six hours

17: Strawberry.

The moment we arrived at the Thai restaurant, a feeling of unease settled into my chest. Eddy didn't look right—his jaw was clenched, his eyes a little too focused, like there was something he wasn't telling me. I tried to shake it off, but the way his hand barely brushed mine sent a ripple of tension through me.

We sat by the French windows, the soft golden light casting shadows across the table. A waiter dressed in royal purple and gold approached us, and as he asked what we'd like to order, I could feel Eddy's cold stare. I wasn't sure why he seemed so distant, but the air between us was thick.

"I'll have vegetable noodles with a side of fish and your homemade herbal soft drink," Ash said cheerfully, breaking the tension in her own way.

"I'll have what she ordered," Cris said with a wink at Ash, making her blush just slightly. That soft moment was a brief distraction, but it didn't last long.

"I'll have fried rice, fish, and water," I chimed in, forcing a smile, trying to keep the peace. But when the waiter turned to Eddy, I knew the tension was about to explode.

"Bring whatever my girlfriend asked, but don't add fish to our dishes," he said, his tone dismissive, almost bored.

"But Eddy—"

Before I could finish, he cut me off. "You can go, we've given our orders." His cold command left me standing there, feeling like a ghost in my own life.

Embarrassed and confused, I excused myself and rushed to the bathroom.

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to steady my breathing, but my mind raced. What was going on with him? What happened?

Tears threatened to spill as I stared at my reflection, trying to force a smile that never came. I was alone, but at least Ash would be there to help me pull myself together. But then the door creaked open.

I whipped around, surprised to see Kevin standing there, his usual cocky smile replaced with something darker. My heart skipped, but my anger quickly rose.

"What are you doing here?!" I hissed, lowering my voice but barely holding it together.

"I'm sorry," Kevin said, stepping closer, his eyes softer than I expected. "I needed to see you. You haven't been answering my calls or texts."

The weight of his words hit me like a truck. I didn't owe him anything, but there he was, forcing himself into my life once again.

"I don't owe you anything, Kevin. Now get out," I snapped, my heart racing as I felt the walls closing in.

His eyes softened with a hurt I couldn't stomach. "Chérie, I'm sorry."

Before I could say another word, Eddy's voice broke through the thick silence. "Leave me alone, Kevin. I'm sorry, Nora. Come out now and we'll have your fish."

I felt my body freeze, the fear bubbling inside me. I didn't want to cause any more drama, especially not with Eddy. I had to end this now.

"Leave me alone forever." The words slipped out before I could stop them, but they felt like the truth.

I turned and walked out, my body shaking with fear, confusion, and guilt.

As I returned to the table, Ash's eyes met mine, and I saw the silent questions in her gaze. But she said nothing—just a small smile that barely hid the concern.

Eddy's eyes followed me, though his expression was cold. I wanted to scream, to demand to know what was happening, but instead, I just sat down, trying to force the feeling of emptiness to go away.

Our food arrived, and everything seemed too normal, too much like a lie.

The conversation was distant, awkward—until Eddy finally spoke again, breaking the tension like a thunderclap.

"I just sent a text to the driver. He's bringing your jeep, brother. As for me, I'm taking Nora away," Eddy said, his tone shifting to something I couldn't quite place.

The words struck me hard. Alone—finally, a moment with him, but the uncertainty still loomed over us like a storm.

Cris's eyes flicked between us, his concern clear, but he said nothing. Ash just nodded, clearly understanding more than she let on.

We left the restaurant, and I noticed Eddy wasn't the same. Something in his eyes had changed, and I was too afraid to ask what it was. The air felt heavy, like a cloud hanging above us.

"Why are we here?" I asked, my voice breaking the silence as we pulled up in front of Tante Marie's house.

"My mind told me to come here. Let's go inside." Eddy's voice was almost robotic, and I knew something was off.

We stepped out of the car, and as I walked toward the front door, I tripped, losing my balance. The purse slipped from my shoulder, the contents scattering across the front yard.

Eddy was quick to react, gathering my things before his eyes froze on two small objects in my purse.

"What's this?" he asked, holding up two condoms, the strawberry-flavored wrapper catching the light. His voice was calm, but the underlying anger in it was undeniable.

I swallowed hard. "I... I don't know. Maybe Ash took my purse, she uses it sometimes."

Eddy's gaze intensified, his jaw tightening as his eyes narrowed. "Strawberry-flavored condoms? I know my brother doesn't use this flavor, and I'm sure I don't either."

I could feel the panic rising in my chest, my voice shaking. "Eddy, please, it's not what you think. Let's go inside and talk about this."

But he wasn't listening. He threw the condoms in the bin, his anger visible on his face.

"I want answers, Nora!" he shouted, his face flushed with fury. "This isn't just some mistake."

I couldn't hold it in anymore—tears spilled from my eyes as I watched him walk away, his back turned toward me. I was drowning in this lie, and I didn't know how to fix it.

I rushed inside, my heart breaking as the weight of everything settled over me. I ran to my room, collapsing on the bed in a flood of tears.

Ash came in, her face full of concern. "What did he do again? Didn't Cris and I have enough talks with him?" she asked.

I sat up, wiping my tears, and poured my heart out to her. Every lie, every moment of confusion, every little thing I had kept hidden. I told her everything, feeling the guilt and the fear of what I had done.

"That was and is very stupid of you," a voice said from behind. I turned around, and there stood Tante Marie, her arms folded, a disappointed look on her face.

She sighed and then said, "But it's justified. Now, both of you listen to me: you must support each other, no matter what."

Her words hit me hard. She knew, and now I had to confront the mess I had created.

"What are you wearing to the Romano's party tomorrow evening?" Ash asked as she smiled at me, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm not going," I said, but she wasn't hearing it.

"I'll bring you a dress myself. Good night." Ash winked at me before leaving the room.

I collapsed onto the bed, foxy by my side, the tears finally stopped flowing. The questions still lingered, the guilt still gnawed at me, but I had to find a way to tell Eddy the truth.

Tomorrow was another day, another chance to try and fix what was broken.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that everything was slipping through my fingers, and there was no way to stop the storm that was coming.

==========================
My, my, my, Eddy is a bone head isn't he?

Wat do u think of the story so far, any ideas on where this is going?

Stay safe pple 💋🤗😁