What The Hell Happened?

7

On the trip back home I kept thinking about all Nadia said to me about online dating; the pros and cons, possible disappointments and luck. I knew she was right about the need to move on and forget about something I had no control over but I honestly didn't get the hype or thrill of having to seek love from some random site. I didn't like how I was letting the thought of Gideon and his girlfriend get to me either. Maybe I'm just stressed.

However, all symptoms of a stressful day left me the moment I got home. A band was playing and Gideon was fiddling his guitar strings to it. It sounded a bit better this time but I'd had enough. Fired up, I impulsively passed my door and charged over to his apartment. I heard a scary growl at the other side of the door but sincerely, I was past caring now. The noise pollution contributed to my pounding headache from having to trek the distance from the Plaza back home without Nadia.

Knocking frantically, I planned to demand that Gideon tell me the reason he'd sworn to make every opportunity I had at rest and some peace impossible. When he didn't open, I knocked harder, scowling when it only aggravated the band player to hit his drumsticks harder, drowning out my shouting.

Look what's become of my life.

Drained and edgy with a splitting headache, I gave up, turning to leave when the door flew open to reveal Gideon's dark hair drenched, beads of water dripping down his forehead to his chest. He was completely wet which led me to believe he'd been in the shower and was not the one causing the noise. The carved V at the bottom of his abs spoke volumes of the hours he spent working out in the gym. A small towel draped around his waist was the only fabric he had on which helped to conceal his junk.

He had a ripped muscular build.

Shit! He was smoking hot!

I pried my eyes upward. "Why did you answer the door like that? I've been knocking my knuckles off all day."

"Why did I answer the door like that? Why are you knocking on my door like a lunatic? I tried to avoid getting out of the shower and the boys were so loud but I thought something was wrong. And what the hell is that smell? Is it ice cream?"

"Yeah, I had ice cream with Nadia on my way back - "

"s**t! You have to leave." he growled through his teeth.

"I came to talk to you about your music. It's driving me nuts - "

Before I could finish my sentence, a huge white German Shepherd had charged towards where I was standing, pouncing on me as its weight knocked me over on my arse. The dog frantically licked my face, hair, neck and chest as I lay on the hallway floor. It was also nibbling at my palms and shirt.

Terrified, I managed to scream. "Get it off me!"

Gideon struggled with the massive animal to finally remove it off my body. My face was sticky with slobber.

He forced it back into the apartment as its paws scratched and slipped against the hardwood floor. Gideon then returned to the hallway and slammed the door behind him to shut the dog inside.

He reached out his hand but I slapped it away, helping myself off the floor. Annoyed, I looked down at myself. Slobber trailed down my hair and a huge chunk of my shirt and undergarment were missing, exposing my belly.

He struggled with his words. "Ethan, I - "

"Are you happy now? Look what it did to me!"

"f**k. Really? No, I'm not happy. He's obsessed with ice cream, okay? It's like his catnip. That's why he jumped on you. Why did you have to come up here reeking of it?"

"So now it's my fault, huh? Unbelievable. I need to go. Can't handle you right now!" I headed back toward my door.

He tried to stop me. "Hang on,"

"No. You've said enough, please. I just want to forget this ever happened."

I retreated to my apartment, leaving Gideon standing there with his hands on his waist - confused.

After a hot shower, I'd calmed down a bit, wondering if maybe I'd overreacted earlier in blaming Gideon for the dog-freak out. He'd done his best to get the dog off me which wasn't easy considering he had only a towel on which could have come off any minute.

Also, maybe he was trying to apologise before I cut him off. Still, I had a bone to pick with him about the band. He should really start thinking and making plans to rent another apartment outside the neighbourhood where they could practice freely without disturbing anyone.

I felt defeated.

Sitting down to a quick dinner of spaghetti and marinara sauce, a soft knock accompanied with a growl got me on my feet again. I pulled the door open, gasping as the dog tackled me to the floor.

"Get him off me! Ew!"

"s**t, I'm sorry." Gideon dragged the beast out and shut the door against it, breathing heavily. "I actually brought him over to apologise. Seems you still got ice cream on you."

"I took a shower!" I stated, using a nearby napkin to get rid of the slobber on my shirt. "Don't bring him close to me ever again!"

"Noted." He chuckled and that was when I noticed he was clutching a parcel. "Ethan?"

"What?"

"Sheesh, I said I'm sorry."

"No, you didn't. You were laughing at me! Does this seem like a joke? Twice you had your beast of a dog pounce on me."

"It wasn't my intention, honestly. You had ice cream all over your shirt like a child. He gets off on that."

I drew in a deep breath, willing myself to keep from exploding in anger. "Say what you came to say and leave."

"Here," He held out the parcel to me. "Take it."

"What's in it?"

He shrugged. "Find out."

I tore off the paper wrap and undid the flapper. Inside, I found a maroon shirt with white writing. It said Ice-cream drives me crazy and it had a smiley face with lips made out of ice cream.

I looked up to thank him but he was already out the door, shutting it gently. I waited till his footsteps faded before falling in a heap on my bed and for the next hour, I kept thinking about how Gideon had gone out of his way to buy the t-shirt as a peace offering. Was I being a b***h and overreacting about everything from the music to the dog attack? I honestly don't know. All I knew was that I didn't really like the edgy, hot-tempered person I'd become over the past year.