Caught In Between - Book 1

4

CHAPTER 4
Catalina
Friday

I couldn't believe I had an interview scheduled at The Alibi on Monday. My stomach churned with a mix of excitement and a hint of nervousness. This opportunity meant so much to me, especially considering my dwindling financial aid and the fact that my car was out of commission. I desperately needed a job, and landing a position at a nightclub like this could be a game-changer. Tips would be insane.

Although I understood that getting the job wasn't a guarantee, I was incredibly grateful for the chance to interview.

Lola had been reassuring me countless times that I didn't have to worry about finding a job because I could stay with her as long as I needed. I truly appreciated her kindness and generosity, but deep down, I longed for my own space and independence. Living together was amazing, but I wanted to carve out a path for myself and not rely solely on her. Besides, spending all our time together could strain our friendship. I didn't want to jeopardize our bond by becoming too dependent on her.

As my phone vibrated, I glanced down and saw Liam's name lighting up the screen. He had been persistently calling me for the past two weeks, but I refused to answer. Liam had bombarded me with numerous texts and voicemails, all pleading for forgiveness. He acknowledged that cheating had been a colossal mistake and professed to being a sorry piece of shit, but he desperately wanted me to give him a chance to fix things.

I couldn't handle dealing with Liam right now. My focus needed to be on myself, and that meant cutting off any contact with him. Besides, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to fix things. He had shattered my heart, and I wasn't ready to entertain anything that involved him at the moment.

"Oh, shit, is it 9:30 already?" I abruptly turned off the television, realizing it was time to wake Lola up so we could start getting ready.

Leaving the guest room I was staying in, I made my way towards Lola's room. Earlier, she had gone to lie down because of a headache, asking me to wake her up at nine. However, I had lost track of time while watching my favorite show Elite on Netflix.

Lightly tapping on the door, I waited for her response before entering. The room was pitch dark, and I muttered to myself about the lack of light as I carefully navigated towards the bed. Suddenly, I winced in pain as I accidentally bumped my knee against the sharp corner of her vanity, feeling a sharp shooting pain through my leg.

"Holy sh—" I cried out in pain, quickly moving my hands in front of me to assess my surroundings in the darkness.

"Catalina, is that you?" Lola's tired voice reached me, still sounding completely exhausted. I reached out and fumbled for the lamp on the nightstand next to her king-sized bed, finally managing to turn it on.

"Oh, shit, yeah. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you like that," I apologized, still rubbing my throbbing knee and wincing at the tenderness. "So, how are you feeling, love?"

"Well, my fucking head is still killing me for one, and now my throat is bothering me, for two! What time is it?" Lola wiped the sleep out of her big blue bloodshot eyes.

"It's 9:30, and you're a little warm, missy," I replied, giving her a concerned look. I sat down next to her on the bed and raised my left arm to feel her forehead with the back of my hand.

"Okay, that's it, plans canceled! Where do you keep your Tylenol and Ibuprofen? I jumped up from the bed and made my way to her bathroom to check the medicine cabinet. Also, do we have the stuff to make chicken noodle soup?"

"C, what are you doing?" Lola sat up on her elbows, her gaze meeting mine. "I am fine! I just need some Ibuprofen, water, and lots of fucking rest. So, no, plans are most definitely not canceled. I'm sick of watching you mope around here because of that jackass Liam. I can hear you crying at night, Catalina."