RC.

Ch8 .................. R

In the late afternoon, I join Jenny, as planned, at the bar where I met her for the first time. I didn't choose the place by chance ...

She hasn't arrived yet, which brings my stress up a notch or two. I've already imagined a tonne of different scenarios and none of them end well.

I get a text message on my mobile. Has she chickened out? It'd be like her: When you go as far as to create an anonymous account to take your hatred out on a blog...

But no, it's Lisa: "Hey sweetie. Are you free tonight?"

I answer her with a bitter smile on my lips: "Yes, just something that needs settling first. I have a lot of things to tell you!"

I put my phone away in my bag and lean my folded my arms against the high table.

As I see the object of my anger come in, my body tightens.

(Stay neutral.)

I try to relax as much as possible. I don't want to start a row up right now, but I'm finding it difficult to pretend...

I manage to smile at her, which must have looked like a kind of scary grin, as she settles down at the table.

Jenny:"Hi Tayla, sorry to have kept you watting."

T:"it's nothing..."

I observe her. Her classy, poised attitude. Not a single gesture that isn't graceful.

Jenny:"Have you ordered?"

T:"No, I was waiting for you."

My tone is colder than I would have liked, and I'm finding it difficult to hide my annoyance.

(Calm down, Tayla ... calm down ...)

Jenny:"What are you taking?"

T:"A draught beer."

Jenny:"Okay, I'll have a Cosmo-"

(Of course, you look the Cosmo type!)

Jenny:"It's on me."

I would have liked to be the one to get up and got to order at the bar, it would allow me to snap out of it a little.

(And to spit in her Cosmo?)

She gets up and goes to the counter. I watch her as she goes. She's so perfect it's annoying. She's not making things easy for me.

I almost feel like I'm the meany about to take it all out on Jenny.

As she comes back to the table, I manage to let out a vague thank you.

For a few disagreeable seconds a silence settles.

In the end, she's the one who breaks the ice, or so to speak.

Jenny:"I'm sorry you overheard the conversation with Ryan ... I hope you managed to talk about it afterwards?"

(Oh, really...?)

T:"I won't pretend it wasn't difficult, I would have preferred finding out about it differently"

She puts on a falsely contrite look on her face. The girl has a talent!

Jenny:"My brother has had a lot of complicated stories. It's nothing personal, you know."

(I can't believe she dares to play the nice girl?)

Is it me, or she openly jerking me around?!

I desperately try to contain the furious dogs within me that are threatening to break free from their chains and tear her pretty little face to pieces!