Sin & Salvation

Chapter 40

"Again?" I shout from the living room, scrolling through Hulu to find a show to watch.

"Yes, again, the girls want to try out this new bar that just opened up," Payton yells back, her voice echoing off the bathroom walls into the apartment.

"Whatever," I groan, scrolling over to some unsolved true crime show and going through the episodes, reading each description.

"You know I'd invite you but you hate going out places, especially bars," she says, walking into the living room putting her earrings in. She has on a tight red dress that reminds me of the one Brett loves.

"But this is like the third time you've gone out in the last week and I'm missing my best friend," I pout, batting my eyes at her.

"Oh stop it." She comes over to sit next to me, laying her head on my shoulder.

I get a waft of the perfume Brett buys me and I say, "I see you're putting that perfume to good use."

She picks her head up, looking at me strangely. "Yeah, I mean it was expensive. Jason will kill me if I don't use every last drop."

I laugh, then ask, "Speaking of, where is he tonight?"

She looks at me with a face that says 'Seriously?' before going, "It's a Friday night, do you really think he's going to be home?"

I shrug. I guess she's right. She gets off the couch and goes back into her room, shouting over her shoulder, "What are you going to do? Just sit on the couch and watch shows about people getting chopped up into tiny pieces while stuffing your face with leftover chinese?"

I gasp. "Hey! That sounds like a perfectly good Friday night if you ask me."

"Whatever you say Coco Loko," she laughs, coming back out of the room with her purse. "I don't know when I'll be back but if you need me, I'll have my phone on me. Okay?"

I nod, groaning. "Okay Mom."

She walks over and kisses me on the head. "No boys over and in bed by 10, young lady!" She jokes, wagging her finger at me.

I scoff. "Trust me, I can follow the no boys rule. The bedtime though..." I trail off, laughing to myself.

It's been three days since I stayed at Silas' and last heard from him after our argument. It's also been three days of extreme anxiety and beating myself up over what I said to him. I want so badly to talk to him and apologize for the things I said, but I also don't want to make him think I was the only one at fault for that argument.

He still lied at the end of the day and withheld something that feels big. Financially supporting someone while also providing them with a place to live is a pretty big secret to keep. Not to mention, he's never spoken about a Gianna before and it worries me when I think about what the true nature of their relationship might be or was in the past.

On top of that, I haven't spoken to Brett since the other day at lunch with Payton. I gave him my story and he of course asked me to come home to which I replied, "Not right now." I really wanted to say "Not ever," but I didn't think that was going to go over well with him. He took it surprisingly well considering he hasn't contacted me much since.

"I love you, Coco, I'll lock the door behind me," Payton yells from the front door. I wave her off, becoming engrossed in the show on TV.

I hear her key in the lock and get up to make myself some food. As I'm passing the door to go to the kitchen, I hear what sounds like Payton's voice muffled on the other side. Becoming snoopy, I put my ear to the door and listen in.

"Where did you say we're meeting?" Silence for a few seconds, then a laugh. "Right across from the bar right? Okay, cool. Yeah, no, I just told her I was going out with some of the girls from the office, I doubt she'll question it."