Nightly Confusion

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Only twenty minutes passed and I was already bored and annoyed with this arrangement. “I could have you arrested for this.” I told Joey as I followed him into the kitchen. “You’re holding me hostage.” I couldn’t believe again I was being roped into something I had to lie about just when I had vowed to turn over a new leaf and avoid this danger and make no mistake Joseph De Luca was danger.

“Sam…do you ever shut up?”

“No so deal with it.” I was starting to dislike him. “I have a job I need to be at, I have a million other places I’d rather be than stuck here with you!”

Joey looked at me unfazed by my yelling. “You’re giving me a headache.”

“Well gee I’m sorry I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“You’re sarcastic I like that.”

“Newsflash Joey,” I began as I walked away into the living room. “I don’t care what you like.” I sat on the sofa and he followed and sat beside me. “Not that you’ll answer but why do you need a hide out?”

“I just need to be unseen for awhile.”

“Will more bodies appear out of nowhere?” I asked and while the notion should scare me it didn’t, I wasn’t worried about Joey hurting me. I was worried about a million things but not that.

“Do you think I killed Giovanni?”

“Anything is possible.”

“That’s true; most girls would be scared if they were you.” Joey pointed out with good reason.

I looked at him. “I’m not most girls.”

“I know that’s why I like you. You can handle yourself.”

“Yeah it’s a good thing you like me, I’m likeable. But you, you I don’t like.” I said, it wasn’t true I did like Joey and that’s why I kept helping him but now he was really pissing me off and expecting too much from me.

Joey looked at me and nodded. “I have that affect on women.”

I looked at the clock, now only half hour had passed. “I’m bored let’s do something.”

Joey arched a brow. “What do you have in mind?’

I stood from the sofa and just shook my head, I grabbed a deck of cards I had on the table. “Let’s play.” I sat back on the sofa with a seat between us for the cards to go.

“My idea was better.” Joey said with a groan as he took his cards with his un injured arm.

“Yeah but your idea wasn’t realistic because I’d never sleep with you.” I said as I dealt more cards, why did I say that? Why was I bringing up the idea of sex between us?! I really had to go see a doctor about this stupidity streak I was running.

“Because you’re seeing someone?”

“That and…and yeah that.” I kept dealing cards, I was running out cards but I couldn’t look at him and face his heart stopping expression.

I felt him smile. “What are we playing?”

I pulled the cards from his hand and dealt again. “Crazy eights.”

“You’re so easy to make uncomfortable its amusing.” Joey said as he took the cards again.

“I’m not uncomfortable.” Yes I was. “Is that why you keep saying all that stuff because you like seeing me bent out of shape?”

“Pretty much.”

I suppressed a huge sigh; it was a relief to know he just wanted a reaction and nothing more. I felt less tense knowing that and we played a few hands of cards. Then I was feeling bored again, I liked being home and just relaxing but not forced to do it. The phone rang and we both looked at it. Joey shrugged and I answered it. “Hello?”

“Hey why are you home?” It was Zack. “Alissa called worried about you so I offered to track you down.”

I banged my hand against my head a few times. “I wasn’t feeling good so I decided to lay down for a minute and just forgot to call her.” I hated lying to him but I couldn’t be honest either because Joey was sitting right there and he needed help, damn it I hated this. I felt like I had to pick sides and that was wrong.

“Is everything alright?” Zack asked.

I banged my head against the sofa now. “Yes fine, I’ll call you later when I feel a little better.” I ended the call and threw the phone down on the table. “I hated that. He was honest with me and I promised him I’d stay out of this and what do I do? I lie!” I said more to myself than Joey, I felt low.

“If you keep banging your head you might knock something loose kid.”

I narrowed my eyes and gave him my bitch look. “Shut up.”

“Call him back and tell him I’m here and I forced you to lie. By the time he gets here I’ll be gone and you can’t control that.” Joey said serious now as he stood from the sofa.

“Where are you going to go?” I asked as I looked at him.

“Thanks for the help.” Joey said before disappearing.

I had an urge to stop him but I didn’t, it was better this way. He needed an hour and an hour had passed. I had the feeling I had when I last saw Joey months ago; I wouldn’t be seeing him anytime soon.  I yelled out of frustration and picked up the phone.

I told Zack Joey had shown up but he was gone and I explained I couldn’t call him sooner. I didn’t fully lie but I wasn’t honest. Zack and I finally decided to attempt something real and I hadn’t stopped lying to him.

I picked up the phone again. “Are you busy?” I asked Zack.

“Not really.”

“Come over I want to talk to you.” I said and hung up. I don’t know what I was doing but it felt like we had to talk.  He showed up about ten minutes later, I pulled him inside and shut the door. He sat on the sofa and I sat on the coffee table in front of him.

He looked at me wondering what was going on but he didn’t say anything. I took a deep breath before talking. “Joey needed someone to play his girlfriend and I did it, we kissed but it was part of the setup. I was on my way out of here when I heard something and he came through my window. He said he needed a place to hide out for an hour. I don’t know why but I just feel like I have to help him. I’ve been lying to you about it and I feel like crap because we just found common ground and got back together and now I feel like I’m messing it up.” It wasn’t easy to put my heart on the line because it never really worked out but there it was done and hopefully it wouldn’t bite me in the ass.

Zack grabbed my hands between his. “Sam calm down, it’s ok.” He said and I felt a huge weight off my shoulders. “I don’t like that you lied but you also don’t have to tell me every part of your life. I’m not with you to control you.”

I could see he was upset but he knew what he said was right. Huh, talk about going well.  I had been expecting as fight. If the positions had been reversed I would’ve fought with him. “Thanks?”

“Yeah no problem.” Zack said as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me off the coffee table and on to his lap. “But I can think of better ways of saying thanks.” He said with a grin before he kissed me. I ended up on my back on the sofa and Zack began to pull my shirt off, so maybe today would be a good day after all.