Do You Want To Know a Secret?

8. If I Fell

"George, Poppy, this is my girlfriend Iris." Paul introduced her proudly making my blood boil. Girlfriend? Did that mean that not only did she break my relationship up but cheated on Paul?

She smiled sweetly making me realize she hadn't recognized me as the girl she'd ruined the relationship of only weeks ago. I stood there staring at her for a moment in disbelief unable to say anything because of my anger. I heard George mumbled a quick hello looking slightly crestfallen.

"Poppy?" Paul called taking my attention away from Iris.

"Hm?" I hummed in response completely blanking out for a moment.

"This is Iris." He repeated slowly unsure if I had heard him the first time.

"Oh, of course. I'm Poppy Epstein." I replied, forcing the most unnatural looking smile on my face to keep myself from tackling her onto the floor and starting a fight. Her eyes scanned over my face as if she were trying to fit puzzle pieces together. I stood awkwardly hoping she wouldn't recognize me and make the situation even more unbearable that it already was.

"Erm, Pardon us, but George and I really need to go outside for a moment, right George?" I looked over at George pleadingly wanting to tell someone about Paul's two faced sweetheart.

"Oh, right, yeah." George's played along, his eyes lighting up happily, his spirits seeming to lift once again. Without taking a second look at the two I grabbed onto George's hand and this time it was my turn to drag him out to the backyard.

Once we had pushed through the crowd I took a moment outside to take a deep breath of fresh air looking out in the night sky to try and clear my mind, breaking away from George's hand to cross my arms in attempt to keep myself somewhat warm in the sleeveless dress.

"I believe a chat was promised Madame?" George asked innocently making me giggle.

"It's about Paul." I spoke nervously becoming serious making his face fall annoyedly.

"Oh." He mumbled moodily suddenly taking an interest in his shoes.

"Actually, its about that blonde skag with him." I added grumpily, making him perk up once again and eyebrows furrow in wonderment.

I sighed feeling a headache starting to form from all the memories of my relationship with Micheal starting to flood back tearing my insides apart.

"Remember back at the pub, when you asked if the band was the thing that was bothering me?" I swallowed hard, hesitant to open up so suddenly to George.

He nodded intently, encouraging me to to continue. I felt my jaw tighten in spite of Iris, she looked so happy with Paul inside, it wasn't fair for her to be with him one moment then off with another guy the next.

"Well, the singer was a boy I used to go out with." I pursed my lips thinking for a moment how I was going to continue in a way I wouldn't completely lash out.

"That is until I caught him with another girl. The same girl that Paul has his arm draped around in there." I choked out fighting hard to keep back the tears burning in my eyes, looking down at the ground after seeing George's jaw drop open slightly in shock.

"How long ago?" He asked after a moment of thought.

"The begging of December." I huffed attempting to hide the quiver in my voice running a hand through my hair.

"She cheated on Paul?" He spoke surprisedly making me look up to him with watery eyes, barley phased by his sudden realization, instead only infuriated for Paul. I could never understand why people cheated on their partners, it could never end well for anyone.