Level the Playing Field

Slipping.

A/n. Jude... please... Loool enjoy ☺️

"Trevor must've fucked you up real good in the head if you think I'm going anywhere with you." Sadé seethes at him. He's sporting a bruise just above his left eye so the idea isn't that far-fetched either.

Jude scoffs loudly at that, looking properly offended that the thought even crossed her mind.
"He barely even landed a blow."

"You think I give a fuck about that? Seriously?!" She goes to stand, forgetting about her foot for a minute. Sadé ends up falling back on the chair immediately as a hiss escapes between her clenched teeth.

"I can't even yell in your face because of my fucked ankle! You did this!"

"Trevor was the on-"

"You antagonized him! Why did you do that?!" It's obvious he doesn't even know how to respond. He clenches and unclenches his fist by his side, staring at her swollen foot.

"Did you follow us here?"

He shakes his head subtly. "No, Ryan told me." He responds, voice devoid of emotion.

Sadé turns to glare at Ryan's tense back. He obviously heard that Jude ratted him out. Mikayla offers him a glare of her own. He starts offering an explanation quietly to her that's completely inaudible from where they are. Sadé returns her scathing gaze on Jude's figure still looming at the entrance of the shop.

"Doesn't matter, I'm not going anywhere with you. We already called a cab."

"Speaking of which, it's outside." Celine whispers nervously.

"Okay, help me up please." Jude moves in her peripheral despite knowing she was addressing Celine.

"No! Don't come near me." She rushes out at him. He immediately freezes a few feet away. He starts clenching and unclenching his fists again, almost as if it's the only way to physically restrain himself from reaching out for her. She puts her arm around Celine's shoulders and her friend supports her right side completely. Mikayla joins a couple seconds after with their food in hand to help ease her body weight off Celine's petite form. Mikayla whispers a shy good night to Ryan before they're out the door.

*************

Sadé is forced to skip her classes on Monday. While the pain in her foot is a little better than it was the day before, it's still borderline unbearable. She has always had a low pain threshold but she's starting to get worried.

"Maybe I should see a doctor." She suggests softly to Mikayla. Her voice is tinged with worry as she lifts the ice pack from her elevated foot to see the swelling still hasn't improved.

"I have an afternoon class in the next hour. I can take you tomorrow morning if you want." Her brows are creased, clearly anxious about her friend's wellbeing.

"Okay." Sadé adjusts her position on the couch so she's better able to rest her head on her friend's shoulder.

"By the way, you said yesterday that Annita said something about Jude not leaving you alone, do you think Jude told her every time he saw you?" Mikayla asks dubiously. Sadé has been thinking about it herself. And the more she thinks, the more absurd it sounds. He's stated multiple times they aren't dating but there is... something between them. Obviously not love but something. It would make no sense for Jude to report to Annita every time he's seeing other girls.

"It wouldn't make sense."

"So... Do you think there's someone watching him? Or maybe you?"

Sadé stares at the tv, there's some renovation show going on but she hasn't actually been watching. She likes the background noise, that's all.