with everything. That if you ever had something to tell me...that you shouldn't feel the need to...keep it from me. And what I said to your father...about...that...about you only-,"

"Being a lead to Ike?" I finished softly.

He hesitated, before whispering, "Yeah...that. I didn't...mean it, you know that...right? It's just that...he threatened to keep you from me and...I just...I panicked, you know?"

"Yeah," I breathed, "I know."

He looked up at the sky, and I heard his tight intake of breath. "You do?"

"It's been made clear who I can trust...these past few weeks," I muttered vaguely.

"I...I love you Jane. No matter what I said...or how I said it," From this distance, I could see his wry smile, "I have always loved you."

I blinked, as I felt my heart melt into a puddle at my feet. The homeless man snorted loudly, and then went back into his steady rhythm, bringing me out of my trance.

"I have to go," I whispered, "I only have a limited number of minutes on this phone."

I heard him take in a long breath. "Yeah. I'll ah...see you."

"Yeah," I mumbled, hesitating, before murmuring, "Victor...it's going to take a lot for me to...fully gain back the trust I lost. I'm broken, and a little afraid. But I do love you...bye."

"Wait, Ja-," I snapped my phone in half, throwing it into the bin beside the bench. 

"Sorry, Vic," I murmured as I folded up my newspaper. "Can't track me that easily."

An evil laugh escaped me, as I watched the overly-fake skeleton hand fall on Carol's shoulder, and she screamed.

"Get the bitch! Get her!" I laughed, reaching into the box for another cookie.

"Huh?" I looked down, to find no cookies. "Oh come on!" I groaned.

I looked over to grab my chocolate milk, and saw that it was all gone too. Muttering profanities, I paused my movie. "Am I seriously going to have to go to the store again?"

I groaned, and then gasped, remembering my little ice cream bowl. I rolled off of my bed onto my knees, crawling over to the mini-fridge. "Come to mama, little ice-crea- shit!" I exclaimed, looking at the empty wasteland that was my fridge.

I grumbled all the way down to the first floor, in sweats and an over-sized hoodie. I lifted my hand in a half-hearted wave to the front desk as I passed, and they watched me with perplexed faces as I grumbled my way out the door.

***

The basket in front of me made a horrible ringing sound, and I was pretty sure it had a square wheel, as it bounced like a car with hydraulics. I groaned, grabbing a box of chocolate chip cookies, and a box of oreos. I sat them in the baby seat, staring at them as if they were my last hope at life.

I turned the corner to the fridge isle, planning on grabbing some bottles of milk, when my breath caught in my throat.

"Mom, the orange juice would be an isle down!" His deep, baritone voice complained.

Clang, clang, clang! I grimaced as I quickly backed around the corner. 

Blue eyes turned in my direction just as I ducked out of sight, and I bit my lip as I turned my basket - pulling majorly to the right - around. clangclangclangclang! The banging got faster as I ran down the isle, and turned on two wheels. 

"I need crackers, will you grab some for me?" I heard her sweet voice ask, and I cursed as I looked to the left of the isle I was in - crackers at eye level.

clangclangclangclangclangclang! 

I paused to catch my breath, and looked over with a raised eyebrow as I realized there was ice cream in the freezer next to me. "Ooh," I whispered, seeing salted caramel - my favorite.

"Ooh, Mom can we get some ice cream?" He called to her.

"Oh I suppose. It is a movie night, after all."

I bounced from one foot to another anxiously, my body tensing with excited adrenaline as I quickly grabbed the ice cream from the freezer and threw it into the basket. I repeated a certain curse word as I clanged down the isle, seeing his figure turn the corner just as I turned the opposite. 

I decided that I'd get the milk elsewhere, pulling up my hood and tucking my hair into it, as I rushed to the cashier.

I was bouncing around with a tense smile, making the guy behind the counter give me a look. He took his very sweet time ringing up my items, and my breath stopped in my throat as I heard a basket roll up behind me.

"Mom, you forgot the popcorn," He told her.

