absurd. But as I think back to yesterday's rough parting kiss, doubt creeps in.
"Unlock the door, Sophie," he says. "Let me in. Unlock the fucking door."
He rattles the lock and keeps yelling for me to unlock the door. When I don't respond, he pounds on the glass with his fist as if he's trying to break it down to get to me.
I take a few more steps backward as fear climbs up my spine. Now, I'm not sure at all that he's harmless. I've never seen this side of him before. Angry, sure, but not furious.
I have no idea what to do. I can't stay locked in this room indefinitely. How long can he keep this shit up? Should I call someone?
He's glaring at me and shaking the door like he's not going to stop. Whatever is going on, it has to end soon. This isn't his nature. At least, I don't think it is.
After another few more minutes of watching him stalk back and worth, I walk to the corner and pull the thick drape across the glass of the booth and door. Behind the curtain, he bangs with both fists. I flinch with every strike, hoping the door holds. I don't know what else to do, so I sit down on the floor and call Hondo.
Scene 11 ~ Hondo
I've been sleeping on a friend's couch until I can find a new place to live. Sitting at my desk on Saturday morning, I realize I have no time to look. Every spare minute has to go to You4D. Finding an apartment takes time.
Then, it hits me: I can live here in the office for a while. There's plenty of space. Hell, it's more space than not space. It wouldn't be hard to build out a little place to sleep. We're planning on putting in a shower, anyway, for people who exercise on the way to work. Problem solved.
When Jen walks in, she brings the memory of last night with her. I feel as awkward as a thirteen-year-old boy going to his first school dance. I can't decide whether to look at her right away or not. Should I say something? What is she thinking? Does she realize what she did to me last night? I groan to myself. All of this drama is inside me. It doesn't mean anything to Jen. She's just coming to work as usual, like I should be doing. Nothing has changed between us. It's only changed in me.
Jen's not much of a morning person, so she usually doesn't talk for the first hour of work. She goes straight to her desk, slaps on the headphones, and starts coding. I'm relieved that I don't have to interact with her right away. I also feel like a huge coward.
I try to focus on my work, but I can't stop thinking about what happened after I dropped Jen off. Yeah, most guys would say, what the hell are you freaking out about? It's just a boner. Happens all the time. But I'm not most guys. It's not the erection that bothers me. It's the timing, and what it could mean. I firmly believed I was asexual, and I made sure all my friends knew it. I haven't slept with anybody, ever. I don't advertise this fact. I know that anyone who looks at me would never believe that I'm a virgin. Let them think whatever they want.
Why Jen, though? Why not Sophie? Could this really be as simple as meeting the right person? Maybe I'm picky to a fault. Maybe I didn't know what I wanted before. Maybe some guys take longer to figure it all out. I have to remember, too, that Jen has not said a word about being interested in me. She gave me a quick kiss on the mouth. So, what? It doesn't necessarily mean anything more than she had two glasses of wine.
Just as I talk myself into working again, my phone rings. Sophie, again. I stare at it and sigh. I'm really not in the mood for more drama; I seem to be making more than enough all on my own. I relax when it goes to voice mail. Of course, ten seconds later, she calls back. I grab the phone and walk down the hall.
"I don't know what to do," Sophie says as soon as I answer. Her voice is hushed, like she's hiding.
"About what?"
"Mark."
"Listen, I don't have time for this right—"
"Hondo, just shut up, OK? Something's wrong with him," she says. "I'm locked in my studio, and he's