I'm Yours (Sequel to "You're mine")

Chapter 33: Psycho

Leah's POV

I was seated at a table for 2. Heather had gone up front to order for us, I was waiting for her to return. I wondered why I was waiting here, for her. Why was I even still here? Why was I spending my free time with someone who so desperately tried to break my marriage apart? I didn't know.

After some time, Heather returned. She handed me my drink and sat down in her seat. "I didn't expect you to stay." It seemed we were thinking the same thing...

"Neither did I," I took a sip from my hot chocolate. "But I did."

She nodded.

For a moment we got silent. It occurred to me that Heather and I didn't talk like normal people. We either ignored each other or we fought. It seemed as if we couldn't have a normal conversation. That's pretty sad if you think about it...

At some point, I cleared my throat. "So I was thinking about throwing a party for T's birthday."

"Sounds fun." She nodded.

"Yep..." Wow, this was so awkward... What was happening? I looked around, as if topics would suddenly come to my mind.

"Any idea who you'll invite?"

I looked at her. "Her friends, her parents, maybe..."

She nodded. "What about your friends?"

I shook my head. "That wouldn't be right, it's her birthday," I looked at Heather. "The people who love her should be there."

She nodded again.

"Maybe you can help me."

She raised her eyebrows. "Help you? With what?"

"To organize the party," I took another sip of my drink. "We could organize it together."

"Together?" She seemed surprised. "Us two?"

I sighed. "Yes," I leaned back, creating distance between us. "Is that a problem?"

"Well, we're not exactly a great team..." She took a sip from her frappucino. "I don't think it's going to work."

I looked down, at my drink. I had been molding the same question in my mind ever since Heather and I met. Maybe now was the time to finally ask her straight away. I looked up at her. "Why do you hate me so much?"

Heather seemed surprised. I wonder if maybe I got it all wrong, that maybe she doesn't actually hate me. However, I could feel there was tension between us, and it was here from the start. Heather regained her composure easily, she leaned back and crossed her arms. "Why do you care?"

I looked down again. "Honestly, I don't," I looked up at her and saw her nod, as if I was confirming something she was thinking. "But I know this animosity between us breaks T's heart, and I don't want to hurt T."

She sighed and looked away.

"I thought that if you could tell me why you hate me, we could maybe figure something out so we won't be on bad terms anymore."

She looked at me again. She sighed before leaning closer to me, as if she'd be telling me a secret. "I don't trust you."

I looked at her. "Why not?"

She started glaring at me, as if she was trying to look right through me, as if she was trying to find something within me. "It's a feeling I got the moment we met."

I sighed and looked down. I had heard somewhere about soul connections, somehow what Heather was telling me matched that. "Do you know what soul connections are?" I asked and looked back up at her. By now I had leaned closer too so we were both leaning towards each other. To outsiders, it must seem like we were close.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" She raised her eyebrows.

"I wasn't talking about soulmates, I said soul connections," I raised an eyebrow. "Do you know what those are?"

She started to frown, seemingly thinking about it.

"It's something I once heard, somewhere," I looked down, playing with my fingers. "Sometimes you meet people and it clicks instantly, like you're immediately best friends," I paused, letting that sink in. "But sometimes you meet people and you just don't like them. You can't really explain why but it just doesn't work," I looked at her. "Those are soul connections."

She raised her eyebrows again. "So you think our souls don't like each other?"

I had to admit, hearing her say it like that made it seem almost ridiculous. However, I nodded.

Surprisingly she didn't mock me, she didn't laugh at me, she simply seemed to think about it. It was one of the few times in which she seemed to take me seriously, as a person. "Maybe," She looked down. "I just feel like you're hiding something."

I pulled back then, creating distance between us. "What would I be hiding?"

She pulled back too, increasing the distance between us. She shrugged. "It's just a feeling," She then started smirking. "It must be something wicked."

I let out a chuckle.

"Oh, it is," Her smirk increased. "Something so wicked, so psycho, no one can know," She nodded, seemingly believing what she was saying. "Nice going, psycho."

I chuckled again. "Psycho? Really?"

"It's a nickname that suits someone who's hiding something."

"But I'm not..." I stopped then. I realized that she wasn't being mean here, she was joking. We were actually conversing like normal people. I looked at her. "Maybe..." And I wasn't going to stop that.

"I knew it!" She nodded before taking a sip.

I shook my head slowly and took a sip too. Perhaps it was best to let her think whatever she thought, at least that way, we could face each other.

When we had finished our drinks, we left the coffee shop. "How are you getting home?" She looked at me.

"The same way I came," I motioned to the train station. "By train."

She looked at it, then at me. "I came by car, do you want a ride home?"

"Uhm, sure," This felt so odd. It was certainly something I had to get used to. "Where did you park?"

"Just around the corner," We walked to her car and entered. She started the engine and drove us back home. The journey would take nearly as long as the train would, but it was more comfortable. "So, that surprise party for Talia," She glanced at me during the car ride. "What do you have in mind?"

I shrugged. "I was hoping you'd have some ideas."

She smiled. "I might have some."

I raised my eyebrows. "It has to be a decent party, Heather, her parents will be present too."

"I know, I know," She chuckled. "I said I had ideas not that they were suitable."

I rolled my eyes then.

"Don't worry," She said, gaining my attention. "We'll figure something out," She then glanced at me. "Maybe we can meet up tomorrow to discuss this further?"

"I've got classes till 6 though..."

"Well, after that?" She glanced at me. "I'm sure you can find some time after 6."

"Yes," I looked down, my wedding ring came into view. "But what do I tell T?"

Heather glanced at me. "Just tell her you're working on a project or something," She shrugged. "It's a surprise party, we can lie about that."

I looked at her. Somehow I wasn't keen on taking advice from her, but it did make sense to me. "Ok, tomorrow after college then."

She nodded. "I'll pick you up."

"Sure," We arrived at my house then. "So, I'll see you tomorrow then."

She nodded. "See you then."

I nodded and got out of the car. I watched her as she drove away, then I walked to the house. Before I entered, I blinked a few times. Did this really just happen?