And to All a Bad Night

(It's Christmas! Celebrate with the year's best films on this week's Jared's Inkwell. Click here to check 'em out! -JMG)

Story Sent in by Patricia:

Just out of college, I was dating Ricky. He stayed over at my apartment on Christmas Eve, with the intent that we were going to see my family the following day.

At six in the morning, I awoke to the building's blaring fire alarm. Ricky, who I guessed was coming from the bathroom, bolted into my bedroom and said, "We have to go outside. Right now!"

There was something off about his rush to leave the building. I mean, sure it was a fire alarm, but most people would look out the window or make some sort of comment that they hoped it was a drill or a false alarm... but Ricky seemed dead set on leaving quickly. We went out amidst the crowd in the frigid air.

The fire department arrived and after what felt like eternity, they determined that it was indeed a false alarm. Someone had pulled it. On Christmas morning. Thanks a lot.

I was ready to go back in when Ricky said, "Let's go to breakfast!"

I was in my jammies and a jacket, and still ice cold. "We're going back inside," I told him.

"We're already out. Let's do breakfast. I don't want to go back in."

"Then stay out here and freeze!" I told him.

I went back in, expecting him to follow me (his clothes and stuff were all in my place) only he never did. He had taken his wallet, phone, and keys with him outside, but the rest of his clothes and toiletries were still inside with me.

I waited a little bit until an email arrived from him. In it, he confessed to actually pulling the fire alarm and trying to keep me out of the building in order to hide the fact that he hadn't bought me anything for Christmas. He asked for my forgiveness and if he could come and grab his stuff.

I lugged his things down to the building's lost and found, told him via text where to claim it all, and went alone to my parents' for the holiday.