Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
BLAKE
After an entire day at the library, the last thing I want to do is get into a fancy dress and go to some gala. Especially as Ethan’s date. After the last week, I’m still not sure how I feel about him. My body reacts to his touch, which I’m chalking up to nothing more than familiarity. I wish my damn vagina would get the Ethan sucks memo.
I peek out my window, still shaken from the past few nights. Understanding that my mind can deceive me doesn’t explain the prickly feelings I’ve been having each night. Like hundreds of eyes are watching me in the dark.
Instead of getting changed in my room, I grab my strapless bra and dress and head into the bathroom. I swear all the windows in the house have drapes except my room. As soon as my schedule allows… shopping here I come.
Mischa opens the front door as I’m crossing the hallway. Great . Just who I want to see. I’ll be the bigger person, as always. “Hey. How’s it going?”
She looks up from her phone and peruses me like I’m on display. “Is that a dress?”
With the navy blue dress slung along my arm, I nod. “I have this gala to go to tonight. It’s for the h?—”
She cuts me off. “A gala?”
“Yes. That’s what I was?—”
She takes a few steps toward me and pulls the dress off my arm. I’m taken aback by her sudden movement. It’s rare that she spends more than thirty seconds talking to me, let alone shows care about what I’m wearing.
“This dress is garbage.”
Oh. There’s the Mischa I know.
“It’s not,” I rebuke. “It was expensive when I bought it.” Five years ago.
She walks into the kitchen still holding my dress. “It’s hideous. This color doesn’t suit you at all. Come.”
I don’t have a choice but to follow her upstairs and into the bedroom she shares with Brennan. “Mischa, what the?—”
“Hush. You’ll wear something of mine.” She tosses my dress across the room and opens her closet. She must be on something if she thinks I can fit into her clothes.
I’m a size sixteen on a non-bloated day and Mischa must be an eight if I had to guess. Plus, our proportions are different. I have an hourglass figure and DDD tits. Mischa is built less curvy. She does have a nice ass though, I’ll give her that.
She’s flipping through dress after dress until she stops and pulls out a black gown. “Here it is. You’ll wear this.”
“It looks beautiful but I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to ruin it by accident. I can be so clumsy.” I rattle off a few more excuses that don’t seem to reach her ears. “What about the size? I’m sure it won’t fit.”
Again, her clear blue eyes rake over my body. Heat spreads to my cheeks.
“It was a gift from Milan. They sent the wrong size but I kept it anyway. Take it.”
I realize she’s serious so I take the gown from her outstretched hand. It feels like creamy velvet or spun silk. One touch and I know it’s expensive. Expensive and fragile. I’ll be on edge wearing it all night, but now that I’m looking at it, I don’t think I can give it up.
“Thank you,” I say. “I’ll have it dry cleaned and give it?—”
“No.” She waves me off. “Keep it. I have no need for it.” She closes her closet and turns to stride out the door.
“Okay,” I say, still confused by this entire encounter. “I’ll just go get ready then.”
She’s already on her way downstairs.
My phone rings as I get back to my room. I’m about to side button whoever it is when I see Falin’s name lit up across my screen.
“Oh my God, you’re actually calling me,” I say in a shocked tone. I clutch my chest for added flair.
“You’re clutching your chest, aren’t you?”
I double check the phone to see that it’s not on video call. “No. Definitely not. I just miss you! I haven’t heard your voice in a million years.”
Like my brother, my best friend travels for months at a time for her big tech company job. Her latest trip was to China for over a month. I love that for her but it makes keeping up with our friendship tough. I haven’t even told her about Ethan or moving in with Brennan.
“I know, it sucks. I promise you’ve been on my mind though. How’s life? Classes? My oh-so-favorite mommy’s boy, Ethan?”
Cringe.
I know I should tell her the truth. It’s sitting on the tip of my tongue but I don’t want to worry her. Not when she’s likely on the other side of the world. Knowing Falin, if I were to tell her about Ethan’s mistake, she’d fly here and kick his ass. And she could totally take him down.
