43 - Pain #2
“Oh, he is.” Logan’s charming lilt confirms my suspicion, followed by his arms encircling my neck, a little too tight to be showing just affection. Lips eager as they are sensual, skim the shell of my ear as he lowers his tone to a soft hum. “Someone’s hankering for another punishment.”
My thighs clench together at the mere suggestion.
“I heard that!” Scarlett shoves her fingers in her ears, red lips curling in a scowl.
“You are jealous, dolcezza?” Ezio sing-songs, cropping up from her right-hand side. His fingers ruffle the crown of her head, fire-red locks magnetising themselves to the charged static between the two of them.
“Ez! Seriously!” Scarlett wails, grappling with his olive-tanned hands.
She clears her throat, reeling to her feet and nearly trampling on Ezio’s in the process.
“You guys are dicks,” she spits, voice full of scorn as she attempts to smooth her untamed, fiery red mane back to some semblance of normality.
“Watch your tongue,” Logan chides, shooting her a look, to which she sticks said tongue out at him.
He raises an eyebrow, mimicking a pair of scissors with his fingers.
She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest, which only accentuates her cleavage in the tight V-neck blouse draping over her athletic figure.
Ezio shamelessly eyeballs her boobs over her shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.
“I’ve got to go,” she announces, head angling sideways to peer at the dark-haired, brooding Italian standing behind her. “Ciao.”
Then she’s strutting away, hips swinging artfully with every stride.
“Sure. Thanks for leaving me with Dumb and Dumber,” I call out to her, jerking a thumb over my shoulder for emphasis.
The two of them cackle as we watch her disappear, and when I turn back around to face them, they’re both grinning.
“Not to worry, my love,” Logan says in that charming British accent that makes all women swoon–especially me. “We’ve got a gym class. But you’re welcome to come and watch if you’re that desperate to see me topless.”
I scoff. “I’d rather gouge my own eyes out with a spoon, but thanks.” My voice is sickly sweet, riddled with sarcastic sass.
“Atta girl,” Logan says, pinning me in place to plant a sloppy kiss on my cheek. “See. You’re coming to terms with the violent lifestyle already.” He winks and saunters off to join the end of the queue for coffee.
Ezio bumps me on the shoulder. “I wouldn’t advise it. Looks painful.”
He joins his friend in line, leaving me furrowing my brows in confusion.
I watch them both in conversation. Ezio talks animatedly with his hands, and every now and again Logan will sneak me a cheeky glance.
After a short while they leave, protein shakes in hand, and I’m finally able to concentrate now Logan and his perky arse have left the building.
Now is as good a time as ever to tell the gang back home. I won’t lie, I’m more than a little anxious. What if they judge me? What if they think I’m an idiot? Am I an idiot?
Hurried fingers glide over the glass, typing a message, then subsequently deleting it. I repeat the process three times until I will myself to click send.
Me: Soo, I have something to tell you guys
Chloe: Ooh, juicy gossip?
Me: Well, there’s two things…
Renee: Well, spit it out, Dee. Everyone’s here, at mine. The suspense is killing us.
The muscle in my chest aches, longing to be with them. Taking turns to kick ass on Mario kart and failing hard to co-ordinate any of my limbs on Just Dance. At least I only have to say it once. Silver linings and all.
Me: I’m pregnant…and getting married
I scroll through the emojis, adding the bride and baby bottle.
A barrage of congratulations with various emojis ranging from babies to party hats gush through my phone. It lights up my face and sings to my heart.
Chloe: Who are you marrying?!
Theo: Not that dude from the photo…
I frown at the last message, at the unsought anger simmering deep in the pit of my belly.
Theo used to private message me most days, even if it was just an emoji or a silly meme he’d found.
After the move to England, it stopped. My guess was that his jealousy got the better of him.
Although we’d never been an item, his affection often came across as wanting more.
Like he secretly hoped to keep me to himself.
Me: Oui, the dude from the photo…we’re having a little boy. And planning the wedding. You’ll all be invited, of course.
Chloe: We better be girl!
I smile. Even though technically we hadn’t started planning yet, I’m meeting up with Scarlett and Casey soon to collaborate and discuss ideas. The ping of my phone alerts me to a private message.
Chloe: When do I get to meet your hot psycho husband-to-be?
Me: Haha. At our wedding, I guess.
Chloe: Got a better picture of him? Like, does he smile? His Insta pics are broody
Me: Lol. Yeah, occasionally.
I shoot across the selfie I took of me and Logan from my birthday outing. Both of us grinning at the camera, him looking his cheeky, handsome self. She immediately replies with the fire emoji.
Another direct message pops up, and when my eyes scan over the new message, my breath gets caught in my throat.
Theo: He’s no good for you, Dee.
All those weeks of nothing, and now this? His words might have swayed me before, would have held more ground for thought. But I’ve changed. So, instead of retaliating, I don’t bother answering. If he can’t be happy for me, so be it.
As I’m strolling back to class, Ezio’s parting words come spinning back to me, and I’m finally able to make sense of them. He was insinuating that he’s witnessed a person have their eyes gouged out with a spoon. Gross.