Chapter 31

I followed Leigh and Emilia into the restaurant which looked both flattering and colorful at the same time.

The bright colors made me smile a little and my gaze instantly landed on the medium-sized fountain on the other side of the restaurant. There were framed pictures of the employees or local guests as decoration which made the mood of the place even warmer than it was before.

A waitress led us to the table that Emilia had booked which wasn't far from the fountain. After putting my purse on the table and taking a seat, I glanced around.

"How did you find this place?" I asked while opening the menu we were just given.

Emilia smiled a little and adjusted her napkin.

"It was Leigh who suggested that we should try this place." She admitted while Leigh nodded with a proud smile.

"A week ago I was serving an older woman who just got tired of her husband's shit and stayed with me until she finished her drink." She explained. "We were talking and she shared a few stories with me when she told me about this place. She said it's a little expensive but it's definitely worth it."

"I can already tell that." I said flipping through the menu. I didn't know why but I had a good feeling about this place.

I tried not to think about my fight with Seeley earlier this evening. However, his words kept echoing in my ears while I was reading.

There was no way I'd give up because he deserved so much better. But once again, could I give him what he deserved?

I never thought that I'd be ready for a relationship after him. I'd come to the realization that I wouldn't be a good girlfriend.

I needed time to work on myself and get past my insecurities and memories but Seeley didn't seem to have enough time.

As the days passed the more lost he looked while I was sure Clara was living her best days back in Hillsboro. It wasn't fair how she'd get what she wanted while she didn't even give Seeley a chance.

I knew for a fact now that he didn't love her. If he couldn't say those three words then it wasn't love. It was more likely a weird mixture of lust and pity. I still had the feeling that the only reason Seeley put up with her shit was that he has thought that he deserved this. And that he felt sorry for her.

"Girls, do you know what's been happening with Seeley?" Leigh asked after we ordered our food.

Me. That's who has been happening with him.

I tensed but tried to hide my confusion by taking a sip of my water.

"He seems the same to me. Why?" Emilia asked and we exchanged a questioning look.

Leigh grazed the top of her finger across her glass while glancing up at the lights above us.

"I don't know exactly but something is different in him. He is not that distant anymore." Leigh said with a happy smile. "And he even sat down with me for a talk a few times and he isn't even that horrible as I thought he was after he announced that he started dating Clara."

"And he is not that angry anymore, unless you remind him of Clara which is completely understandable." Emilia nodded. "I'd be pissed too if a finally got the chance to leave that snake behind only to be reminded of her by my friends all the time."

"I don't know but I kind of like this side of him." Leigh said with an even bigger smile and I dropped my gaze.

"What?" Emilia asked. "You're not telling me that you actually like Seeley?"

Leigh's cheeks flushed while I felt an invisible hand gripping my throat. No, no, no… This couldn't be happening.

My best friend couldn't be liking the person who I'd been sleeping with in secret for weeks now.

When I looked up, I hoped that Leigh would burst out laughing and reassure us that she was just only joking.

To my surprise and sadness, she looked like someone who has been caught. She looked nervous but the corner of her lips turned upside.

"I think I do." Leigh admitted and I exhaled.

"You can't be serious." Emilia said seeming to be reading my thoughts.

I couldn't help but feel devastated by the fact that Leigh started to show interest in Seeley while we've been going around also behind her back.

"I am." Leigh nodded. "I know that it sounds silly because he has a girlfriend but it's also obvious that it's not that serious. I mean, just look at how happy and free is when Claar isn't around."

Everybody has noticed now how different he became over the last few weeks. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't delighted also.

"Maybe if I'll tell him how I feel…" Leigh started daydreaming. "Maybe it will convince him to break up with Clara. Don't you think we'd look better?"

I was still in so much shock that I couldn't even find the right words.

A real best friend would be supportive of her feelings. I should be grinning and teasing her then reassuring her to give it a try.

But to be honest, I didn't want Leigh to feel Seeley about this way.

It was selfish and stupid. Who was I to be in that place to get offended about my best friend's feelings?

I felt like a monster for not being able to share her happiness. Because if I wasn't in this weird place with Seeley, I would be.

"What do you think, Heddy?" Leigh asked.

I looked up and tried to put a stern look on my face. I didn't want to let my emotions break the surface and ruin her night.

She genuinely seemed happy that she found the courage to tell us how she felt. I didn't have the heart to be genuinely happy or honest about this.

"Me?"

Emilia leaned on the table while examining my face.

"Yes, you." She said. "There were times when you were inseparable. I'd even dare say that you were almost best friends."

Leigh gave Emilia a side glare.

"Careful with that expression. I am her best friend." She said lowering her tone.

I sighed in defeat that Leigh has still been a little too sensitive to call other people my friends or even best friends.

It equaled war when it came to Leigh. I loved her and understood her securities but sometimes it was annoying.