“Everything’s fine. How are you? Where are you?” I prop my phone up on the bathroom counter and grab my makeup bag. Might as well get ready while we catch up.
“Back in the states for now. But don’t change the subject, I can read you like a book. What’s going on?”
I finish applying shadow to my eyelid and take a breath. “I’m getting ready for this gala thing. Ethan’s parents are introducing us to the board at the teaching hospital and I need to make a good impression.”
There. It’s enough information to keep her satisfied.
“So things are okay with Ethan?”
“Yup. Things are great,” I lie.
“You remember my dad’s a cop right? He taught me a lot of things. Like how to tell when someone’s bullshitting me.” She uses that I mean business tone and I shiver.
With my foundation puff halfway to my face, I huff. I’ll have to give her something. “Okay, fine. I moved in with Brennan about a week ago. But before you ask, it’s only because I need a calm environment to focus on studying. This year is already kicking my ass and it’s just started.”
She’s quiet for a second and my heart rate kicks up. Having a police officer for a father makes her slightly terrifying. I’m about to ask her to say something, but she beats me to it.
“I’m all for that plan. You’ll get more time with Brennan and some much needed space from Ethan. How did he take it?”
“Oh, you know… he’s fine.” I finish blending my foundation and grab my mascara.
“Right,” she says, drawing out the word. “Before I have to hang up, I can take some PTO between projects. I was thinking about coming out for your birthday.”
“Really? That would be amazing.”
“I’ll check flights and let you know dates. We both seriously need a night out. I miss my Blakey.” I feel myself start to tear up when she says her nickname for me. “Go get ready for your party. Kick that board’s ass… in a good way. They’re going to love you.”
I laugh and dab at my eyes. “I hope so. If I don’t get into St. Luke’s, the next option is over an hour away.”
“You got this. I’ll try and text you tomorrow.” I hear her doorbell ring in the background.
“Who’s that?” I ask in a playful tone. “Tonight's hookup?”
She laughs but evades my question. “ Gottagobye .”
Definitely a hookup.
Ethan picks me up in an Uber and I know within the first minute that he’s not sober. He’s stumbling over his words and being extra handsy, pawing at me with slowed movements.
“Someone fucked up my car last night. Smashed my windshield and keyed the doors. I’ll find the motherfucker. My parents are going to kill me if they think I did it.” His eyes dart around wildly, watching out the window like the culprit will jump out at us.
“I’m sure they’ll understand.” I know better than to ask questions or engage further. It won’t get me anywhere when he’s like this.
“I’m fucking shaky.” He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a pill bottle.
“Ethan…” I start but decide better of it. If he wants to take something, then so be it. I honestly don’t care anymore. All the more reason for me to end things with him after the gala. I watch him pop two pills into his mouth and dry swallow them. He seems to calm almost immediately. Gotta love the placebo effect.
“I need you to make us look good tonight, Bee. Everything is riding on this.” He wraps his clammy hand in mine.
“I know.”
“Good.” For the first time since I got into the car, he meets my eyes. “You’re wearing a lot of makeup. Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“I’m not. What are you trying to say?” He trails his eyes down the rest of my body and I cringe.
“The red lipstick and that dress. Your tits are hanging out. You realize these are respectable people, Bee. My parent’s colleagues. This gala is $500 a plate. You think they want to hire someone who looks like a whore?”
He may as well have slapped me across the face. I don’t respond. It wouldn’t accomplish anything, not with him like this. He’s mumbling under his breath and texting God knows who, so I pull my jacket closed and turn my head to focus on the passing cars out the window.
We pull up to a building in the historic district of town. A looming Victorian turned banquet hall. As soon as the Uber stops, I fumble for the handle, anxious for air. When Ethan tries to take my hand, I step away, walking as quickly as my heels allow on the unsteady cobblestone path. If he thinks I’m going to act all lovey dovey after what he said, he’s sorely mistaken.
