Something was off yesterday. He was demanding, physically, and while he had shown that side several times, this was different. He wasn’t his usual self.
I walked into the kitchen, grabbed my wallet and headed to the store. It was Saturday morning; the streets were quiet, just the regulars eating their breakfast at the local diner. I walked into the store and grabbed a box of Cheerios. Oh hell, and a Butterfinger while I’m at it. Taking my items I walked towards the counter.
Kaley. She had been the death of me since junior high. I honestly believed she was some sort of human robot put on this earth to annoy the living daylights out of me.
“Hi, Kaley,” I reluctantly greeted her.
“Shopping alone today? No, um, boyfriend to help you out?” She smirked.
“Excuse me? Seriously, you need to keep your lips shut and by lips I don’t just mean the ones on your face.”
“Oh please, Charlie. You’re a fool for thinking Alex would leave his wife for you.”
I played dumb once again. This wasn’t the first time she had insinuated that Alex and I were a couple. It had occurred several times now since prom.
“I mean seriously, Charlie, he has a family to worry about now. You wouldn’t want to tear that baby’s life apart, would you?”
What? My heart started pounding in my chest, my skin suddenly felt on fire, the pit of my stomach threatening to cave in right there on the floor tiles. I must have heard wrong or she was making up lies. Yes, remember, Kaley has a degree in serial bullshitting. But she stood grinning like she won the lottery. No… No… No…
“What the fuck did you just say?”
Her face lit up as if she was happy to see my world fall apart. “I said that Alex and Samantha were sitting in a tree. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby sitting in a carriage.”
Everything started spinning, my world caving as I took in this information. I ran outside the store, vomiting all over the pavement. My chest felt tight, my breaths uneven. I pulled myself up, noticing Adriana standing across the street. No, she would tell me it was all one big fat lie!
I ran across the street to my best friend. She didn’t greet me, her face bursting with rage as she stood there waiting for me. What the fuck was going on?
“How dare you Charlie?! HE IS MY BROTHER!” she screamed.
“Adriana, please just listen to me! Tell me it’s not true. Please Adriana, I’m begging you, tell me it’s not true.” I no longer cared that she knew. I sobbed waiting for her response.
Mrs. Edwards was sitting in the car, her head down refusing to meet my eyes. I ran over and banged on the window but she remained still. I pleaded with her to look at me, to give me the answer that would either allow me to continue breathing or the answer that would end my life right here, right now. But she sat...silently still, immune to my pleas.
“Charlie, you have ruined our friendship, broken my brother and embarrassed yourself in front the whole town. Leave us alone. Leave my brother alone, WHORE!” she screamed. “Oh, and another thing, if Alex really loved you, how come it’s Samantha carrying his baby?” She walked to the car and they quickly sped off.
She answered my question, and so my life slowly started to disappear, the light was fading, the air was too heavy to breathe. I felt my body weaken. This was too much, I needed him. Where was he? He promised to never leave, he promised that his heart belonged to me, he promised that he would never touch her again. My hands were shaking uncontrollably; I dialed his number again.
Disconnected.
My body shuddered, the walls spun again. Tell me this isn’t happening, not my Alex, he was mine. My heart and soul belonged to him. My life was nothing without him. I can’t go on, I sobbed to myself. I can’t live in this world without him.
“Miss, are you okay?” asked a lady walking by me.
I looked into her eyes, my vision blurring as I tried to focus. That was the last thing I remembered before I passed out on the pavement and was embraced by darkness.
Chapter 4
Lex
Saturday morning I woke up with THE hangover from hell. Thankfully I woke up alone and not with a stripper. Our meeting with the Berkshire group was organized for 7 pm that night. I didn’t mind since I wasn’t twenty-one anymore and my life didn’t revolve around club hopping. No, just strip clubs apparently. Kate met me in front of Luigi’s at 6:45 on the dot. This gave us fifteen minutes to work over our strategy and I was confident the chairman would sign the contracts tonight. For a moment, that business savvy side of me kicked in and the excitement of taking on this huge client gave me the extra motivation I needed. Unfortunately, in my pathetic state, I had forgotten to shave my beard. Thank my lucky stars the hotel managed to have my suit dry cleaned and pressed at the last minute.