Returning Red

#14: Hate-Love.

remember when you were my world?

Isabella

"--So that's why you want to go to the unicorn store?" Jacob asked me when I explained I needed to buy something for Lily. 

Meeting Shay yesterday brought back memories of when Lily was little. She was already mad at me for not giving her a heads-up about this trip, I might as well buy her something that'll help her forgive me easily. And no matter how much Lily has grown up, I know she always has a soft spot for unicorns, even when she eye rolls at the mention of it. 

"Yes, and I'm buying everything in that store," I reassured him as I sipped on my margarita. "You do know the place right?" 

"Yes, I am familiar with the roads but we could always use GPS," he raised his beer glass. 

"No, the network here sucks." I disagreed immediately. 

"Yeah, the network here is horrible but when you go past the suburbs, it's alright," he confirmed.

It was catering day which meant everyone just volunteered to join the tasting of the menu. Only, I had an appointment with Katherine so I backed out. But my appointment got over a little too soon so I came downstairs to the bar and ordered myself a margarita. The sun was too bright and warm today. I even thought of going to the beach but I was afraid of the sunburns I could get because of the heat. 

So I came to the bar on the restaurant's balcony and I decided to relax for a while. I met Jacob and I chose to sit beside him because there was no one else I was familiar with. 

"So, what are you up to?" I was curious. No one gave me any update about him and I wondered why ly came to this place or why he was invited if no oly wanted him here. 

"I took over dad's casinos. Expanded it and now I'm just living off the money the casinos make. Life is pretty much sorted, as of now." He seemed pretty happy with himself. "Well, at least my professional life is sorted." 

"Personal life fucked up?" I smiled at him. 

He frowned and then he nodded, "Pretty much," and he laughed. 

"Well, that makes two of us," I nodded, frowning as we clinked our glasses. 

"We can't have the cake and eat it." He shook his head. "When one starts to look good, automatically the other one gets fucked up. It's a rule. You can't ever be completely sorted in life." 

"Yeah, because if everything is sorted, where do you get the drama for your story from?" I shrug. Repeating the words of my favorite person ever. 

"What story?" He asked. 

"Your story, your life story," I pointed out. "Drama is what keeps the story going. The more the drama, the more impactful your story will be. No drama, means beep, your dead. Well, your story is going to be dead." 

"Interesting approach," he nodded. "But I'd dial down the drama a notch right now because I am this close to losing it." He held two fingers out. 

Already losing it? Then I don't know what I should refer to my position as. 

I chuckled. "You at least have casinos while you're losing it. I have a billion-dollar company and I can't even afford to consider losing it." 

He pushed his head back as he started to laugh. He looked at me again only to laugh more. 

"Well, you can drop in anytime," he offered. "Actually, one's right here in town. One of my casinos is in Homburg Street--"

"--Monticello?" I sit up straight.