CHAPTER 3

ILLEANA’S P. O. V

"Earth to Illeana," Jace began, snapping his fingers in my face.

"Hey," I said, snapping out of my Tyler trance.

"What's on your mind?"

"Well," I began. "If you must know, I, um... met a guy."

"Oh, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but you don't have to lie," he replied.

I should probably take offense to that.

"I'm not lying. I met a guy like two weeks ago or something."

He shifted uneasily when he realized I was serious. "Oh... Uhm, moving on from Damian already?" he asked, a little amused.

"There's nothing to move on from; he rejected me. Remember?" I replied, sipping on my coffee.

"Who's the guy, and what happened?" Jace inquired.

"Curious much, Jace?" I teased.

He raised an eyebrow, "I just think you're good for Damian. And even though he doesn't see it, he's very happy around you."
I inhaled sharply. Damian. "Well, it doesn't matter what you think or see; he doesn't see it, and I probably just misread him."

I definitely misread him, he's always been kind to me, stands up for me, takes me as his date to most of his occasions but always introduces me as his friend. How did I miss that part? Anyhow, I misread everything and now I'm the girl who got rejected and the guy I had sex with to get Damian out of my head turns out to be one of his childhood best friends. Great. Just great.

"He's just still living in the past," Jace continued, bringing me back to reality.

"What do you mean, living in his past?" I asked, my attention piqued.
Jace paused, looked at me, and smiled. "Never mind about that; tell me about this guy," he said, changing the topic.

"There's really nothing to say about him. He's just some guy I had an encounter with," I replied, my blood boiling because that night has been etched in my head.

"Wow, you're really hurting, huh? You messed around with a stranger?" Jace cut in. "Didn't think you had it in you," he said, leaning back in his seat.

"Technically, he wasn't a stranger. I know him... well... parts of him.”

"Literally," Jace chuckled .

"No, you sicko," I replied, stretching my leg to kick him. "I mean, I know him from people, and I met him once last year, and he was a jerk."

Jace looked at me as if he was waiting for the sentence to continue.

"And?" he inquired.

"I hate him, okay? That's all that matters." I shrug.

"So you regret what happened. Right?"

I quickly opened my mouth to say yes, but I just ended up pressing the coffee cup against my lips. I don't regret it. It was great... That's what I hate. It's like he was a whole different person when it was happening. He kept asking me if I was okay, and the eye contacts, the look in his eyes, the finger locks... For two drunk strangers, the sex went from kinky and desperate to passionate real quick.

"Hey," Jace said, snapping his fingers in my face again. How do I keep phasing out of reality I wondered.

"Yeah, I regret it," I lied. "It was all just driven by alcohol."

"Drunk sex, right? Maybe your hormones took over, and you ignored his looks and the fact that you hate him."

"The guy is hot, Jace. He's literally close to perfection- physically."

"So why exactly do we hate this guy?" Jace inquired. "Sucks in bed?"

"He, um... Well, yeah, he... Yes, that word you said. Sucks," I replied hesitantly.

"Nooooo," Jace began with a laugh. "He was your best, wasn't he?”

"Shut up, Jace. It was just sex."

"Ironic," he continued, ignoring me. "The guy you hate turns out to be your best."

"Shut up. It's really not a big deal," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Between us girls," he said, leaning in closer to me. "If you didn't hate him, and if Damian never turned you down... who would you go for?" Jace asked.

"Between us girls," I replied, leaning close to him. "Your wife is probably wondering why you aren't home yet."

"You're such a buzzkill," he replied, leaning back into his seat.

I smiled. "I know."

“I should probably get going. “ He said standing up. “Need a ride?”

“No, I'm alright.”

“You don't have to wait for Damian, you know. He might take a while. “

“Micheal is coming to pick me up, he's in the area. “ I replied.

“Okay, “ he said, pulling me up for a hug. “Be safe, pookie.”

***
"Hey," Michael greeted as I entered the car. His voice was warm, tinged with a hint of amusement.

"Hey, you," I replied, a smile playing on my lips.

"I saw Jace leave a few minutes ago. Could have sworn you bailed on me," he said, raising an eyebrow teasingly.