"I don't think that matters now anyway." I interrupted them and they both turned their heads in my direction, curiosity in their eyes.

"Why not?"

"Yeah, why not now?"

I stiffened in my place and took another sip.

"Because Seeley is a completely different person now." I said while rocking the water in my glass. "People change whether we like it or not."

Emilia looked to the side before turning back to us.

"It's true." She admitted. "But I think he became kind of an asshole lately."

"Mostly because of Clara." Leigh glared at her. "I'm sure he wouldn't be like this if she didn't have a bad influence on him."

"I thought you kind of hated him though." I said with a forced smile, thinking back to the old times.

"I didn't hate him, I just kind of… tolerated him… I think?" She said with a thoughtful expression. "He wasn't my favorite person at first but the more I talked with him lately the more I realized that he was different from what I'd thought him to be."

That sounded too serious and dedicated for my liking, honestly.

"Do you think I should tell him how I feel?" Leigh asked carefully.

No.

"Yes." Answered Emilia. "What do you have to lose? Honesty is the best approach, right Heddy?"

Not all the time Em.

"I'd say it depends on the situation." I answered while playing with the hem of my white dress.

"What do you think I should do now?" Leigh asked, her eyes fixed on me.

I felt like a deer caught in headlights. All I wanted to do was running away and hide forever from Emilia's and Leigh's curious eyes.

And yet here I was, stuck in a restaurant with them.

Would it be rude to excuse me and go to the restroom?

It would be, yes. That was a pathetic question.

Instead, I should have asked myself something like this: Why can't you be for your best friend's happiness? Why not be straightforward with her?

I couldn't do it. I couldn't be in this kind of friends with benefits thing with Seeley and also encourage Leigh to collect her thoughts and tell him everything.

I needed to talk to Seeley first. Too bad we kind of argued before I left.

"I think you should give yourself a little time…" I started it and Leigh frowned. She hadn't expected me to say something like this. "Just for your own sake, you know."

"She is right." Emilia joined me and I sucked a breath in. "Don't need to rush things. Just get close to him gradually. Don't give away anything. And I'm sure in time it will be all worth it."

Leigh was smiling again just when our food have been served.

I was only half listening while chewing because the thoughts wouldn't stop racing in my mind. I was a horrible friend and I should have been honest like Leigh had expected me to.

I even lost my appetite after a while since my stomach kept sinking like I was on the rough sea. The more Leigh shared the details about how much of a crush she's had on Seeley, the more serious I became.

"Hello, ladies." An unfamiliar voice said and Leigh stopped talking.

When I looked up, I saw a tall man who was around in his thirties and had a wicked smile on his face. I tensed at the sight of him eyeing Emilia like she was a piece of meat.

"You're interrupting us." I said with a clenched jaw.

The man looked at me and raised his dark eyebrow. His long hair could have used a brush but it seemed like he didn't care about any of that.

"Do I?" He asked with an even wider smile that made me roll my eyes. "I don't think I do."

"Actually, we don't have any changes, so…" I said, referring to his appearance and body language. He seemed just like those assholes on the streets who couldn't take no for an answer.

"You're one funny, little girl." He smiled and tipped the top of my nose.

I flinched and pushed his hand away.

"My friends are sitting back there," He pointed to the corner of the restaurant where four of his friends – looking like outcast people – stared at us without even blinking.

I had a bad feeling about what was waiting for us. I tried to look for an employee with my eyes but he stepped in front of me.

"Why would you look for someone when I'm right here?" He asked with a headshake. "That's really inappropriate, lady."

"You're one to talk." I snapped and he put his hand on my chair with a laugh. I had a feeling he was just putting on a show to not seem suspicious of the waiters.

"I told you you were really funny." He patted my shoulder with his fingers which made my face twist in disgust.

With one quick movement, I stood up and pushed my chair into his legs. People were watching us while my eyes were lightning in anger.

"I told you to leave us alone."

"Heddy…"

The man hissed and adjusted his shirt.

"I think you don't know who I am, you little bitch."

"I know exactly." I gritted my teeth together so much that I was actually afraid that I might break them.

He lowered his head while stepping closer to me. I could feel the alcohol exuding from his lips as he licked them.

My blood was boiling just looking at his smug face while he thought that he was above me and my friends. It didn't matter how many deep breaths d taken, I was still furious and ashamed that he had the cheek to harass like that.

"You're starting to annoy me—"

Before he could finish his sentence and my brain could catch up, I already grabbed my glass and hit his head with it.

After the glass broke and other people gasped around us, I stood there with a shaking arm and exhaled widely. If he dared lay another finger on me…

I saw the man's skin tearing apart on his temper.

I saw blood flowing from the injury.

I heard everyone talking about me.

And I also heard the familiar siren of the police after a while.