Trace of Innocence (No Control Book 3)

Chapter 53 - part i

(No Control - 53. Over Again, first part)

May 2015

I sit on my bed trembling for about ten minutes. I feel physically sick.

I can't believe she's had sex with someone else. I rake my hands through my hair, pulling hard at the roots. It hurts my scalp, but nothing like as much as I'm hurting inside right now.

A fleeting thought passes through my mind, that this is probably how Jess felt when she found out about me and Taylor, but that is an unfair comparison to make because that happened before I even met Jess.

I can't believe she's moved on already. How can she be in love with me if she jumped into someone else's bed so soon?

I retrieve my phone and send her a text.

Wow. You sure moved on quick.

I don't know when she'll get it - probably whenever she next hooks up with this Adam prick.

I have nothing else to say. I'm in shock and disbelief.

Grimmy texts me later on asking if I've spoken to her, but I ignore him. I ignore all my texts and calls for the rest of the day (although I check each one to see if it is Jess), and when I wake up late on Monday morning, I have texts from Louis asking why I haven't been in touch about our scheduled studio time, so I send a short text back to confirm.

I haven't done anything with any of the songs in my head since I last spoke to him, and I'm really not in the mood for hanging out with anyone, particularly in the studio. I feel like shit and I just want to be left alone to mope.

My message to Jess hasn't been read yet, so either she's either changed her phone settings, or I matter so little to her that she hasn't even opened my text. Either way, she's made her feelings clear. I'm just gutted I allowed her to get under my skin to this extent. I'm still furious with her.

It's late morning on Tuesday when my phone lights up, just as I'm in the back of the car on the way to the studio to meet the others, and with a jolt I realise Jess is calling me. I divert it three times, taking pleasure each time in doing so. I sneak a look at my messages and see my text to her has finally been read. I feel a little bit uneasy. Something doesn't sit right.

Five minutes later, I get a text.

Hey, I just got my phone back, I left it in a bar on Saturday night which is why I didn't call you on Sunday. Sorry for always messing everything up. I really need to speak to you. I miss you. Call me xxxxxx

Does she think I was born yesterday?

My hands are trembling from the adrenaline as I text her back immediately.

Hey, don't worry about it. Grimmy told me your mate was setting you up with some guy called Adam. He answered your phone when I called you on Sunday. Hope it was a good night. Take care.

Take that, Miss I-Don't-Do-One-Night-Stands. She's lucky that text was as polite as it was. The way I'm feeling now I want to give her a piece of my mind, and hurt her like she's hurt me.

I divert another call from her, and then snatch up my phone again when it beeps with a text.

It's not what you think! I left my phone in the bar. It was about 3am, I was drunk and I got a cab home on my own. Callie wanted to set me up with her boyfriend's mate called Adam, and the barman who found my phone was also called Adam. Please call me back xxxxxx

She's really insulting my intelligence now. Two Adams, really? I don't get why she's bothering to lie.

Wow, both called Adam? That's a coincidence. Sorry I can't, I'm busy, I reply.