Can't Stay Away (BBC Sherlock) -2-

39. Playing Cupid

Dear Journal,

Am I cursed, or am I just an idiot? Once again I've managed to find a villain in a seemingly good guy. Moriarty was strike one, and now Bayley is strike two. If I find one more guy who's like either of them, I will never date again.

Even though neither of us said the words, Bayley and I are done. We have been for about a few months now. The single life is actually kind of nice, once you get used to it again. Nobody is holding you down, nobody is lying to you.

Amanda is amazing beyond words. Only a best friend would come grab you in the late hours of the night after you asked her to help you move your things out. Only a best friend would welcome you back to her place with open arms and let you stay there for as long as you needed.

The first day back in Maryland was the hardest since Mandy asked the question. I wasn't up for talking about it so soon, not when it was still fresh, only happening the day before. But it didn't take long, because that night when I couldn't sleep, I spilled everything to her.

Since Mandy knows of my past with Moriarty, I could tell her the real reason why Bayley and I were no longer an item. She'd brought up the saying "like father, like daughter" when she also remembered Mary's incident. It's bitterly funny, because it's true.

Does this mean I'm addicted to a certain lifestyle too? Am I attracted to dangerous people? I'd been with Moriarty, then there had been the affair, and now I found out Bayley had been a sniper.

Now I wonder if Mary and Bayley had known each other before the Skype calls. Had Mary been a part of Moriarty's web of connections? It sounds a little farfetched, but she's an assassin, so the possibility isn't ruled out.

"You're writing again?" Mandy asked.

I looked up at her to see she was ready to go out. Ever since college was done for her, Amanda was constantly out. She did have some money to pay for it all, though, being that she's a waitress. She enjoyed it, mainly because she worked hard and got rewarded in the end with big tips.

"Yes. Problem?" I retorted lightly.

"Um, yeah, I'm worried you'll be stuck with cabin fever. Come on, it's my night off. We're going out; you get no say in it."

"Is it just us?"

Mandy laughed. "You wish, don't you? No, Derek and Taylor are coming along."

"Which one are you dating again?"

"Taylor. I'm telling you, Rachel, I think Derek wants you." She winked.

I wrinkled my nose. "Disgusting."

"Come on, you know I don't mean it in that way. I'll admit I phrased that wrong."

"You did," I agreed. "Where do you plan on going?"

"You know, out."

"Gee, specific, Amanda."

She rolled her eyes. "See? You're crabby. Either it's the cabin fever or it's that time of the month again."

"I think the latter."

"I'm telling you, this will help you a lot." She pouted, leaning over the arm of the chair I sat in. "Trust me."

* * *

I didn't realize Amanda wanted to go out later, like, in the evening.

We started our night off with dinner at Applebee's, nothing too big or fancy. Taylor and Mandy were almost all over each other to the point where it made me sick. She did find a looker; she had that kind of luck. He was on the taller side, with lighter blue eyes and very light brown hair. His voice was smooth, so it didn't seem hard for him to catch a woman.