Snaked🐍

Chapter Ten

My throat tightens up as I see Kam's innocent face light up when she spots me. I stopped at her place on the way home from Toté Nouz because I hadn't seen her in ages. Luckily, Carter was working late. She wraps her arms around me in a bear hug and I feel like the worst person in the world.
"You smell nice." She exclaims.
Shit. Can she smell Carter on me too?
"Is that Dolce and Gabbana?"
Oh thank the Gods above. I'm pretty sure that scrubbing until my skin went pink helped me out here.

We sat at her vintage, wooden table in her kitchen for about an hour just talking and for a while it seemed that things were back to normal again. Then I realize that I really did sleep with Carter and I betrayed Kamryn. I can't reverse what happened. It's so hard keeping a secret from Kam, let alone trying to hide the fact that I'm keeping something from her.

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by something I think I heard wrong. There is it again. That name.
"Did you hear about Jessica Marricks going to jail?"
My whole body jerks.
"What's wrong, are you okay Saigey?" Kam questions, looking quite concerned.
"Where did I hear that name before, Kam?" I ask. I tell her all about how I had seen the article in the newspaper when I was out with Kayla and how everything seemed all too familiar.

"You don't remember!" Kam shrieks. "I swear I've told you this story a million times in college."
I don't recall anything she's going on about.
"Jessica Marricks..." Kam takes a sip of her Earl Grey and continues.
"That lady is a bitch. She's psycho, I tell you, absolutely insane."
I examine the newspaper article properly this time and then I have a lightbulb moment. It clicks. JESSICA.

Hold on, let me fill you in. So, before Kam and Carter got together, Carter was with a lady called Jessica Marricks for over a year. I mean, she was really lovely if you didn't know her that well but once you got too close for comfort... may God be with you. She turned into a possessive, over obsessive girlfriend who didn't even give Carter time to breathe. Carter thought that if he let her down easy that it would all be okay, but she turned into a real monster. She went for therapy and everything. Obviously, nothing helped, because why would she be in the newspaper today if it had?

Kam has told me this entire story in much more detail years ago. I'm just surprised my memory is so shit. I'll be damned if I don't remember birthdays from now on.
"No need to jog my memory," I roll my eyes. "I think I remember vaguely now."
"God, she deserves to go to jail." Kam scoffs. She sits back in her chair and takes a loud sip out of her cup.
"More tea?"
I look at her pretty, safe eyes and her soft smile. Anyone would be lucky to have a best friend like her and I really don't deserve it. I'm such a shitty person.

I forget all about Jessica Marricks. Darker secret. Hmm. I really am full of bullshit. I grab the paper and stuff it in my handbag. I can't sleep nowadays so might as well catch up on the local gossip, right?
Just as I'm zipping up my bag, I hear the front door unlock. God's masterpiece walks right in without a worry in the world. Not even a flinch when he looks at me.

Carter was all smartly dressed up and all I could think about was ripping that suit off him. I shove the thought out of my mind when I come to terms that I'm in his house, where he lives with his wife.
"You're not supposed to be here for another hour or so." I say, my voice sounding more accusing than I thought it would. I mean, it was his house and his life, why did I care when he was coming home? "Well, someone doesn't seem too pleased to see me." Carter smirks.
I just roll my eyes, but inside I'm exploding because Carter Mason's smile is enough to light up a whole city, I swear.

Kam jumps up like a little puppy and runs straight into Carter's arms. I can't help but see green for a minute when I realize I'm being dumb. My best friend's husband, I have to keep reminding myself of that.
"Hello, Love." Carter kisses Kam on her forehead.
That's it. I'm done for. I think I'm falling for Carter way too hard and I need to stop this now. The jealousy doesn't suit me.
"I have to go." I stand up, swinging my bag over my shoulder.
"You've been acting really strange lately, Saigey." Kam chews on her bottom lip.
Standing there, looking at Kam and Carter and knowing that I'll only ever be a side course to the man I love. Knowing that I'm stuck in the middle of something I can't get loose from now and knowing that I'm betraying my best friend and I just can't stop it. It's all too much for me. I feel like I might blow up.

Carter opens his mouth as if to save the day.
"Stay for a bit longer, won't you?"
"Listen," Kam starts walking up the stairs. "I'm about to go shower, and when I'm done, you'll still be here Saigey, and we'll have a movie night. All three of us."
"That sounds good," Carter flashes me a reassuring smile and I just can't resist.
I heave and groan. "You're way too good at getting your way. Both of you." I flop back down on my chair, throwing my handbag up on the table. "I'm leaving here at 11p.m, though. No later."
Kam claps her hands and ends off with a giggle. She's a grown woman but still acts like a little girl and I love her for that. She brings out the child in me. Makes me relive my childhood whenever we're together.

Before I know it, the water upstairs is running and Carter's lips are pressed up against mine.
I push him away with such a force that he nearly knocks over the table.
"What the fuck, Carter?" I huff.
Carter laughs at me and pulls me closer by the dip in my back.
"You act like you don't want it but you give me every piece of you that you could possibly give away." He moves a strand of hair away from my face.
"I wish I could get every piece of you in return." I murmur, hoping he wouldn't hear. Turns out he pays more attention than I thought he did.
"One day, everything will be just the way it should be." He replies.
I move his hands away from my face and walk over to the couch, hiding my face in my knees.
"I don't love you, okay?" I give Carter a menacing look.
"Oh." I think he might be a bit hurt but if he is, he doesn't show it. "Well, lucky for you, neither do I."
That's a lie. I know it is.

We both try to fake it to each other's faces when we very well know that we are simply existing just for each other. A tragedy where love and destiny refuse to agree. Carter and Saige. There's an odd ring to it.
Our love is bittersweet.
Our love will be my downfall.

TO BE CONTINUED.