Page 233 - It Ends with Us

I don’t want to tel l them no , bec ause then they ’ll kno w I’m here

alone. I don’t nec es sarily ho ld much trust in the male population thi s
week .
The pho ne in my ha nd ring s and all three of us jump from the
unex pec ted nes s of it. It’s Atlas. I swipe the ans wer button and bring it
to my ea r.
“Hel lo?”

“It’s fine , Lily, they ’re just friend s of mine. I forgot it was Friday, we
always play poker on Fridays. I’ll call them no w and tel l them to
lea ve. ”
I look back at the two of them and they ’re just stand ing there,
watchi ng me. I feel bad tha t Atlas feel s like he ha s to canc el hi s plans
just bec ause I’m crashi ng at hi s ho use. I shu t the door and unl ock the
dea dbolt, then open the door again, motioni ng them ins ide.

“It’s fin e, Atlas. You don’t ha ve to canc el your plans . I was about to
go to bed any way.”
“No, I’m on my way. I’ll ha ve them lea ve. ”
I still ha ve the pho ne pres sed to my ea r when the two men ent er
the living room.
“See you soon, ” I say to Atlas and then end the call. The nex t few

sec ond s are awkward as the guys asses s me and I asses s them .
“Wha t are your na mes ?”
“I’m Darin, ” the tall one says.
“Brad,” the sho rter one says.
“Lily,” I say to them, ev en tho ugh I alrea dy told them my na me.
“Atlas will be here soon. ” I move to close the door and they seem to
rel ax a little. Darin hea ds int o the kitchen and hel ps hi msel f to Atlas’s

ref rigera tor.
Brad takes off his jacket and hang s it up. “Do you kno w ho w to play
poker, Lily?”
I shrug. “It’s been a few yea rs, but I used to play with friend s in
colleg e. ”
Both of them walk toward the dini ng room table.

“Wha t ha ppened to your hea d?” Darin asks as he takes a sea t. He
asks it so casually, like it does n’t ev en cross hi s mind tha t it might be a
sens itive subjec t.