The Fall

Chapter 37

Kade

"You look good for someone going to dump his cheating girlfriend," Kyle says, from his post on my bed. I'm meeting Lola before she flies back to Arizona for winter break with her family. With everything going on with Sage, I realized how quickly Lola became an afterthought and the feelings I'm feeling for my best friend's little sister are not helping matters.

Throwing my leather jacket on over my hoodie, I flip my best friend off and of course the asshole just laughs over the brim of his beer bottle. "It's been a long time coming." Lies. I was in a comfortable relationship with great sex, but unforseen events threw my heart into the direction of one, Sage Henderson. We haven't talked about the kiss or the gravitational pull we feel towards each other. I don't tell Kyle this when raised an eyebrow in question.

"Aside from the cheating, what could you have possibly dumped her for?" He asks just as the very reason walks into the living room with her friend, Vanessa in tow. "How are you feeling, Sagie?"

Her eyes widen when they land on me and I note the tension in her shoulders as she stands perfectly poised in an oversized Christmas sweater, black leggings and red fuzzy socks. Her blond hair is thrown up in a messy bun with strands pulled around her face. "Better than yesterday. Thanks for hanging out with me, Kyle," She smiles, but I see the darkness in that smile. She's regressing or at least that's what her therapist thinks.

"You're sick?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her. Her blue eyes turn to me, widened in surprise. I don't miss the blush creeping on her cheeks and neck as she averts my gaze. "Um.. it's just a bug. I feel better already thanks to Nessa's tea and Mom's soup."

A scoff comes from across the room and Kyle crosses his arms over his chest with an indignant pout on his face. "Really? I watched Home Alone with you, Sage. The entire franchise and it stopped being good after the second one."

She gasps and placed her dainty hand over her heart in mock terror. "Take it back, asshole!" She screeches, tossing a nearby throw pillow at his head. Kyle teased his sister about the crush she had on a young Macaulay Culkin at the age of ten. I'm holding my ribs, dying of laughter as she throws back his crush on an animated Shego from Kim Possible.

Leaving the two siblings to bicker and poor Vanessa refereeing the inevitable brawl about to go down on our living room, I slip out the door to take care of my own inevitable business.

The streets full of Christmas cheer as I drive my Jeep down the powder coated streets towards Lola's apartment near campus. My body feels like lead as I pull in next to her Charger. Good thing her roommate's gone home for winter break to avoid the shit show. I never thought Lola would ever cheat on me, especially knowing the hell Chloe put me through a few years back.

Anger flowed through my veins like hot lava with every step I took up the stairs. She opens the door with a startled gasp and I realize just how hard I was banging on her door. "We need to talk," I growled, brushing past her small frame. Her green eyes are wide in alarm and for a moment I take her make up free face. Those plump lips that once drove me wild on my body now fill me with disgust, wondering whose cock they touched. Her brown hair is in a messy bun, much like Sage's, but it didn't captivate me like those sandy blonde strands.

"Uh, sure, I guess we do," She mumbles, closing the door behind her. The tension mounting in the small living space is thick enough to choke an elephant and I huff out a breath as I sit on one end of the couch and Lola rubs her arms anxiously.

A part of me wants to know everything. When did this affair with this older man start? Was he an ex? Lola's always been overly affectionate whenever she comes back from visiting her family in Arizona. Sitting here now, watching her eyes dart to everywhere but me is telling. "How long were you fucking this guy?" I ask at last, watching her suck in a breath. When she finally meets my eyes, tears are in hers and if I hadn't been so angry I'd probably be comforting her right now.