Page 45 of The Other Side
17
My heart was pounding so loudly that I could only hear the sound of blood rushing in my ears. It was most likely the reason why I didn’t hear anyone at the door or feel my cell phone vibrating in my pocket.
I was temporarily blinded when Chance’s bedroom light switched on, but there was no mistaking Chance’s voice when he angrily called out, “Who’s in here!?”
I froze.
Chance rounded the corner of the kitchenette and flipped on the bathroom light, finally able to see that I was the intruder.
A knowing and defeated look crossed his face, and he put his hands up defensively when he said, “Violet, I swear, this isnotwhat it looks like.”
I said nothing, still too shocked to speak.
Of all the things I had considered finding in Chance’s apartment, dozens, if not hundreds, of images of my own face staring back at me was not one of them.
“Let me explain…” he said softly, but he made the mistake of taking a step toward me.
Without warning, adrenaline surged through me, sparking my fight-or-flight instinct. I backed up until I hit the edge of the bathtub, almost missing the wall as I reached for something to help stabilize my body before I could tilt backward.
“What could you possibly say to explain these!?” I hissed in a shrill voice that sounded unrecognizable to my own ears. “How can you explain what happened to Claire, Chance?” I panted. “Or should I call you Alexander Roberts!?” I challenged.
All the color instantly drained from Chance’s face upon hearing his given name from my lips. If he hadn’t been wearing a green sweater, I would have thought my vision had gone greyscale.
“Jolene knows I’m here, so if something happens to me, like it did with Claire, you won’t get away with it.”
Chance’s jaw set in defiance. “Whatever you think you know, you don’t—this has all been one big misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding!?” I waved my hands around at the photos surrounding me. “You’ve been stalking me! You have me cornered in your bathroom!”
He slowly backed out of the doorway into the larger room, allowing me space to exit, but I didn’t trust him enough to think it wasn’t some sort of ploy.
“Violet, please—you can come out.”
“No!” I shouted stubbornly.
“Just come out here and sit down so I can explain everything.” He glared at me, continuing to slowly back away from the door, farther into his room, until he made it to the foot of his bed, where he gently sat down at the edge, leaving me a path to his front door, if I could make it there faster than him. “Please.”
I swallowed, my gaze bouncing between Chance and the door.
Taking slow steps, I approached the threshold of the bathroom, eyeing him warily. “You’re a murdereranda stalker,” I accused him, still formulating my exit strategy.
“I most certainly amnota murderer,” he replied adamantly, folding his arms over his chest, blue-grey eyes blazing.
“What happened to Claire then? You said it was your fault,” I spit. “And I see you’re not denying the stalking.”
Chance huffed in frustration. “How did you even know I knew her?”
“Knewher!?” I pursed my lips, glancing again at the door. “I heard you in my classroom! I’ve been wondering for weeks what you were up to with her—worried you might even be having an affair with her.”
“WHAT!?” he half-yelled, half-laughed.
I was thoroughly confused by his response, but continued to slowly inch my way through the kitchen.
“If you’ll just sit down.” He pointed to the small bistro table and chairs next to me, just outside the bathroom door, exactly the same as the set in my room. “I’ll answer all your questions.”
“I’m fine right here,” I replied, almost to the front door. “I’d be better still if I was away from you entirely,stalker.”
“Fine, have it your way.” He uncrossed his arms and leaned back on his hands. “And yes, you figured out my legal name. Are you happy?” He seemed particularly put out by that revelation.