"Ugh! How could I forget it? It's the ultimate movie night snack!" I heard her smack her forehead with her palm, but I didn't look up, my eyes wide as I stared at the counter, a huge, nervous smile coming over my face.

The cashier was now observing me like I was insane, but I was so focused on the masculine presence right behind me, that I didn't bother to notice.

"Movie night, too?" I jumped as I pulled out my wallet, almost dropping it.

I opened my mouth, baring my teeth as I repeated in my head, not good, not good, not good!

"Ah...yeah!" I made my voice higher than usual...or at least...I think it was intentional.

"That's cool...what movie are you planning to watch?"

Just relax...he's making conversation. It's nothing. He doesn't know who you are.

"Ah...House On a Haunted Hill!" I squeaked, handing the money over to the cashier with shaky hands.

"Ah, the new one or the classic?"

"C-classic, of course!" I laughed nervously, watching with blazing eyes as the cashier slowly put the money into the cash register, cursing how slow he was going.

"Yep, that's my favorite, too. Both are cheesy - but the 1950's version is the best."

My heart pounded as the cashier handed me my change, and I fumbled to put it in my pocket as I said, "Oh, m-mine too!"

I froze as a dollar went floating to the ground, to my right. My eyes closed. If I turned to lean down, he'd see my face. 

I was just about to lean down and blindly reach for it, when the dollar was pressed into my palm. "Here."

The contact of his skin on mine made my hand tingle, but I refused to acknowledge the feeling.

"Th-thank you. I'll be on my way now,:" I said, before turning to leave.

"Logan, I got the popcorn! Extra buttery!" She exclaimed in a dreamy voice, which caused Logan's attention to turn from me. This was my chance.

I clanged away, staring down at my life source with a big smile of triumph. I couldn't believe I had gotten out of there alive.

I clanged all the way to my car, groaning as I pulled my stuff out. I stuffed it into my trunk, before returning the godforsaken basket to it's lineup. When I reached my car again, I pressed the unlock button on the fob and...

It didn't unlock.

I pressed it again.

The same result. I felt like Mr. Incredible when he picked up the car to throw it. I was bickering to myself and kicking the door with the whole of my foot.

After getting all of my frustration out of my system, I pressed down hard on the button, and it unlocked. More bickering ensued.

Once I finally got in the car and got it started, I pulled out, pulling my hood down and running a hand through my hair...and then I slammed on my breaks.

There it was, the jackass of all jackasses. That person, driving the wrong way in the isle, and waiting for someone in the front to pull out.

My hands tightened on the wheel until they were white, as I fought the urge to flip the guy off and cuss him out so hard that his mother would blush without even knowing why.

When the old lady - did I mention he was waiting for a handicap spot? Without a handicap license? - finally pulled out of her spot and - making me back out to do so - drove off, he finally made his way into his illegal parking space.

"Oh I should totally call Victor on your ass!" I raged as I zoomed past, not even in the mood to deal with him. 

I pulled out a little too fast, and had to slam on my breaks again as I came nose to nose with another car.

I blinked a few times, yelling, "Son of a...oh shit," My voice lowered as I met eyes through the windshield with none other than Logan Price.

He blinked, his eyes becoming increasingly incredulous as I saw him mouth, "Jane?"

A rush of excitement and adrenaline went through me as I threw the car into reverse and backed up a bit. I maneuvered the car between his and the small space between the sidewalk, laughing a little hysterically when I actually made it without scraping the side of the car.

I zoomed out of the lot, swerving in front of a car, causing him to slam on his breaks and honk the horn.

"Sorry!" I yelled at him, waving as I zoomed off, aware that Logan was scrambling to drive after me.

I went from zero to sixty in less than six seconds, flying onto the highway like a madwoman. Most would say that I was running from my problems, but I wasn't...intentionally. Okay, so I was totally running away from my problems. The entire point of this whole scavenger hunt was so I could work out my problems before seeing him face to face. I didn't even want to think of Logan's reaction. 

As I'd said before, the last time we saw each other, he'd kissed me senseless.

He obviously thought of Victor and I as "no longer an item." That or he just didn't care, which was highly likely for Logan. I checked my mirrors for any sign of him