"What? I'd never," I replied, my tone light and playful.

"No?" he inquired, a chuckle escaping him.

"No, at least I'd never bail on you for Jace, but..."

"There's a 'but'?"

"For Damian? Always," I replied, reaching out to ruffle his hair, a mischievous glint in my eyes.

"You're an ass," he replied, playfully pushing me away.

"So..."

"So..." he began, his expression thoughtful.

"Why'd you want to see me?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Oh, I just missed you. Last time, I sort of ditched..."

"Sort of?" I interrupted, a smirk tugging at my lips. "You totally ditched me, and who knows for who."

"Myself," he replied, his eyes briefly flickering with guilt before focusing on the road ahead. "I mean, mostly my dick, but..."

"Shut up. Do not finish that sentence," I said, laughing softly.

"Hey," he said, suddenly serious, reaching out to hold my hand. "I know I left you when you really needed me. I mean, first, your mom got hospitalized, then the whole Damian thing. You needed me, and I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry." He squeezed my hand, his gaze earnest. "You're my best friend, and I am still learning to be there for you the way you're always there for me. I just hate myself for..."

"Hey, lover," I interrupted gently. "You're squeezing my hand a little too tightly."

"Oh," he began, loosening his grip. "Strong, manly, veiny hands," he continued, a playful grin returning to his face.

I rolled my eyes, a fond smile playing on my lips. "Secondly, where the hell are you taking me, you sex-driven freak?"

"Oh, wow," he laughed. "So, you're just gonna ignore my heartfelt apology, you cold-hearted little..."

"Call me a bitch, and I'll turn you into a eunuch," I teased.

"Scary," he teased back. "Look, I'm getting goosebumps," he said, pulling up his sleeves mockingly.

"Shut up," I replied, lightly punching his shoulder.

"We're here," he said, interrupting our banter after what felt like a two-hour drive.

I opened my eyes and looked around after taking a few power naps. The hospital? My heart sank, memories flooding back.

"Come on," he said, opening the door for me and gently pulling me out of the car.

"You didn't..."

"Yes, I did," he said softly. "I know you miss her, and I just really wanted to make up for last time. Now... wake up," he added, shaking me playfully.

I looked at him, gratitude swelling in my chest. "I could kiss you," I said, half-jokingly.

He backed me into the car, pretending to be serious. Cupping my chin, he leaned in close. "That would be gross, Leana," he said, laughing.

"Like hell I'd mean it," I replied, pushing him away lightly.

I looked at the hospital, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. So many memories here, and most of them are not good.

"Hey, you okay?" Michael asked, his hand resting reassuringly on my back.

"Just nervous," I replied, my voice slightly shaky. "I didn't bring anything for her. She loves flowers."

"Daisies, right? I got you covered, already ordered some. They should be arriving any second now," he said, checking his watch. "Why don't you sort everything out at the reception while I wait."

"I really appreciate you doing this for me," I replied, feeling a lump form in my throat as I walked into the hospital.

The hardest thing about visiting my mom is the part where she expects me to pretend everything is okay, like she's just away on some vacation, like she isn't dying. It's hard to pretend your mom doesn't have cancer, but we've never even talked about it from the time she got admitted again. When it's really bad, she refuses to see me , and yet that's when we need each other the most. And I know I shouldn't, but I just hate her for it.

"Come on, she's waiting," Michael said, appearing behind me with the flowers, his presence a comforting anchor amidst my turmoil.

He opened the door, and my heart skipped a beat as I heard my mom's voice.

The sterile smell of the hospital room mixed with the faint scent of flowers, creating a bittersweet atmosphere.

"Michael, baby," she began.

"Flowers for the pretty lady my heart beats for," he said, handing her the flowers.

"Oh, talk about cringe," I said, cringing but unable to hide my amusement as I showed up behind him. "I get the first hug," I said, rushing to her bedside.

I missed this," she said, stroking back my hair as I rested my head on her chest. Her touch was comforting, and I felt a wave of warmth and nostalgia wash over me. "I missed you. So much," she continued, kissing my forehead.

