Feigning Ignorance

A petite woman with long black curly hair dressed in burnt orange shorts and a baggy gray shirt stepped out of the doorway. She looked tiny compared to me; like I could fit her into my back pocket or the palm of my hand. Lucien had a type and she fit it to a tee.

She yawned and rubbed her eyes as she gracefully walked towards us, unaware that I was sitting right next to him.

"Oh," she paused, noticing me, and then looked back at Lucien. "Hi, I'm Lynne. You must be… Addy?"

She was smiling but it faded quickly the closer she got.

I clenched my hands tightly around my cup. She probably noticed my unseemly appearance. But it didn't take a genius to figure out that I went through some shit tonight.

The last thing I needed or wanted was some stranger's pity. So, I summoned my best customer service voice and smiled like nothing had happened; like I didn't just go to hell and back and walk twenty miles just to get here. "Yes. It's lovely to meet you. Although, I wish it was under better circumstances," I laughed gingerly.

I stole a peek at Lucien and gave him a what-the-hell look.

He never said anything about dating a new girl, and now I felt like an ass for showing up. I thought we told each other everything.

Ah, I was being petty again. 

Lucien finally opened his mouth and then closed it again like he couldn't find the right words.

I looked back at my cup and ignored the fact that he had lied to me. It was minuscule compared to everything else. So, I let the hot chocolate warm me from my fingertips to my stomach with each sip. I almost felt normal in that second—almost. I still had a gnawing emptiness eating away at me, but at least the liquid was calming my nerves. Right?

Lucien spoke in a hushed tone like I wouldn't be able to catch a single word of it. "Yeah, my little sister might be living here. I told you that during dinner, I believe." He turned his body to face her and avoided my eyes.

I almost sprayed his leather couch with hot chocolate as the words little sister left his lips.

Baffled, I snapped my head to the side so I could lock eyes with him, but his focus on her was unwavering.

He gave her a side smirk that revealed his dimpled cheek and that made her blush. I knew what that sly bastard was trying to do. I had witnessed it countless times before. He was feigning ignorance and trying to charm his way out of it and she ate it up like it was a four-course meal.

I cringed and scrunched my face in discomfort.

"Of course." She beamed and spun back to me. She twirled the side of her baggy shirt in her hand before she resumed. "I would love it if we could get to know each other, but it seems like you have some things to discuss and I have work in the morning. So, I'll leave you guys alone. It was nice meeting you, Addy."

She glided over to Lucien's side, cupped his cheeks in her hands, and kissed him, deeply. They smiled at each other through locked lips and she mumbled a sweet goodnight under her breath.

She leaned back and waved me goodbye with a genuine smile that I felt like I had to return.

She came in and out like a ray of sunshine, and if I were to compare myself again, I was more like a violent storm striking thunder at random.

I didn't utter a word as I watched her disappear into Lucien's room.

After the door clicked shut, I turned to Lucien and whisper-screamed, "Little sister? Little sister? I know you didn't just refer to me as a nun." I pointed at him in disapproval.

How long had they been dating? Why didn't he tell me? Why lie? I felt a similar tinge of pain and I didn't know what to make of it.

"There's the Addy I know." He smiled again, and his stupid dimple sprung out. "And you can't say shit. Unless you can tell me word for word what happened to you tonight?" He raised his eyebrow, waiting for a response.

Now it was me who couldn't find the right words. I opened and closed my mouth like a fish out of water and ultimately averted his gaze.

If I told him the truth wouldn't he just think I was going crazy?

He let out a dry laugh and shook his head. His light waves swayed with each turn. "See. I knew it. Secretive as always."

Yeah, I was a hypocrite, but I couldn't tell him that. I was already jobless. A broken disaster of a human being who could only take and never give anything in return. I was a whirlwind of red flags. I knew it all too well. I didn't need to pile on more, like how my ex kidnapped me and the only way I escaped was from some freaky vampire lady who had let me go on a mere whim. How there was a talking crow two feet from his face and it wasn't the first time nor would it be the last. Or how some shady-ass shadow demon gave me an ominous message and I had no clue if it would come back to bite me or not.

It would sound insane to anyone if I said it out loud, and hell, I would even think so too.

He would without a doubt think I was psychotic, or become uncomfortable around me, and that would shatter me into a million shards of glass that I wouldn't be able to weld back together no matter how hard I tried.

"She seems nice," I spoke, dismissing what he said entirely.

He rolled his eyes but still allowed me to change the subject. "She is. I like this one a lot."

That was a nice way of saying don't fuck it up for him this time. I clenched the coffee mug tighter. His faith in me had disappeared completely, but it was understandable. Though, that didn't make the words sting any less.

"Got it," I mouthed bitterly, but I had no right to be angry and he didn't need to help me. So, I stopped myself before I could say something more snide. "I hope this one sticks." I gave him an awkward thumbs-up.

He nodded and we didn't spend any more time on the subject. "Did you decide if you were moving in or not?" he asked.

I tapped my fingers nervously on the cup. "Uh, yeah. If you don't mind."

"I already said you could. We can go pack your things and bring them here tomorrow," he said, mid-yawn.

"No," I snapped back. I quickly cleared my throat and attempted to sound as calm as possible. "I mean, that's unnecessary. I don't want to bother you any more than I already have. I'll go buy some clothes tomorrow then I'll rent a truck next weekend."