A Betting Man

Chapter Nine

Adelaide's Point of View

I take the stairs and once I'm out of Justin's sight I sprint up all three stories, running off some of my anxiety. By the time I make it to my apartment, my rational side has taken over and now I'm worried about Fey. I'm suddenly not so sure telling her about the kiss is a good idea. Holy fuck. What do I do? I need to tell somebody.

Fuck it, I need to tell her. She and Cayden will know what to do. Is she with him now? I pick up the phone and dial. It goes to her voicemail, which provokes me to leave the most raging, panicked and psychotic message known to man.

"God damn it, Fey, I need you to answer your fucking phone! Don't you realize I'm having a crisis over here? Get off Cayden's nuts for two seconds and support your fucking friend. Damn it!" I slam the phone down, chest heaving from my tirade and mini-marathon up the stairs. No one can say I didn't work out today.

I need to chill out. I need...ooohh, wine! I grab the bottle of Pinot Noir off the counter and chug what's left straight out of the bottle.

My phone rings, and I swipe it from the counter. It's Fey, thank gosh.

"What the fuck is your problem?" she bellows as soon as I answer. "I was using the fucking bathroom. Are you okay? What the fuck is going on? Are you hurt?" She's completely freaking out. Way to go, Addie. If there's a way to make a situation worse I'm sure to find it.

"No, I'm not hurt," I quickly assure her.

"Then what the hell was all that about? I about lost my shit over here. Are you still with Justin?"

"How'd you know I was with Justin?"

"Cayden told me....holy shit! Did you sleep with him!?"

"No!!"

"Don't fucking lie to me, Adelaide Grace Richards..."

"I didn't sleep with him! I just..." It sort of pains me to say it. "Ikindofkissedhim." I blurt the rest out in one mumbled breath.

"You what? Did you say you kissed him?"

"Um, yeah."

She lets out a loud sigh of relief. "Oh."

"Oh?"

"A kiss isn't so bad."

"It's not?"

She pauses. "Are you sure you didn't sleep with him?" she demands.

"Yes! I'm sure."

"Then what the hell are you freaking out about?"

"I kissed him, Fey!"

"So?"

"So!?"

"A kiss is nothing! Haven't you ever played spin the bottle? Seven minutes in heaven?"

She doesn't understand. "This was not a spin the bottle type of kiss, Fey."

"Well, is that all you did?"

"Yes... what else would we do?"

I can just imagine her rolling her eyes as she huffs into the receiver. "Lots of things. Were you both fully clothed?"

"Yes."

"Good. Where were you when it happened?"

"Outside. I walked him to his car."

"Oh... so a good-bye kiss?"

"Yes..."

"Well that's nothing."