I looked up at her as she cupped my chin. Her touch was gentle, and I met her gaze with a mixture of love and longing. "No, I missed you," I replied, looking into her eyes and ignoring the dark circles. Stay positive, I thought to myself.

“And Michael," she began, reaching out for his hand, "you, you're gorgeous," she said, looking up at him and kissing his hand.

"I missed you, pretty girl," he replied, leaning over and kissing her forehead.

"How's that little girlfriend of yours?" my mom asked. "What's her name again, Cha... Jan..."

"Hey, Natalie, you're not even close," Michael interrupted. "It's Valerie, and we broke up," he continued with a shrug.

"Well, it's about time," my mom commented.

"Mom..." I began.

"No, she had it coming," she continued.

Michael smirked. "Did she now?" he inquired, pulling a chair next to the bed, his hand still holding my mom's.

"Yeah, she was mean...."

"You also noticed?" Michael teased. "I'm glad we broke up."

"Oh, please, Michael, shut up. You were broken over her," I pointed out. "Mama, he was walking around his apartment in a robe, sipping on coffee like it was alcohol, then he started drinking..."

"Oh, please, I'm not the only one who was going through it. Just two weeks ago, you should have seen her, Natalie. She told Damian how she felt and got rejected hard, refused to leave her room for two days straight because she was feeling embarrassed. He said he thought of her as his little sister...."

"Ugh, you're such a tattletale," I interrupted, throwing a pillow at him.

"You started it, thought you were smart, huh?" he replied, laughing.

"I'm missing out on a lot," my mom joined in, her smile almost gone.

"Missing out? You? When I'm around? No, girl, I got you. Gossip is suddenly my talent. I'll keep you updated on everything," Michael joked.

"Yeah?" my mom smiled. "I'll hold you down to that," she replied.

"Guess who ditched me at a bar for some guy."

"Michael..." I began.

"A bar?” My mom gasped. “You're all grown up. Look at you, hooking up with guys from bars. Did you use any protection? Contraceptives?"

"Seriously, Mom?" I asked, embarrassed.

"What, I want you to have lots of lovers before you settle on one person."

"Mom?!"

Michael laughed. "I'll give you guys a moment. I'm gonna grab us some coffee or something."

"How have you been?" she asked as the door closed.

"I miss you," I replied.

"Come here," she said, making room for me on the bed. "Cuddle time."

I smiled and laid next to her. "So, talk to me," she continued.

"I'm failing two of my classes," I began, "and work is exhausting. Other than driving, I work in a restaurant and a dry-cleaning service..."

"You need to stop, just have one job..."

"I need the money, Mama. We need the money. I might lose the house soon if I can't afford to pay the mortgage."

"I'm sorry. I'm such a useless mother. You're out there doing everything you can, and I'm just in bed all day. I don't deserve to be a mom...."

"Hey, lady, you want me dead or something?"

"No..."

"Then you deserve to be a mom. I don't think you're just in bed while I'm working. You're fighting more than anyone else. For me, that's enough, and I'm not complaining. I'm just a little tired. The only thing I'm complaining about is Damian," I said, trying to change the topic.

"What happened between you two?"

"Pretty much what Michael said. I just don't feel like talking about it."

"Then let's not talk about it," she replied, stroking my hair.

"Does it ever go away?" I asked, my voice trembling. "The pain and the heartbreak, the memories... Does it ever go away?"

"It heals, but it never really goes away. Not completely, at least, especially if it was real. There are days when you won't think about it or even the person, but when a certain song plays or a movie that you watched with them plays, you'll think of them, might even miss them for a fleeting moment. So, it gets better. You move on and everything, but it never completely goes away. Usually, it's just there to serve as a reminder."

"I hate feeling this way. What's worse is he's acting like I never said anything, like it just never happened. But it did happen. He looked me in my eyes and said he thought of me as his little sister, patted my head with a smile, and walked me to the car. He didn't even take me seriously."

"You wanna know what I'd do?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"I'd gut him," she began, "just remove his insides, some wrong-turn type of shit, and just make..."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," I replied with a smile.

"Fall in love, mi amor, fall irrefutably, unconditionally, and passionately in love. Don't let this haunt you or tear you down. He had his reasons, and it's good he was honest with you, don't you think so?"

