Chapter Nine
Amber
It’s been almost a month since Eddie and I broke up. My heart hurts every fucking day. There’s been so many times I’ve wanted to call him, but I always end up talking myself out of it, or Pippa does.
Ever since we broke up, she’s been all about me moving on and forgetting about Eddie. Poppy too. Both think he was being a hypocritical asshole for breaking up with me, when he was just as guilty.
I’m two seconds away from binge watching another season of Love Pilot, a new romance reality television show about pilots finding love, when Pippa comes skipping into the room, looking like a million bucks.
“Why do you look so good?”
She shrugs. “Do I have to have a reason to look fine as hell?” Her long black hair is curled to perfection, and she’s wearing a short leather mini skirt, a black tank top with way too many cuts in it, and long black heels.
There’s about a pound of makeup on her face that she sure as hell doesn’t need, and some really seductive red lipstick on her lips. She’s definitely going on a date.
“So, who’s the lucky guy?”
She gives me a weird look in the mirror before moving to face me. “It doesn’t matter. Who I go out with isn’t really your fucking damn business.”
“Damn, was the cussing necessary?”
She smirks, glaring at me with a viciousness that I’ve never seen before.
“I’m just tired of you trying to meddle in my business, Amber.
It’s always, Eddie this and Eddie that. And now that you don’t have him anymore, you’re so damn nosy.
Why don’t you do us all a favor and go out with someone new?
Hell, why don’t you track down your Australian hottie? You seemed to like him a lot.”
“That’s not fair, Pippa.”
“Life’s not fair, Amber. Trust me, if anyone knows that first hand, it’s me. Anyways, I’m going out. You have fun doing whatever this is.” She motions to the television screen, giving me a pathetic look.
You can hear the click of her heels as they echo off the tile floor, then the door slam behind her.
Something is definitely off with her.
Poppy pokes her head in the room. “Is it safe to come in?”
“Sure, why wouldn’t it be?”
Poppy smiles and moves to sit on the bed. “My sister has been a raging lunatic lately. I swear she’s been on the rag this whole month.”
Giggling, I share her smile. “She has been rather angry lately.”
Poppy nods her head in agreement. “I totally thought she was dating someone, but this is her post breakup persona. So, I have no idea what the hell is going on, just that she’s acting weird.”
“It’s definitely a mystery, one I’m too exhausted to understand right now.”
“Still got the post Eddie blues?”
“Every damn day, Poppy. I miss him.”
“So call him.”
“I’m not going to beg him to be with me. I’m sure he’s already moved on. If I were him, I would.”
“Why? It’s not like he didn’t commit the same relationship felony.”
Comparing my relationship to a jail sentence is kind of low. Poppy knows that Eddie has had a hard life, one that he’s seen behind bars a few times.
“Come on, Poppy, that wasn’t cool.”
She shrugs. “You know how I feel about Eddie. You deserve better than him. Someone who will treat you like a queen.”
“Eddie used to do that, Poppy. I’m not sure where things went wrong?”
She pats the seat next to her. “I’m not the best person to ask these questions to, Amber.
My relationships can be counted on one hand.
But I will say, that you can’t blame yourself for what happened.
We all know that you were under the influence or something, because the Amber I know, would never cheat on her fiancé willingly. ”
A frustrated breath hisses through my teeth. “You know that, and I know that, but everyone else thinks I’m a whore.”
“Hey, how about this? I got asked out by a guy in my biology class. I’m not exactly comfortable going out with him on my own. He has a roommate, who’s pretty cute, so what if we make it a double date tonight?”
“I don’t know, Poppy. I’m not exactly ready to date…”
Her hand covers mine. “I know, Amber. I’m not asking you to date him, just be my plus one tonight so I don’t get date raped or something.”
“Poppy, you’re not going to get date raped.”
She pushes her glasses up her nose. “Statistically, there are more non-consensual sexual experiences in college than there are outside of it. The odds are definitely not in my favor.”
Shaking my head, I lightly push her. “Fine, but just one hangout. I’m not considering this a date.”
“Thank you!” she squeals. “We’re going to the Cheesecake Factory. Maybe we can go Christmas shopping at the mall after?”
“Sounds fun-ish.”
She smiles. “It’ll be fun. I promise. Now come on, I’ll call Gideon and let him know to bring his roommate Finn.”
“Finn? Seriously?”
“He’s a nice guy… I think.”
“You think?”
“Well, I’ve only ever seen him in passing, I’ve never really talked to him before.”
Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms and glare at her. “What exactly are you getting me into, Poppy?”
She shrugs. “If anything, a good shopping experience.”
“You’re lucky I love you.”
Her frail arms encircle me as she squeals. “Thank you. Thank you. I asked Pippa to join me, but she said she had plans.”
“So, I was your second choice?”
“Only because it’s twin etiquette to ask the other first. You know the rules.”
“I wish I didn’t,” I mumble. “But okay, I need a good distraction, and some fresh air. Just let me get changed first.”
“So, Amber, tell me about yourself. What’s a pretty girl like you doing single?” Finn, the guy Poppy conned me into blind dating, is sitting next to me, doing his best to engage me in conversation.
I’ve barely acknowledged him, and been picking at my dinner for the last five minutes.
I swear I saw Eddie walking around outside earlier, but his doppelg?nger disappeared into the mall before I got a chance to get a good look.
Just thinking about seeing him again made my heart sink and race at the same time.
“I just got out of a long relationship,” I meekly answer, doing my best not to be totally off-putting. Poppy’s not doing much better. The guy she’s with is all over her, making her rather uncomfortable. If he’s not careful, I’m going to spear him with my fork.
“Oh, how long of a relationship?”
Sighing, I stab a piece of orange chicken and eat it before answering. “Five years. He was my high school sweetheart.”
“Oh…” There’s a long pause before he asks the question I knew would be coming next. “Why’d you guys break up?”
“I cheated on him while in Vegas.”
Poppy’s gaze shoots over to mine. I know she’s surprised that I answered him truthfully, but this guy’s a bit of a douche.
He smells like expensive cologne, is wearing a damn Ralph Lauren polo, and his shoes are probably more expensive than a single piece of clothing in my wardrobe.
His light brown hair is cropped short to his head in a buzz cut that he made sure to tell me was part of his uniform, as he’s joining the military after this semester.
He even made sure to add how he was looking for a wife to go with him, stating the benefits are better for those who are married. What a douche!
He takes a sip from his beer stein and grimaces. “You cheated on your boyfriend?”
“He was my fiancé, actually. And don’t worry, he cheated on me first.”
“So, that makes it right?” he argues, his voice rising a bit.
Weakly, I look up at him, noticing the rage in his eyes. The guy’s definitely been cheated on in the past. I’m not sure why I find that so funny.
“No, I’ve beaten myself up every day for it since then. The sad part is, I don’t even remember doing anything. I woke up feeling groggy and drugged.”
His scowl only intensifies. “That’s every girl’s excuse. Oh, I was drugged. The guy didn’t have consent before we fucked. Bullshit! You fucking knew exactly what you were doing! All you girls are the same. Little girls who are quick to call rape before taking accountability for their own actions.”
My eyebrow raises just a tad, and Poppy sort of sinks in her seat when she realizes that this fun little double date is starting to explode.
“Dude, I don’t know why you think it’s okay to yell at someone you barely know in a restaurant for something I already beat myself up every day for, but I don’t appreciate it.
So, please lower your voice, or so help me, I’ll fucking walk out of this so-called date right now.
I’m only here to protect Poppy, anyway.”
Poppy’s date, a guy named Gideon, gives her a concerned look. “Were you afraid to be alone with me?”
She shrugs. “First dates are always uncomfortable for me.”
His arm moves over her shoulders, and she freezes. “I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable, Poppy.”
Finn flicks a fry in his friend’s direction. “You’re making her uncomfortable right now, asshat. You’ve been touching her since we sat down to eat.”
Maybe there’s something good about Pretty Boy Finn after all? Because he is hot. Poppy wasn’t lying about that. I just don’t like him yelling at me in the middle of a restaurant.
Gideon’s arm drops into his lap, and he sheepishly moves to the other side of the booth, giving Poppy space. I swear she audibly lets out a breath of relief, that only I seem to catch.
“Sorry, Poppy, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“It’s okay,” she quietly responds. “But I think I’m ready to go. I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.”
“What about the cheesecake?” Finn argues. “That’s the only thing good here to eat.”
“Take one to go,” I suggest. “I’m done too. I have some Christmas shopping to do, and the mall closes in two hours.”
Finn angrily motions for the waitress, orders himself and Gideon a cheesecake to go, and tells them he wants separate checks.
“I can pay for the girls,” Gideon offers.
“They can pay for themselves, Gideon. It’s obvious both of them are only here to eat, and aren’t really interested in something afterward.”
Now it was my turn to get mad. “Excuse me? What exactly did you think you’d get out of this dinner?”