You Wanted Me to Beg Before Marriage? Too Bad, I Walked First Chapter 05

You Wanted Me to Beg Before Marriage? Too Bad, I Walked First Chapter 05

Evan and I had known each other since middle school. It had been fifteen years.

Sometimes I wondered whether fifteen years could make two people as close as family or change them both beyond recognition.

I studied his face carefully.

He was standing with the light behind him, leaving his features hidden in shadow.

I could no longer tell whether he was still the boy who had once taken off his jacket and tied it around my waist to hide a bloodstain.

When my parents divorced, he had promised that from then on, I would be the most important person in his world.

Whenever he upset me, he used to apologize over and over and make ridiculous faces until I forgave him.

That boy had changed.

Now he said condescendingly, “Maya, I have plenty of ways to make you do what I want.”

Fifteen years ago, I never could have imagined that we would end up here, walking in opposite directions and growing farther apart with every step.

Evan watched me.

“Do you still want your report?”

I sighed quietly, but I could not shake the frustration churning inside me.

“What do you want me to do?”

“I already told you. Make me happy.”

“What would make you happy?”

“Evan, do you want another pair of shoes or a new game console? Just send me the link.”

“Or do you want me to do something stupid right now so you can mock me to your heart’s content?”

His expression darkened.

“Is that really what you think of me?”

“What else am I supposed to think?”

“Isn’t the only way to keep you happy to give and give without end, put up with your constant criticism and fault-finding, and let you use me as your emotional punching bag?”

“Stop talking.”

“What else do you want from me?”

“I said stop!”

“Fine. I’ll stop.”

“Then tell me what would make you happy and what I have to do to get my report back.”

“Maya, are you mad at me?”

He looked completely serious.

I stared at him, at a loss for words.

All I could do was let out a short, humorless scoff.

Panic and confusion flashed through his eyes.

In the end, he chose to pretend nothing had happened and spoke in a casual voice.

“Go to work. I’ll send you the report.”

“Send it now.”

“You don’t trust me?”

My silence was answer enough.

His lips pressed into a thin line as he sent the report to me while I watched.

“I was only joking.”

“You really can’t take a joke.”

“It wasn’t funny.”

When I left work that evening, I was surprised to find Evan waiting outside my office building.

My coworkers exclaimed, “Oh my God, did you get a new boyfriend? This one looks way better than the last guy.”

All I could manage was a bitter smile.

In the past, whenever it rained and thundered, I had begged Evan to pick me up from work.

All my coworkers had heard him shout impatiently at me over the phone.

“What is wrong with you? Is getting rained on going to kill you?”

“Aren’t you worried that I’ll catch a cold if I come get you?”

Everyone felt sorry for me and had urged me countless times to leave him.

Eventually, I stopped setting myself up for rejection.

Once I stopped asking him to pick me up, he became even more demanding. The worse the weather was, the more he enjoyed sending me across the city to get whatever food he happened to crave.

When it rained, he wanted Cajun shrimp from the north side of town. When it snowed, he wanted chicken and dumplings from the south side.

Whenever I suggested getting it another day, he would lose his temper.

“I’m asking you for one little thing, and you can’t even do that?”

“You’re not even willing to get wet for me, but you claim you love me?”

Back then, I always told myself that Evan was all I had. What was wrong with doing a little more for him?

But I had hopes too.

Couldn’t he have shown me that he was willing to make an effort for me as well?

Now Evan had finally come to pick me up from work, but only after I had stopped hoping he ever would.

He took my hand.

“How about Tex-Mex or barbecue tonight?”

“I have an appointment with a real estate agent to tour apartments.”

“I thought you were only talking. You’re not actually planning to move out, are you?”

He seemed to realize how harsh he sounded and immediately softened his tone.

“Come on, forget the apartments. You’ve been mad all day. Let me take you somewhere nice.”

“I’m serious.”

“What exactly are you serious about? Are you doing this just to piss me off?”

I pulled my hand from his.

“Think whatever you want. The agent is already waiting for me.”

Realizing he could not change my mind, he stopped trying to be pleasant.

“Fine. I’m coming with you.”