Even though this was true, I guess a part of me would have appreciated him lying to me.

TYLER'S P. O. V

As I entered my desolate apartment, a sigh escaped my lips. The silence enveloped me like a shroud. "Why didn't you tell me you're back?" a voice broke the stillness. Startled, I flicked on the light, revealing Holly perched on my chair, her legs elegantly crossed, leisurely sipping on wine.

Her posture was relaxed, but there was a tension in her shoulders, a hint of defiance in her eyes. "How did you—" I began, turning to look at the door, because I am sure I locked it before leaving.

"How did you get in?"

"I have a key, Ty," she responded nonchalantly, the soft glow of the light casting a mesmerizing aura around her.

"I never gave you a key," I remarked, feeling a pang of unease.

"I had one made," she interjected, casually refilling her glass, her movements deliberate, almost challenging.

"Holly, most people wait to be given a key."

"We were dating, Ty," she said, leaning back in her seat with a smirk, her tone teasing yet with an undercurrent of something else.

"Especially those. Friends, it's no big deal, but a girlfriend or boyfriend, they wait so they don't come off as crazy."

"You think I care about looking crazy, Ty?" Her voice was playful, but there was a hint of anger beneath the surface.

I rolled my eyes, realizing who I was talking to.

"Obviously, you don't, but you should. Besides, we're not even together anymore; you can't just waltz into my apartment," I remarked, maintaining a semblance of politeness, though my patience was wearing thin.

"We're not together anymore?" she asked, a little sad, her eyes betraying a vulnerability she tried to mask.

"No, don't do that," I began, knowing her. She's just trying to guilt-trip me into dating her again, and I couldn't let that happen.

"Do what?" she began, "what am I doing?"

"Look, let's talk some other time, okay? I want to take a shower and just have some time to myself, so can you?"

"You're not asking me to leave, are you?" she asked, with a frown, her expression shifting to one of defiance.

For a two-faced person, she's really cute,I thought to myself.

"I didn't come here just to be asked to leave, Ty," she replied, rolling her eyes, her frustration evident.

There she is, the real Holly, self-entitled, I thought. "Look, I want to take a bath, okay?"

"Then go, I'm not in your room, am I?"

"No, you're in my apartment," I paused. "Uninvited, in fact." I added irritated.

"Excuse me?" she scoffed, her tone sharp.

" I'm just saying, if you don't want to be asked to leave, then make sure you come invited," I replied, opening the door for her. "So, next time, come invited, and I won't ask you to leave."

She grabbed her purse and left. I pondered how to make her leave me alone. After taking my bath, I settled in to watch a movie when I heard the door open.

"Holy," I muttered, "I said I would."

"Hey, it's not holy," Sebastian began, entering with a casual swagger. "I just figured you'd be pissed after seeing Jace came to keep you company for a while."

"Ever heard of a doorbell?" I asked, reaching for the bottle of whiskey he was holding.

"No, I mean I have, but I think it's for strangers. I'm not a stranger," he replied, strolling around my kitchen as if he owned the place.

"What if I had a girl over, bro?"

"So?"

"So," I inquired, "boundaries, man.”

He sighed, leaning against the counter top. "You want me to go?"

"No," I hesitated.

"Wouldn't have gone even if you asked me to go, bro. I'm out of gas. I'm crashing here tonight. Thanks," he said, rushing to the living room with a bowl of popcorn.

"Were you at the movies?" I asked, eyeing the popcorn suspiciously.

"Yeah, I was on a date I want to delete from my memories. Don't ask," he replied, plopping onto the couch and grabbing the remote.

"Yeah, change my movie since I wasn't watching Sebastian," I rolled my eyes.

"Holy, huh?" he began with a laugh. "First Jace, then holy. Who's next, your mom? Everyone you don't want to see is just popping up in your face."

"You find it funny?"

"Would you hate me if I said I do?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the TV.

"I know I'd chase you," I replied, grabbing the popcorn from him. "And get your feet off my table. I don't know where they've been," I said, pushing his feet off the table.

"Grumpy much?" he began.

