Dangerous [Bradley Simpson] Sequel to On the Floor (novella)

Chapter Four - Nectarine

James had a girlfriend. He thought I didn't know, but he was terrible at keeping secrets. I knew the second he left the flat for the "movies." The love struck look on his face when he came strolling in at 2AM only further validated my assumptions.

"Have a good night?" I asked, leaning my elbows on the kitchen counter.

He jumped. "Christ, Charlotte."

"Adelaide," I reminded him. "Tea?"

"Please," he caught his breath.

"So," I said, pouring a cup. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"I told you, I was out with friends." He shrugged. "How was your evening with Sleepy Boy over there?"

I looked over at Connor curled up on the couch, lightly snoozing.

"Don't change the subject." I glared at James. "Tell me about your night."

"Really," he chuckled. "It was nothing special."

"Oh, c'mon! I need some excitement in my life! I've only been curled up in a depressive ball for a month."

"I'm tired," he sighed. "Tomorrow."

I shook my head, "You are despicable."

He chuckled. "Tris and Con are going to the studio with me tomorrow, care to join us? I thought it might be a good time to fill them in on our manhunt."

I nodded, "Sure."

"Cool," he yawned. "I'm going to get some rest. You should too, it's way too early to start your day."

"If you say so, lover boy." I smiled.

I went to bed with the constant thought of having to lie all over again. God, I hated that. Telling the truth would have been much easier, but I was more ready to lie than to relive the worst years of my life.

Not one blink of sleep greeted me all night, so when the sun began to peak above the horizon, I gave up trying to rest, and crawled out of bed to start a bath. While I waited for the tub to fill up, I made a pot of coffee to brew while I soaked.

I let out a sigh of relief as I submerged my body into the hot water, letting my tired body release its tension at the touch of the heat. In the month that I mourned, I never noticed what the beads of the shower felt like on my skin. I forgot what the warmth of water did to my soul. I imprisoned myself in my own mind, refusing to allow myself the little luxuries of life, like heart-shaped pancakes, and real friends. The vegetable I had become left me hopeless, but I knew I still had to fight. Just one more battle, that's all I had left. And this one, I had to win.

After I finished my bath, I went into the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee, then began to throw away the empty take out boxes Connor and I left out from our midnight Chinese binge. I noticed our fortune cookies we forgot to open, so I grabbed them, slipping one into the pocket of Connor's jacket, and taking one for myself to open later on.

The events of the day had begun to loom over my head as soon as I sat down at the dining table, like the clouds that were quickly forming over London. I watched out the window at the distant cars passing on the streets, looking like little Hot Wheels from the fourteenth floor that James resided on.

I began to wonder what I was going to say to Tristan and Connor. It took all the strength I had to confront James. I thought facing my fear once would make the second time easier. The way my stomach acid was churning proved that to be wrong.