Chapter 25 #3
“You did so good baby.” He holds me, rubbing my aching shoulders. I know I’m going to be sore tomorrow.
“Okay, enough about my love life.” Jules’ voice drifts back and pulls me into reality. She puts her elbows on the table and interlocks her fingers, placing them under her chin and looks at me. “I want to hear about yours.”
Keirsten sits up straighter and sets her coffee on the table. “Oooo yes. Jules was telling me at work the other day that you’ve been playing house with Isaac from the bar.”
I shoot Jules a look and she stares back at me like she did nothing wrong. I’m sure in her mind, she didn’t. But in mine, I really don’t like that she is sharing my personal business with anyone else. Even if it is just Keirsten.
“There’s really not much to tell.” I shrug and sip my coffee.
“Oh, bullshit Serena. I can read you like a book, and right now you are lying through your teeth.” Sometimes I really hate how well Jules knows me.
I sigh. “Fine. What do you want to know?”
“Well, I already know he’s good in bed. That much you’ve told me.” She sits back in her chair and crosses her legs. “What I want to know, is this thing between you guys serious? Or is it just some fling?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. I mean, we barely know each other, but there’s a part of me that feels like I’ve known him my whole life.” Just saying that part out loud makes me feel crazy. How can that even be possible?
“Not to mention he is beyond infuriating.” I go on to tell them about this morning’s escapades and how he wouldn’t let me drive myself.
“Girl, he is more than infuriating, he is toxic. Where does he get off trying to control you like that.” Jules scoffs and Keirsten nods in silent solidarity next to her.
“I don’t know. It’s honestly nice to have someone care so much about me.” I gaze out the window. “He just has an interesting way of showing it I guess.”
“Please do not sit there and try to defend him!”
“Shhhh… Jules. Keep your voice down, people are starting to stare.” I lower my voice and shrink in my chair.
“Fuck that. I don’t give a shit. What I do care about though is the fact that you are so dickmatized that you are excusing some seriously abnormal behavior.”
Keirsten snorts into her drink, trying and failing to hide it.
“I’m not trying to excuse him. I know what he’s doing isn’t normal. You just don’t know him like I do.”
“Oh please. You’ve known him for an equivalent of five minutes.” Jules leans across the table, her eyes narrowing. “A man being obsessed with you is not the same as a man respecting you, Serena.”
My stomach twists. “He does respect me.”
Jules lets out a disbelieving laugh and runs her hand down her face. “Girl, he practically stalked you, threatened another guy for just looking at you, and acts like you belong to him. Like you’re his property.”
But I like that about him.
“Why are you being so difficult right now Jules? You’re being awfully judgy, and that’s not like you.” I raise an eyebrow at her and cross my arms defensively. “Besides, you’re the one who encouraged me to go after him in the first place. Why the sudden change of heart?”
She sighs and grabs my hands from across the table. “It’s just…I have been seeing a lot of news lately about missing girls, and he definitely gives off creepy stalker serial killer vibes.”
If she only knew. “You’re making him sound worse than he is.”
“Am I?” Jules fires back. “Because from where I’m standing, he is one argument away from me seeing your face plastered all over the news like those other girls.”
“That’s dramatic.”
“No, dramatic is you romanticizing red flags because he is hot and intense.”
“He was… pretty intense that night at the club.” Keirsten twirls a stray strand of hair and looks down at her latte.
I glare at both of them. “Can you guys quit acting like I’m stupid?”
Jules’ expression softens immediately. “We don’t think you’re stupid babe.” Her voice drops, softer now. “I think you were vulnerable, and he saw that.”
What’s going on? I’m starting to feel ganged up on. Heat rises up my neck and suddenly the café seems smaller. Louder.
Each scrape of the chairs against the floor and clinking of silverware on glass grates against my nerves. I glance between the two of them and they give each other a hesitant look.
Oh this isn’t a brunch.
This is an intervention.
What was supposed to be a relaxing girl's day has now turned into a trial, and I’m the defendant.
The worst part is that they aren’t wrong.
I know he’s dangerous. But he’s not dangerous to me.
I remove my hands from hers and place them in my lap. “He’s not a serial-killer.” I mutter. Aiming for annoyance but landing closer to defensive.
There’s a hint of sympathy in Jules’ eyes. She feels sorry for me. Well, I don’t need her to.
Maybe he does watch a little too closely. Maybe his touch lingers a little too long, his grip a little too tight. His eyes a little too knowing. And yeah, he did some light stalking in the beginning.
But when he looks at me like that, like I am the only girl in the world. Like he would destroy everything and everyone in his path if something were to happen to me. I don’t feel scared.
I feel chosen.
I feel seen.
“I just… I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” Jules voice cracks.
“Well, I’m fine Jules. I can handle myself, and I don’t need you judging me.” I bite back.
“Fine! Have it your way.” She stands up and slams her hands on the table. “Be stubborn and when you’re left lying in a ditch, see if I care.” And with that, she grabs her purse and storms out of the café.
Shock keeps me frozen as I just stare at the door she left through. The silence between Keirsten and I hanging like a cloud. Jules has never been so angry with me before.
It feels like an eternity before she breaks the silence with a whisper. “You know… She is just worried. She overheard Bethany and Justine talking about the missing girls and it kind of sent her into a spiral.”
“Yeah well, she sure has a funny way of showing it.” Tears sting my eyes as the betrayal starts to sink in. The one person I could always count on, just told me she wouldn’t care if I died. I know she didn’t mean it, but it didn’t make it hurt any less.
A loud car horn sounds from outside. “She’s kind of my ride.” Keirsten stands up and grabs her latte. “I’m really sorry.”
Keirsten exits the café, leaving me alone at our table. I can’t believe that just happened. And to rub salt in the wound, now I’m going to have to call Isaac to come and get me.
No. I’m not going to give him that satisfaction. And I’m still mad at him for putting me in this position in the first place.
I pull out my phone and order an Uber. He can meet me at his place. I’ll deal with the consequences later.
And part of me is already buzzing with anticipation at the thought of the way his hand will wrap around my neck.