Conflagration K.A (Slow Updates)

.five.

"You know if you'd just do what I say, there wouldn't be any issues." He lightly told me, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. I didn't know how to respond, so I just nodded. "Didn't you want to go to this store?" I smiled because he remembered. I told him that two weeks ago.

"Mhm. No worries, you can go shop for your shoes. I'll be fine alone." I said the last part mostly towards myself.

"You sure?" He kissed my hand and I nodded to reassure him. "Alright, see you in a bit." And with that, he was off.

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"Yea, we're out shopping!" I exclaim through the phone.

"Oooo, do you mind buying me a leather pencil skirt?"

"Giselle," I start to laugh. "you're trying to impress Devin, aren't you?"

"You already know it. Did you know, he's going through troubles with his wife?" I hear her crunching from eating chips.

"Don't revel in his misfortune." I playfully roll my eyes.

"I'm not, I'm not. I'm just saying, maybe the universe is letting me know I'm in the clear and it's got my back." She nonchalantly says.

"You sound so evil." She let out a breathey laugh. "I'm starting to doubt you even do your filing work. You probably flirt with him all day." She busted out laughing.

"Whatever. You're over here doing Kevin's work." What she said kind of made me feel a bit off, but I pushed the feeling away.

"Well, that's the reason why he took me out today, so doing work pays off obviously." I joke. She barely laughs this time and doesn't say anything for a bit. "Hello, earth to Giselle."

"Mm," She hummed to let me know she was still there. "I don't know, it just seems like he's manipulating you." I froze for a second, then continued putting the dress back on the rack.

"He's not." I curtly reply.

"Are you sure, Alendi?-"

"Maybe he just knows what's best for me, Giselle." I said her name a little harshly.

"It doesn't seem like everything's perfectly fine if you get upset about the topic." I could tell she was getting unnerved. I really didn't like getting Giselle upset. I know she just cares a lot for me.

"It's ok. Like you said, he's just teaching me responsibility." And consistency I guess. Nothing negative is coming out of this. I help him with his work often now. I don't see a problem.

"For fuck's sake, Alendi....Why are you letting him control you like this?" She tried to stay calm.

"You know..." I walked to a more private corner of the store. This was actually upsetting me quite quickly. "You know he's the only one who's really stayed with me." As she stayed quiet, reminisces of my foster days came back to me. "Kevin has never abandoned me."

"He did. When he cheated on you last week." Her harsh words felt like a slap in the face, resulting in my tears falling.

"For the last time, he didn't! He told me what happened and I believe him, ok?" I restrained myself from just hanging up the phone right then and there. "You know, I always tell myself you act like this because you care-"

"I care." She interrupted me, but I immediately continued.

"-but now.."

"Alendi, stop." I stopped myself. All you could hear was our anxious breathing. "I don't like to fight with you, ok? You know I care, and just because Kevin's been around longer doesn't mean I'll leave, alright?" I didn't say anything. "I just felt like you were changing, and I don't do well with change."

"I know...I really do. I'm sorry. Let's just put this behind us." I tell her.

"Whatever you say." She complies. I saw Kevin heading over.

"I gotta go. Kevin's back. Bye."

"Bye." She hung up the phone.

"Baby," He had a worried look as he wiped the tears from my cheeks. "what happened?" I hugged him and he held me tight until I was ready to talk.

"I just argued with Giselle." I sniffled. I could feel him tense up a bit at the sound of her name. They didn't get along super well, so I'm not caught off guard.

"About?"

"About you." I immediately feared his reaction. "But I didn't believe her, I promi-"

"I know. I trust you." He calmly said. I felt relief wash over me. He let me go and lifted my chin so I'd look at him. "Although, I don't really trust her." I couldn't keep the eye contact, tearing away from his gaze. "Do you trust her?" He asked me. I deliberate on what reactions my response might get, but I decided to just be honest with him.

"I do." I cautiously answered.

"Look what she's doing to you. I can't watch her hurt you like this." He turned around and ran a hand through his hair, his comforting touch leaving me.

"Don't be upset, Kevin. Im sorry." I wrapped my hands around his waist.

"It's not your fault. She keeps putting things in your head." He faced me again. "Who knows what she'd say next? I don't want her to keep being the reason we go through more issues. You don't want any issues either, do you?" I don't know why I felt off, but I shouldn't so I brushed it off.

He didn't sound wrong. Even though I trust them both, I trusted Kevin more. So when he said I should distance myself from her, I did what he said.

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Cut away her chances to be saved,
To keep her in the darkness,
Of the engulfing cave.

~Alendi

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A/N: I know it's been forever, but I think I'm back💀