"Not enough to make you leave, though," I replied. "Forget about getting rid of me, mate."

"Whatever,"

"So holy—"

"Don't." I interjected

"Why was she here?" he asked, ignoring my comment.

"I don't know. I got rid of her before she could tell me. I told her I'll go see her when I get the chance."

"You do realize she'll hold you down to that, right?"

"Tell me about the new girl, the driver," I answered, changing the topic.

"Ileana," he said, "she's cool. Pretty much in everyone's good books," he continued. "And way out of your league," he finished, reaching out for the popcorn.

"Out of my league?" I asked, pulling the popcorn away before he could grab them from me. He shot me a look with his hands still stretched.

"Yeah, bro. Out of your league. The driver is way out of your league."

"I wouldn't mind getting with her. She's kinda cute."

"Oh," he chuckled. "I don't mean you're too good for her. I mean she's too good for you. No way she'd ever go for a guy like you."

"The driver?" I inquired. "You sure we're talking about the same person here?"

"Yeah, I am. And by the way, she's not just kinda cute. She's stunning," he said, swiping the popcorn from me.

"I don't usually share my food, but I'll make an exception since I'm in your house. However, grabbing the bowl when I'm about to have some is not cool. Don't do that," he said, his tone turning serious.

"That's why you used to be chubby," I pointed out, attempting to tease him, still reeling from the fact that she's out of my league. Talking about being out of my league, I had sex with her.

"Is that meant to be an insult?" he asked, unfazed.

"I could aim higher. I'm just baffled by how she's out of my league. She's beautiful and amazing, but me? Have you looked at me? Seen my bank account?" I asked, almost boasting. He gave me a scrutinizing glance.

"Yeah, I have seen you. And I'm not gay," he said. "Look, it's not about money or status for her. If it was, she'd have probably been with almost everyone from the group. She just doesn't do fuckboys or boys who almost fit the shoe. And you, you fit that shoe the way Cinderella fits the glass shoes," he finished with a grin.

"Oh, come on, man. I'm not a player," I could hear myself lie. "At least, I mean, not as much as I was."
"Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night."

"Shut up," I replied, throwing a pillow at him. "So, all you have to say about her is that she's in everyone's good books," I inquired.

"Why are you so interested in this girl? Thought you're obsessing over the girl you hooked up with last week."

That's right. She told me to keep what happened between us a secret, so I can't tell him it's the same girl.

"I'm just curious because I figured I'd be seeing her a lot, and I don't want to be awkward," I replied, trying to divert his attention.

"Well, if you put it like that," he began. "She's also a student. You might even have some classes together if you're going to be in attendance, but that's not your thing."

It is now, I thought to myself, almost grinning.

"She's in debt." he added.

"Debt?" I asked, unsure if I was more worried or curious. "How much?"

"$500,000."

"That's like half a million. Why didn't you guys offer to help out?"

"We did offer to help with everything, and she refused any help. She doesn't like handouts; she's a proud and stubborn girl."

"Still, do something about it-"

"We are doing something about it. What's wrong with you?" he asked, looking at me suspiciously.

"Just wondering why no one is stepping up yet you claim she's in all y'all good books."

He scoffed. "Damian is doing something about it. He hired her to be his chauffeur, and he pays her a lot. Since she was stubborn about getting the money for free, she's okay with working for it. She offered to drive the other guys if they need to go anywhere, but strictly work-related. The only one she drives everywhere is Damian."

"So she and Damian, are they like-you know?" I asked, a little worried.

"No, but she likes him. He rejected her, though, and they maintained their friendship. Or at least that's how it looks. She seems to be handling it well. "

"When did this happen?" I asked, trying not to sound too interested. "Like two weeks ago, a few nights before we went to that bar."

I chuckled. So I was just a distraction, huh? A rebound. And a distraction from Damian, seriously?

So she's into Damien. I thought to myself, damn, I'm not gonna be second to him.

"Hey man, wanna go grab something to eat?" I asked Sebastian, grabbing my coat.

"No. I'm cold, bro, but bring me something," he replied.

"Sure," I answered, walking out the door after grabbing my keys for the motorbike. Speaking of Damian, where is he?
© Ms stark700