Playing With Fire

Thirteen: What I Deserve Versus What I Got

Jade's POV…

The moment I woke up beneath the cozy red blanket, I was immediately faced with the consequences of my late-night drinking. Opting for hard liquor to drown out the heartache from my breakup with Bryan had been a foolish mistake. Now, I found myself battling a brutal hangover.

"Ugh," I moaned, dragging the comforter off my head with sluggish movements. The throbbing headache I already had intensified as soon as my eyes met the intrusive morning sunlight pouring through the window next to my bed.

If I’m being completely truthful with myself, the mere notion of leaving the warm haven of my bed was simply too much to bear. All I wanted was to burrow back under the soft covers of my cozy comforter and surrender to the blissful embrace of uninterrupted slumber.

With a languid stretch, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and quickly silenced the alarm before it could even start going off. "Let’s get this day started," I whispered to myself, moving at a leisurely pace toward the bathroom. There, I filled the tub with warm water, adding a generous amount of my candy apple body wash. As I cleansed my face and brushed my teeth, I relished the soothing ritual.

Stepping into my closet, I carefully selected an ensemble that exuded both comfort and style: a crisp white button-down blouse, paired with lavender slacks and sleek black pumps.

Gently draping my clothes at the foot of the bed, I gracefully made my way to the dresser and selected a matching set of undergarments. I returned to the bathroom, where the inviting warmth of the effervescent water enveloped my senses. Its caress against my skin was a balm of tranquility, coaxing me toward a state of blissful relaxation, where slumber beckoned at the edges of my consciousness.

Time seemed to slip away as I lay submerged in the water, until my fingertips took on the appearance of prunes, as if they had been kissed by the sun for far too long. Stepping out of the tub, I tenderly dried myself, savoring the sensation of the soft towel against my skin. To nourish and pamper myself further, I lovingly applied cocoa butter lotion, enveloping my body in its rich embrace, ensuring my skin remained supple and moisturized.

Grimacing at my reflection in the mirror, I muttered, "Never again will I touch hard liquor." My nose wrinkled in distaste as I took in my disheveled appearance. I was utterly dissatisfied. Today's image was a chaotic disaster, and it irked me to no end. Wrestling with my rebellious hair, I yearned for it to obey my wishes, while my swollen eyes betrayed the tears that had consumed me throughout the night. The longer I stared at my reflection, the more imperfections I discovered, fueling my bewildered thoughts on why Bryan had chosen to cheat on me with Kya.

As I stood before the mirror, a wave of self-comparison between Kya and myself washed over me. Where my stature was petite and curvaceous, Kya's frame stood tall and slender. Her outgoing nature contrasted with my own reserved demeanor, and the thought crossed my mind that she might even bring more excitement to the bedroom than I could. Kya embodied the epitome of a stunning, model-like woman, effortlessly captivating the attention of any man without even trying.

As tears welled up in my eyes, a torrent of thoughts flooded my mind. Was I so consumed by my feelings for Bryan that I failed to recognize the undeniable chemistry between him and Kya? Did they complement each other in ways I couldn’t comprehend? The unsettling question lingered: had they been involved intimately the whole time Bryan and I were together? I wiped away the tears with the back of my hand, desperately seeking answers to the painful doubts that plagued my heart.

"I don’t have time to be standing here blaming myself for the pain someone else intentionally decided to inflict upon me," I exclaimed, my words echoing into the empty air. After washing my face once more and gathering my composure, I headed into my room to complete my morning routine and finish getting dressed for work.