Charming Down South

Chapter 18: Sasha?

I woke up in the guest room of Justin's penthouse after Tiffany begging me to stay.

My eyes snapped open further as the doorbell sounded throughout the house.

Rolling out of bed I slipped my fuzzy slipper boots on, and lumbered to the door.

I stood on my tiptoes to see the peephole that I guess was customized for Justin's tall height, and I peeked out.

"Sasha?" I gasped, falling into my back.

"You're dead" I mumbled and then fainted from utter fear.

"Why did you come?"

"Well I didn't know she was staying with you guys"

I heard whispered voices arguing in the living room, one voice was Justin and the second I presume was Sasha. I slowly sat up on the couch, already feeling a head ache claim its place in my brain.

"Lacey!" Sasha exclaimed and trapped me in a crushing hug.

"Sasha" I said slowly, unlatching her arms. "you told me you were dead, why?"

She looked away from me, as if gathering an answer.

"Well, after you left we all broke down. it was total hell here Lacey, Justin and Liam only kept their heads up because of the girls, but Chris left to travel and try to find you, Nick became so absorbed in work he almost killed himself by late nights and not eating."

"What about Luke?" I asked suddenly aware I hadn't see him this whole time.

"He took you leaving and he shut us out. he focused on college in math and sciences and left us to go to South Africa."

I covered my face with my hands.

"I had to leave." my voice came out soft but not unnoticed by them.

"I had to leave because of Nick" I said a bit louder "because on the day that I left, I thought he was my whole world. I was stupid and naive, and I loved him."

Their jaws hug loosely now.

"And he loved me so much he cheated on me, he charged on me with his flipping secretary!" I yelled feeling a small tear run down my face but I refused to acknowledge it.

"He cheated on you?" Justin stood up angrily.

"The day I got accepted to college, to NYS. and to think, I was going to follow him like the pathetic girl I was." I shook my head looking back on the cursed day.

"He cheated on you!" Justin stood up angrily.

I nodded.

"But Justin." I asked suddenly feeling my own anger bubble.

"Yeah lace?" Tiffany was running his arm, soothing him.

"Let me take care of this" I calmly got up and walked to the door.

"That's my little sister."

My lips twitched as I pressed ground level.

"Watch out Nick. I'm coming and there is hell to pay."

*******

I stomped into the large office building in my flannel pajama pants and my fluffy sparkling slipper boots. walking past the front desk I walked past the stuttering secretary, who was I think different from the last one and into the elevators.

There was an awkward silence between me and all of the professionally dressed business people and all you could hear was the soft elevator music.

It dinged and I was the first one to high tail it out of there. I paced down the hallways, looking for his name.

There!

I practically ran the past few yards to his door.

I barged into the room, where he was clearly discussing a deal with another young, quite attractive man.... no! Priorities.

"Excuse me sir" I politely spoke to the other man. "you can you step out for a minute."

"Well I-" he started

"It's okay, you can sit in too."

With that he left the room like flash.

"We need to talk Nick."

"Ok" he stood and started to approach me.

I held a hand up, and he stopped.

"No, I'm just clearing the skeletons from my closet."

I took a deep breath and unlocked my heart.

"On the day I found you cheating on me. I had just gotten accepted into NYS."

"Lace-"

"Have you ever heard the saying if you love something let it go?" I interrupted him. "well I didn't want to let you go, so instead I was going to leave my friends and my family for you. and how do you reward me? You cheat on me"

I felt tears gather in y eyes, but I refused to show weakness in front of him.

"I loved you, and you broke my heart. But now, looking back I see I was stupid and naive. And do you want to know what I thought those months after?"

I clenched my fists in anger, remembering the depression.

"I thought, why didn't you love me? I thought I wasn't pretty enough when I was a dang model! I thought I wasn't good enough for you, but you know what? The truth was you're not good enough for me, and that's what I've told myself. but now I came back, and all you do is remember the times when you we are loyal! And you think I'll just fall back into your arms."

"Lacey" he begged

"But no I won't, I won't come running back to you like a puppy! goodbye."

"Lacey don't go." he tried to stop me before I turned on my heel and glared at him.

"Listen here. I've told you before and I'll tell you once more, stay away from me. Don't try to call, don't follow me, just don't."

I slapped him across the cheek.

"That's for everything." I said and walked away from his office, past a very surprised businessman.

I ran down the stairs and out to my car as fast as I could. I picked up my phone and dialed a conference call between everyone, including Nick, because I wanted him to hear this.

"Hi guys, I'm calling to let everyone know I'm leaving." several gasps. "I'm moving to Montana to live a new life. You guys tricked me into coming back with death, even if your hearts were in the right places. And people say people shouldn't run from their problems but that's what I'm doing. Bella, Justin, I'll call and give my address. before I go I want you all to know I love you all and you'll always be in my heart. Don't miss me, bye."

Overlapped frantic talking took over my phone when I stopped. I slowly pressed the off button and threw my phone in the passenger seat.

Hopefully I threw them off of my trail.

Here I come radiant springs, Texas.

I'm coming home.

WHO ELSE HATES LACEY RIGHT NOW? BUT HEY IF IM A SUCKER FOR ANYTHING ITS FOR HAPPY ENDINGS, SO DO NOT FEAR.