The Deal

Chapter 19

"So how was it well I was gone?" My mom asks well unpacking her suitcase. I shrug, taking a seat on her bed. It had been weird.

I felt like so much had happened in such a short weekend. With the little thing that happened with Christian and I, to going on a very romantic date with Alexander that lasted a whole night.

It was confusing, and I still felt off about the whole thing, but I can't say it was a bad weekend.

"It was fine." She nods. "How was Christian? Did he miss me?" She winks, laughing a little.

"I swear that man keeps getting more attractive by the day, am I right?" She jokes. I shrug, feeling suddenly awkward.

It was really weird hearing my mom talk about how hot he was when literally a few nights ago we were having a weird moment that ended with Chrisitan kissing my neck.

I can't even get that moment out of my head. I hadn't really seen Christian since. I kept finding myself always making sure that he wasn't around whenever I needed to get through the house to go to school or to the kitchen to get something to eat.

I wasn't sure how to react to any of this!

It's at the point where I try to not think about it.

"Yeah totally." I murmured, awkwardly might I add. "Did you two do anything well I was gone?" She asks, walking back out of her closet towards her suitcase to gather more clothes to put away. "W-What do you mean 'do anything?' What would we do?" I laugh nervously, my palms getting sweaty. My mom looks at me weirdly. "He said that he wanted to take you out to dinner to just get to know each other?"

"Oh! Yeah, he did." I seriously needed to stop being so tense. What did I think she was asking?!

"Good. I'm glad we can all get along. Afterall who knows how long we'll be in each other's lives." She points out, giving me a hopeful smile and I knew exactly what she was hinting at.

She clearly wanted more than a fake marriage with Christian. I couldn't blame her either. Christian looked like a God, he's gorgeous. Not to mention the way he speaks sounds angelic.

"I was thinking we cook a nice homemade dinner tonight. You can make those glazed carrots?" My mom suddenly suggests, snapping me out of my thoughts. I nod in agreement.

"Umm- why?" I mean I wasn't opposed to it, but the idea just didn't sound right. "Well actually Christian and I wanted to talk to you about something, I figure we talk at dinner." She smiles reassuringly.

What possibly did they have to talk to me about? So many things went through my mind, trying to figure out what it was. I'm sure it had to do with their wedding, though I still wanted nothing to do with it, I'd attend and that's it.

The thought of having to help plan any of it literally makes me so uneasy considering everything that's happened this past week.

~~~~

The three of us sat at the dinner table, eating quietly. It felt awkward, half the time I was just nibbling on pieces of bread well my mind constantly kept going back to the night where Christian and I had our "little moment" together. 

It felt wrong thinking about it with my mom literally across the table from me, next to her Christian. I kept glancing at the both of them. Christian was suspiciously on his second glass of wine, and my mom unsuspiciously on her third.

I, on the other hand, knew that my one glass of wine was the only glass of wine I'd have for dinner, or how much my mother would allow me to have. So I cherished it, sipped it slowly, and enjoyed the taste, wishing the after effect would be a little stronger though.

This whole situation felt awkward. If only my mother knew everything I had been keeping from her. From dating Alexander and spending the weekend with him in Philly, to the fact that if I were given the chance, I would definitely make out with her future husband.

I felt gross, I felt like a disgrace.

Though my mother wasn't a saint herself. In fact I could care less about hurting her with everything I've done this far, it was more the fact that she'd probably disown me and she was all I had.

What would I do without my mother? Where the hell would I be? Would I even be attending college right now? Or would I be a waitress in a low-key town at a cafe that served disgusting food? 

Maybe I really should be more cautious when it came to my mother. I couldn't afford to lose her, literally!

"So there was something you wanted to talk to me about?" I ask suddenly, taking a drink of my wine. 

My mother smiles, looking over at Christian. "Yeah!" My mother beamed, looking like she was excited that the silence was over and there was actually something to talk about.

"So Christian and I were talking the other day." I watched in horror as my mother placed her hand on top of Christians, which he had sat on the table. From the looks of it, he was as shocked at the movement as I was.

I looked at him as he looked down at my mom's hand as it was forcing him to suddenly hold it.

I was completely frozen in spot, unsure whether to be uncomfortable or guilty. 

"Yeah?" I gulp down the lump in my throat and force myself to not pay attention to the fact that my mother was now holding hands with Christian. Of course, I'm sure if it were up to him, they definitely would never hold hands again.

"I was talking to him about you getting a job and he pointed out that he's been looking for an assistant." I arch my eyebrow, taken off guard. "Oh?" I glance over at Christian. "Yeah- the job is nothing too hard, just running errands for me, nothing too much. You'll get good pay, not to mention you'll probably learn a bit about business." He smiles. 

I nod slowly. "Besides, what a better time to get to know each other?" He asks, tilting his head to the side, leaning back and smoothly dropping his hand from my mother's hand, crossing his arms. It was done so fast that my mother didn't even notice. 

He gave me a look and I knew exactly what he was saying. I shivered slightly, trying my hardest to not show how suddenly nervous I was. 

"That sounds great." I whisper, unsure how to really use my voice suddenly.

~~~~~

"How is anything suppose to go back to normal?" I ask Melissa. I shake my head, laying back on the bed as I adjusted the phone to my ear. "I have no idea. I don't understand how your life has managed to get so weird and complicated in a matter of months!" She points out. I shake my head, sighing. "That's what I've been saying. It's horrible."

"So, have you two talked about anything that happened?" She asks, referring to that night with Christian. "No, I've barely seen him this past week."

"Well, you two should talk with him about everything. With you starting to date his best friend. It's just a matter of time before he finds out, and when he does, I don't think he'll take it kindly."

I knew Melissa was utterly right about that. I just- I felt horrible. Here I was, basically slutting it up. Of course, everything with Christian was unexpected, and quite frankly kinda felt weirdly exciting to see what would happen next.

But that definitely needed to stop. I had slept with Alexander and had been on a date with him. And though he hasn't talked to me since our date, I've learned that Alexander isn't that fastest person when it comes to calling or texting someone.