-eighteen

"Hey."

"Morning." I stirred my coffee.

"Listen, about yesterday. . ."

She probably meant the incident in the taxi. I didn't know what to make of the whole conversation we had. And to be honest, I didn't want to know what to make of the whole conversation. I didn't want to find anything out that could ruin everything.

"Forget it."

There was a long pause and then, "Uh- Wilson sent a text and he wants us there by noon."

"Yeah." I put her on speakerphone and sipped my coffee. "Already saw it."

"We could go together if you want."

I sipped some more coffee and swished the black liquid in the white tea cup.

"It's okay if you don't want to. I can just go on my own," she said.

"I'll meet you at your condo in," my eyes drifted to the clock, "twenty."

"Alright."

After my shower, I threw my denim jeans on and paired it with a t-shirt. After slipping on my sandals, I set out for Jenna's condo.

"Hey stranger." Ed's smirk made me smile.

"What's up?" I slipped in.

"Cool. Want something to drink?"

"Hmm, no. We're heading out now. Thanks."

"Right."

"Hey."

Both Ed and I turned to Jenna.

"You ready?"

After nodding, I turned to Ed with a smile. "Talk later?"

"Later." He smiled.

Jenna shut the door behind her after giving Ed a kiss.

The drive to the restaurant was silent, excruciatingly, and I wasn't complaining. I didn't know what to feel. Yesterday confirmed what I'd thought all along. There was something. Something I didn't know. And if she couldn't trust me with information about my boyfriend, why were we even friends?

"Come in." Wilson's voice rose seconds after Jenna knocked.

"Good afternoon," Jenna said before we got seated. I didn't waste my time on stupid pleasantries. He didn't either.

"There. That's the document that terminates your contract with us. All you need to do is sign."

I picked the paper that he dropped in front of me and studied it. It was a single sheet of paper with my details on it and also some written work.

"Why do we need to sign this?" I thrust the paper back to him. "Other restaurants don't tell their workers to sign before releasing them." I knew why we needed to but I just wanted, needed to piss him off. This was the last time I got to do it, wasn't it?

"I don't run a mere restaurant, Miss. Anderson. I run an organization."

I held back a snort, deciding to stay professional.

"If you'd have taken the liberty to read it, you would have seen that I'm terminating your contract and also paying you half of your monthly dues as you only worked for a few days after your last paycheck."

We were already towards the end of November and payday was usually at the middle of the month, another weird thing about his organization.

I picked the piece of paper and reviewed it. Jenna did the same. I signed when I was sure everything was in order.

"It was pleasant working with you two," he smiled and attempted to shake hands.

I walked out of his office without so much as a second glance. Bastard was happy he finally got rid of us.

Jenna got into the taxi a few moments later and we asked the driver to take us back to her condo.

I turned to Jenna when I heard her clear her throat. Her hand slipped into my bag and emerged with my phone. "You said you would call Eric today."

I didn't move. My eyes remained trained on hers.

"I'm only doing this because I love you."

I only took the phone from her because I knew it was what I needed. To finalize everything. Eric and I were already over. I knew that much. I just needed him to say it. That's why I dialed his number.

"He's not answering."

"Try again." Jenna's eyes were focused on my phone.

I did and he answered.

"Hello?" Eric's baritone hit my ears.

I blinked.

After all these days, he finally answered my call.

"What do you want?"

His voice sounded huskier than usual. He coughed a little and then sniffed. He was smoking.

"You finally answered."

"Yeah. I shouldn't have?"

Scoffing, I bit my bottom lip. "We need to talk."

"About?"

About. He really thought we had nothing to talk about.

The pounding on his side of the line reduced gradually till I could hear his footsteps. He must've been going to somewhere quieter.

"I need you to come over. There's something important I have to tell you."

"Eric!"

I picked up someone's voice from Eric's side of the line.

"Where the fuck you going, men? You gotta stick around for them chicks, bro."

Stick around for the chicks. I nodded at that.

"Fuck off. I'm on the phone with my girlfriend."

Girlfriend?

I shut my eyes for a few seconds.

"Listen- uh, I gotta go." I bit my lip even harder as I anticipated his next words. "I'll come over tonight."

"Perfect."

My eyes hadn't left my phone screen since he hung up. I only turned when I heard Jenna's voice. She'd heard the conversation because I put it on speakerphone.

"You okay?"

Chicks. Eric could be with chicks right now. Eric could've been with chicks all those nights he couldn't, didn't come home.

"What do you know?"

"What do you mean?" Jenna chuckled.

"Did Eric cheat on me with you?"

There was no easier way to put it. She'd feel I only insinuated this because of her past. And the truth was yes. I did just because of that. The whole breakup with Eric thing could've just been her guilt speaking. I wouldn't put it past her.

The silence before Jenna's response was riveting, sharp, loud. "You don't have to act like I'm responsible for your failing relationship."

"And how sure am I about that?"

After several seconds of drinking in my reply, Jenna responded. "Wow," she scoffed, "this is a bit rich coming from you, don't you think?"

Only when I tasted blood did I stop biting my bottom lip. The pounding in my head was back and so was the fatigue.

"You always do this."

I slowly turned to her. The taxi came to a stop and we both got out. Jenna paid the driver before I could make an attempt to.

"You always make everything about you. You always struggle to be the protagonist. You always blame everyone but yourself. You never accept you are wrong and you never take responsibility."

With furrowed brows, I stared right back at her.

"You do not want to admit you failed at your relationship so you're making things up in your head."

"Why do you want me to break up with Eric so bad, Jenna?"

She stared at me like I had run mad. Maybe I had. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was just my ego making all this up.

"It's pure common sense, Roxy. Being with him has been-."

"What happened, Jenna? I'm not stupid."

"You don't get to look or talk to me like that, Roxy."

I could literally see the steam coming from Jenna's ears. She was going to say something that would get me even more upset. I could see it in her eyes. And I wasn't going to-.

"I'm back."

Jenna and I turned to the door simultaneously. Ed had two bags of groceries in his hands as he walked to the kitchen to meet us. I wondered how long he'd been standing there. And how much he heard.

"Am I interrupting?"

"No." My eyes didn't leave Jenna. "I was just leaving."

Boom!

The door of my apartment closed with a loud thud. Changing into something more comfy, I microwaved some leftover food and changed the channel until I found something I wanted to watch.

I couldn't focus. Even with my favourite show, favourite food and several hours of relaxation, I still couldn't get my mind off everything. At first it all started as a small thought but now, now I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of Jenna and Eric lying to me that way.

Jenna didn't deny anything. She didn't confirm it but she also didn't deny it straight to my face like I expected her to. And that somehow worried me. Worried me very much.

The bottle of water that was currently to my lips almost dropped from my hand when I heard the doorbell.

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-C