I admire the ornate staircase and grand windows as we walk across the entryway. This area is filled with historic homes, but none quite as impressive as this one. If this were another time with another date, I could imagine having a great night here. Romantic even. But I look at Ethan, whose pills must be starting to kick in by the slump of his shoulders, and sigh.
For the next hour we’re introduced to at least twenty different people. Doctors, administrators, volunteers. Ethan’s mother gushes about her son every chance she gets.
Did they know he’s studying to be a surgeon? Lie.
Or that he’s at the top of his class? Also not true.
Not once has she mentioned me, other than introducing me as her son’s date. And as for Ethan, he’s barely coherent enough to make conversation, let alone jump in on my behalf. My cheeks sting and hands shake by the time dinner is served.
A dinner of fish atop a plate of pasta. I try to flag the server down to ask for an allergy menu, but in the bustle of demands from other, more important-looking people, I’m ignored.
“Excuse me,” I say to Ethan and the six others at our table. I grab my purse and head toward the restroom.
The halls are narrow and dim and I have no idea where I’m going. I’m too frazzled to stop and find someone to ask for directions in the maze that is this huge building.
Tears prick at the corner of my eyes and I finally stop to lean against a wall, reveling in the quiet. If I leave now, Ethan wouldn’t even notice. But that would give him exactly what he wants and I refuse to give up this easily.
The sound of nearby footsteps startles me but as I turn my head toward the noise, no one is there. I’m left with that prickly feeling again. Like spiders crawling on my exposed skin. Goosebumps pop up along my arms and all at once an overwhelming need to be anywhere else takes root.
I rub my arms and come face to face with Ethan as I turn the corner. His eyes are glassy and he’s stumbling his steps.
“Bee, there you are. They’re asking about our next exam dates and I dunno. Lessgo.” He grabs my arm with more force than necessary but I stand firm. Whatever I was thinking about not giving up flies out the window.
“No, I’m going to call myself an Uber. Tell your parents thanks for the invitation.” I pull away and start to dig my phone out of my purse.
He’s inches from my face before I can find it. “Bee, don’t be like that.” He plants a wet kiss on my lips before I have a chance to move my face away. “Come on, baby. I’ll be good out there. Promise. I need you, baby.”
“Ethan, come on,” I plead.
His hands snake along my arms as he buries his face in my neck. He’s murmuring nonsense, begging me to stay.
“What do I have to do, Bee?” His hot breath fans across my cheek. “Do I have to fuck you right here? You’d like that, wouldn’t you? All dressed up like a cheap whore.”
I’m immobile. Frozen, while he paws at my waist. He crowds me against the wall with his frame and presses his erection against my stomach. “No,” I manage to whisper.
He lets loose a manic laugh under his breath. I’m trembling, unable to do or say anything to get me out of this situation. And I hate myself even more. Whatever he took in the car had him acting like a different person. Like a monster.
“Everything alright over here?” Ethan steps back at the intrusion, giving me a chance to regain feeling in my limbs. I turn toward the resonant voice as a man steps out of the shadow.
His golden brown eyes lock onto mine. They’re sharp and full of fire. As I take him in, I realize everything about him looks angry. His tense square jaw, his inked flexing fists, his strained posture. Even his outfit is intimidating—all black with the exception of a dull silver buckle on his belt.
I should be afraid, but I’m not. If anything, I’m relieved.
Ethan looks the man up and down. “Yeah, I’m talking to my girl.”
The man’s lips pull down and his brows furrow. A deep crease forms between them. His gaze bounces between me and Ethan and I realize I’m holding my breath. When he locks eyes with me again, I try to convey gratitude in my expression. As much as my frozen body will allow me.
“I was actually looking for the restroom,” I say. “Do you know where it is?” Seconds go by with his gaze pinning me to the wall. I lick my dry lips and look away.
“Yeah, it’s around the corner. Want me to show you?”
“No, it’s fine.” I don’t bother looking at Ethan as I force my legs to carry me away from them and whatever this weird encounter is. I don’t know this man but the tension in the hallway is a powder keg ready to blow.