You Deserve Better (Book 1)

Chapter 4 - Saviour

"This is my chance, this is my chance
I'll take it now because I can
This is my chance, I want it now. "

'Saviour' -  30 Seconds to Mars

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Once Emily was safely on the bus headed for home, she shot Jason a quick text to let him know that she was on the bus heading home from work and would be back in about 15 minutes. She asked him what he would like for dinner so she could make a start on it as soon as she arrived back so it would be there ready and waiting for him when he got in.

He replied seconds later with:

"I'm not going to be home tonight. I should have told you before, my bad. Going to check out a new bar after work with Brett. I'll be crashing at his after.

You have tomorrow off work, don't you? I'll see you tomorrow evening.

xXx"

Any normal person would be pissed and she knew that if by some miracle the roles were reversed, Jason would be livid with her for not letting him know sooner. But she knew to some extent that their relationship wasn't normal and felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders the moment she read his text.

'Going out to a new bar' usually meant that a girl or some girls would be involved and somewhere in her heart she felt it sink slightly. She'd lost count by now with the number of times he'd cheated on her. The irony was uncanny.

She looked up and realised that her stop would be next so she rang the bell to alert the driver. He pulled into her stop and she hopped off giving him a quick 'thanks'. There were still snowflakes coming down at regular intervals but they still weren't sticking.

Walking over to her apartment complex she rummaged around in her handbag to find her key when her hand brushed something. She peering into her handbag to see what it was and realised it was the yellow envelope that James had given her earlier. She had forgotten all about it until now. Then her mind flicked back to their conversation at the bus station where he had questioned her about the bruising on her ribs and she had finally given up her darkest secret by accidently slipping out a small 'no' when he had asked her if everything was OK at home.

She mentally scorned herself for slipping up and knew that James wouldn't give up on asking now she had let out that admission. Then she remembered the small kiss she had given him and adrenaline kicked in. What the fuck was she thinking! What if Jason had been driving by, finishing work early and had appeared offering her a lift back home?

Luckily, he hadn't and hopefully he would never find out about the kiss. She knew that all hell would break loose if he ever found out about that.

Emily typed in the entry code and let herself into the building, making her way over to the lift and hit the number 8 button for the 8th floor where she lived with Jason.

Once inside she closed and locked the door, tossing her bag onto the island in the kitchen and her keys into the fruit bowl. She let out a breath that she hadn't even realised she'd been holding since 'that kiss' had entered her mind.

Rummaging around for her phone her hand brushed James's envelope again. He had told her to wait until she had got home to open it and now, she was. Her curiosity got the better of her and she took it out. Holding it in her hands she looked down at it and read what he had written on the front.

'For the pretty girl in the coffee shop

-J'

She instantly felt her stomach flip a 180 and she found herself smiling. She slid a nail under the flap to open it and pulled out the letter, unfolding it to read.