Cowboy Like Me.

Chapter 15

I watched from the other side of the room as Taylor and Ella seemed to be engaging in what appeared to be a heated discussion if their body language was anything to go by. Taylor was annoyed, her stance was defensive and she looked tense. Ella on the other hand, was more relaxed like she didn't really care about what was being said, but her facial expressions proved that she was trying to cut Tay down. 

I didn't like it. I didn't like the way she was looking at her or the haughty expression she was wearing as though she thought she was better than Taylor. Seriously, who the fuck did she think she was? Taylor was ten times the person she was and that bitch really didn't know how lucky she was even to have Tay as part of her life. 

I felt my annoyance spike to a dangerous level as I watched Ella give Tay a nasty smirk as she looked her up and down while saying something that I could only guess wasn't very pleasant, especially with how Taylor's eyes had filled with tears before she ran out of the room. 

I was at a loss for what to do, I wanted to go after her and check if she was alright, but I couldn't just abandon Josh. I wanted to march over to Elsie and slap some sense into her, but I couldn't do that either; in fact, all I could do was stand helplessly staring at the spot where she had just exited. 

I looked to my left and my eyes connected with Lily's; she gave me a nod before she made her way towards the door Taylor had just left through. Thank god someone was going to check on her though I wished with everything that it could have been me. 

My jaw clenched as the most annoying laugh I had ever heard pierced my eardrums. It sounded worse than nails on a chalkboard and my fists tightened by my side as I watched Ella giggle at whatever Cara had said, which probably wasn't even funny, all while she batted her eyes at her like a love-sick teenager. Did she not care about Taylor at all? 

'I think Taylor is the last thing on her mind, but the same can't be said for you, can it?' I jumped a little as a voice I recognised spoke into my ear. Had I said that last part out loud? 

'What do you mean?' I replied as my body stiffened; I knew an insinuation when I heard one, and if I was correct then it was bad.  

'I might be oblivious sometimes, Karlie, but I'm not stupid, as you very well know, and everything makes sense now,' the voice in my ear made my heart pound loudly as I began to panic. 'The fights, the trip, her moving to New York, the distance, the way you look at her, the way she looks at you. It was her, wasn't it?' 

I closed my eyes as my palms started to sweat, and a nauseous feeling washed over me. 'Josh, I-'. 

'Don't lie to me,' his voice was sharp but low; he wasn't angry though, no, he was upset, and I couldn't blame him. 'You've never looked at me the way you looked at her tonight, not even when we first got together. I never understood her instant hatred of me, but now It makes perfect sense'.

'She doesn't hate you,' I tried to defend Taylor but it was weak even to my own ears. She did hate him and it was glaringly obvious if you knew what to look for. 

'She attacked me the first night she met me,' he let out a light chuckle that confused me, 'The only time tonight that either of you smiled was when you saw each other for the first time at the beginning of the night. That's what tipped me off, why do you think I made such a show of touching you? I had to be sure and now I am. The dirty looks I've gotten all night from her weren't looks of a jilted best friend and the glares you were giving her date were the glares of a jealous ex,' he finished before he turned me to face him. 

I knew that my eyes held nothing but guilt, and I struggled to meet his gaze. 'I'm sorry,' I attempted to apologise to him, but he cut me off. 

'Do you love her?' His question hit me like an oncoming train, and my first instinct was to lie and say no but I couldn't do that to him again.