Conspiracies

“Ow! Let go of my arm!”

Brad whirled me around into the alley where my apartment building keeps the dumpsters.

“What the HELL is wrong with you? Who just stalks inside dark alleys waiting for people?!” I was pissed, mostly because of the trying day I’d had and also due to Brad’s COMPLETE lack of awareness about how terrifying it is for a woman to be grabbed by a dude and pulled into an alley.

I pulled my arm away from him and seethed.

“Why are you here?” I asked angrily.

“Because I just got had a message left on my phone from the cops asking me to call them back about YOU! What did you DO Faith?”

“I didn’t DO anything, Brad! It’s a misunderstanding. They’re probably just calling you to confirm my alibi.” 

I rubbed my arm.

“You didn’t, like…you know…”

I stared at him blankly.

“Like, get an illegal abortion,” he lowered his voice, “did you?”

My eyes got wide and I hit him with my purse.

“NO! I did NOT. I cannot BELIEVE this is happening to me right now.” I leaned against the brick wall of my apartment building and closed my eyes so I wouldn’t start crying.

“Well, what else could this be about?” He pressed.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

“The night my apartment building burned down.”

“Why are the cops checking alibis now, that happened over a year ago?”

“I know. Look, it’s a long story and a huge misunderstanding. Just tell them I was with you that night and we can all move on.”

“Wait, no. You don’t get off that easy, okay? I was just called by the police, you need to tell me what’s going on!”

“Brad, it has, literally, NOTHING to do with you. Just tell them we were having sex and move on!”

I went to leave and he grabbed me again.

“I swear to GOD, Brad, if you grab me like that ONE. MORE. TIME. I will call the police! Jesus!”

He held his hands up in surrender.

“What is going on Faith?”

I was reminded of why Brad and I would never have worked out. He was just too damn annoying and never took “no” for an answer. I sighed and gave up trying to keep my business private.

“My ex-boss’s theatre was burned down last night and since we didn’t end on good terms they wanted to interview me and then they brought up the fire that burned down my apartment building, okay? It’s all just a big misunderstanding. Just tell them the truth about where I was and what I was doing with you and LET IT GO.”

“Do…do you need me to give you an alibi for last night?” He asked.

I gave him a dirty look.

“No. I was at work, lots of people saw me. Just tell them I was with you the night  my apartment burned down…cause I WAS, and they’ll leave you alone and you will never have to think about me again, okay?”

“Okay.” He said.

“Are we done?” I asked impatiently. I wanted to get home and try to figure everything out.

“How…how are you?” He asked.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. I admit it was rude but Brad was supposed to be in the past and that’s where I wanted him to stay and him showing up out of nowhere was the absolute opposite of what I needed at this particular moment.

“I’m fine, Brad. Now go home, call the police, and tell them I was with you. GoodBYE.”

I spun on my heel and walked out of the alley.

“You don’t think it’s weird?” He yelled after me.

“What?”

“That there are now two fires connected to you?” He walked up to me.

“I honestly haven’t thought about it, okay? And even if I had, Eddie’s fire has NOTHING to do with me whatsoever.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“Okay.”

 He left me standing near my building’s entrance. I’m sure these fires are just a coincidence. Brad has no idea what he’s talking about, he’s just being creepy and weird. Plus, there were several other fires prior to mine and those had nothing to do with me, either. Eddie’s theatre burning down really sucks but there’s no evidence that that had anything to do with me and neither does the fire in my apartment building.