The Enemy of My Enemy

Lottie took out her earbud and turned towards the front door, even though she couldn’t see it from the kitchen. When she didn’t hear anything else, Lottie shrugged as she put her earbud back in. Which was probably pointless because she was just going to take it out in a few minutes anyway to watch a movie. But she also didn’t care. Lottie had a very bad day yesterday and was having an equally bad day today, so if she wanted to listen to music while making popcorn, then she was going to listen to music while making popcorn. The only reason she wasn’t blasting it on the speakers was because, well...she didn’t have one. Not anymore.

She let her ex borrow it, and the very thought of going anywhere near his house right now made Lottie flinch with horror and disgust.

But it was a very nice speaker...Lottie should pick it up before her ex got the idea to trash it or sell it.

Not tonight, though. Tonight, Lottie was going to heal her broken heart with treats and a movie, probably Babe. She needed cute animal fluff. Well...a mostly cute animal fluffly with a happy ending.

And speaking of treats, her popcorn was done.

Lottie smiled as she snuck a couple of pieces of popcorn into her mouth early as she headed to her living room. As she did so, her earbuds became silent as they switched into another song.

KNOCK KNOCK.

Lottie instantly went still as cold shivers crawled up her spine like little spiders. Her heart debating whether to beat super loudly or super quickly, Lottie turned off her earbuds and listened.

For a moment, nothing happened. Maybe they had already left. Or just as likely, it was her neighbor’s door that was being knocked on very loudly. Heck, maybe Lottie was just hearing-

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Lottie jumped out of her skin, causing a few pieces of popcorn to escape her bucket and a small, frightened squeal to leave her lips. Horrified, Lottie plastered her hand to her mouth as if that could undo the damage. Someone was knocking at her door, and chances were high that they knew that she was here thanks to her big mouth.

Hang on, calm down, Lottie. Just because they were knocking loudly didn’t automatically make them bad guys. They were probably...just knocking so loudly because it was super important that she answer the door. And they were also impatient since this most likely was the third time they knocked.

Though what in the world could be so important? Wait, it couldn’t be the cops...could it? What did she do to warrant the cops knocking at her door? Lottie couldn’t even remember the last time she ran a red light! Wait…could it be about her parents? Her siblings?

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Worried as well now, Lottie put down her popcorn on the nearest table and hurried towards the door. It was only when she was about to grab the doorknob that a thought occurred to her.

What if it was her ex?

Yesterday had been her ex’s birthday, and to surprise him, Lottie went to his place with an ice cream cake and the new video game he had been wanting. Well, when he opened the door, she sure surprised him, alright.

As well as the girl who was hanging off his shoulders like a parasitic leech.

Lottie honestly wasn’t sure what was the worst part of the whole situation. The fact that her ex had been cheating on her during their whole relationship, or the fact that he didn’t even pretend to apologize. He just told her to leave the cake and game on the doorstep and that he would get them later. Like heck she did that. The ice cream cake was in her freezer right now, and she planned on playing the game after the movie.

Was that why her ex was here? To get ‘his’ things? Or...was he actually going to go through the clichéd apology?

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Pure fury welling up inside, Lottie slammed open the door, her mouth opened to let him have it like she was a dragon and her ex was an old sheep that had just been shorn.

Only to let it hang open when she didn’t see her ex.

It was a handsome man about the same age as her and her ex, with angry blue eyes that quickly softened with surprise when he saw Lottie.

“You’re…not my girlfriend,” he said dumbfoundedly.

“No...I am not,” Lottie said, her anger replaced with pure confusion. “Um...are you lost?”

“I guess so,” he said as he scratched the back of his head. “You see, I just found out that my girlfriend is cheating on me and that she is with him now. See, my friend sent me a picture,” he explained as he took out his phone, tapped it a few times before handing it to Lottie.

Her eyes widened when she saw the picture.

“My friend recognized that house in the background and managed to send me the address,” he continued. “He lives nearby or something like that-”

“He took a selfie with her in front of my place?!?!” yelled Lottie, gripping the phone so tightly that it hurt. The audacity...when did he...wait, was the affair partner the friend that both dropped and picked him up at her place when his car was getting fixed? The shy one?!

“Whoa!” he exclaimed as he slightly jumped in his skin. “So wait, it is your plac-”

He stopped himself from continuing his sentence as his eyes widened with realization. They looked at each other for a long moment, and Lottie knew that she didn’t have to explain a darn thing.

That they were both victims of the same people.

“...I’m sorry for knocking so loudly before,” he apologized. “But do you want to work together to get them back for this?”

Lottie instantly stepped aside as she motioned him inside.

“I already made the popcorn.”