Imaginary Boyfriend

Chapter 36

            She looked beautiful.

            For the first time since I had known Sarah, her face was not caked in make-up yet her cheeks were glowing and her golden hair was tied up in a casual. She was still in her pyjamas.

            “You’re crying,” she stated, crouching down so we were at eye level. “Did that man hurt you?”

            I touched my cheek gingerly, surprised to find out I actually was crying.

            “Katrina, answer me.” Her grey eyes bored into mine.

            “No, he didn’t. Rhys would never do that.” I was ashamed at myself for ever thinking that he would slap me. He had been nothing but decent to me yet I still flinched away from him.

            Her eyes raked my body, before she sighed. “You look a mess.”

            Although it was true, her comment stung me. Deep down, we both knew she was much prettier than me and I hated being reminded of it.

            “Is that what you came here for?” I growled, standing up. “To make me feel even worse?”

            She rose to her feet too, her expression unreadable. “I came here because I heard shouting.”

            “Stop acting like you care,” I snapped.

            “I’m not acting. I do care about you.”

            “So that’s why you took Sam from me, is it?”

            I hadn’t heard from her or Sam in the seven days that I had been holed up in the apartment, and she had the nerve to tell me she cares?

            “Where were you during this past week? Were you caring for me while you slept with my boyfriend?” I snapped. It hurt to think about it, but it was the only plausible reason for Sam to move in with her.

            “I didn’t take him from you,” she said through her teeth. “It was his choice to move out, and he had nowhere else to go. I helped him out.”

            My heart sank when she didn’t deny it.

            A bitter laugh left my lips. “Spare me! You hate me. I bet you just couldn’t wait to—“

            “I don’t hate you.”

            “That’s why you could never leave our relationship alone.”

            “No, the reason is because I love Sam!”

            I shook my head, refusing to believe her lies. She didn’t love Sam, because if she did she would do the decent thing and let him be happy. Instead, she tried to take his happiness away.

            “Well, I don’t believe you,” I started, anger simmering through me. “And even if you did, it doesn’t matter! He’ll never feel the same way.”

            Sarah’s mouth twitched. She was getting angry too.

            “You do know that, right? So, why can’t you just let us be happy?”

            And that’s when she slapped me.

            “You fucking bitch,” she whispered as I held my stinging cheek. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she rubbed them away quickly with the back of her hand.