"What are you doing here, Trevor?" Morgan demanded as she stepped around me.
"No, who the hell is this?" Pretty Boy Blue demanded, glaring at me. He was a little shorter then me, dressed in khaki slacks like some rich kid player, and I didn't like him immediately; but that could also be because he'd ditched his girlfriend to walk home in the rain.
"I'm Ashley," I introduced myself before Morgan could speak. "I had to give your girl here a ride back before she got sick walking home in the rain."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Look, I'll talk to you later," Morgan looked up at me, her face telling me I needed to get my ass out of the way.
I didn't do couple spats anyway.
"Right. Seeya!" I gave her a wave as I started for the stairs, conveniently right next to the door. I glanced back as stepped into the stairwell.
"... Do that to me? I waited for almost an hour," Morgans voice was upset, but her boytoys back was to me and blocking sight of her. "I thought after last time ---- you PROMISED me ---."
"I tried to call, Morgan! but you ignored me. Just like you always do, you get mad because something does go your way and you storm off! And who the fuck was that guy, huh? Since when do you know anybody in this city who likes you enough to give you a ride?"
Dude, no, I thought, hovering.
Ashley, get the hell out of here, my brain was yelling at me. Morgan was tough, she could handle herself; she didn't look like she would put up with much shit. Especially not from Prep School guy.
"But ---."
"No, Morgan, don't even try. You should have waited, I was only a little late!"
"An HOUR ---."
"I called! What the hell more do you want from me? God, you're so dramatic about everything. How could you bring another guy into this?"
"I didn't! He was just there and ---."
"Just there? You're a shitty liar. Are you sleeping with him?"
"Trevor, NO! Please, will you just stop yelling? I have nieghbors!" her voice was small now, and I cut my eyes up at the ceiling.
Don't do it, Ashley.
"Since when do you not want an audience for your little scenes?" her boytoy shouted.
"Stop it! Just leave me alone, you ruin everything! I wore all of this for you and it started to rain and, and ---." She was crying.
"I shouldn't have to ask you to look nice for me, you just should! How can you expect me to want to go out places with you when you don't even bother to dress up for me! You always look such a mess with your hair and your glasses and ---."
Well fuck him too.
"You know," I suddenly burst, stepping out of the stairwell. "Stupid me, I totally forgot my phone in the apartment. Must've been the damn cat."
Morgan and her boyfriend both turned to look at me in surprise. Her black hair was dry now but curly and frizzed in every direction, and she had her arms crossed defensively, her eyes damp. I still thought she looked pretty, what was wrong with her boyfriend?
"Do you mind?" I asked, coming to stand by Morgan, staring her boyfriend down. "I kind of need it."
He puffed up, but I was taller and obviously in better shape then him. There was no way he could take me, and he knew it.
"No, of course not," Morgan muttered, keeping her face angled away. "Go on in. Trevor, I'll see you later."
She turned on her heel and stepped to her door.
I raised my brows at Boy Blue, and he glared at me.
"I'll call you later," he muttered, and stalked off to the stairs. I waited until the stairwell door closed and turned, following her into the apartment.
"Um, where was your phone?" she asked, her back to me as she hastily wiped at her face.
"Uh," I glanced around, and then stepped quickly to the counter. "Oh, look, here it is. Can't believe I forgot it." I held it up like it had never been in my pocket.
"Okay, there you go then," she said, glancing at me through her mane of hair.
"Yeah," I hesitated.
Don't do it, Ashley.
"Are you okay?" I asked after a minute, tapping my fingers against my phone. "Do you want me to beat him up?"
"No, it's okay." she shook her head. "It's whatever. But, if you don't mind ---."
"Oh, right, sorry. I'll get out of your hair then," I got my ass to the door.
"Okay." she followed me to the door, and I stepped out into the hallway.
"Hey, Morgan?" I turned, and Morgan paused in closing the door, her face still turned away from me. "For the record, I like your glasses. You look cute with them."
She raised her head slightly, blinking at me in surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah, don't sound so shocked." I looked at her in amusement. "And you should dump asshat. He's an asshole."
"I think I agree with you." she mumbled, starting to look tired
. "Right, well, I'll see you later," I gave her a wave, and let my breath go as she shut the door behind me.
Don't involve yourself, my brain told me.
Which was why I probably was going to do the opposite.

Notes