Misstaken ✓ | #Wattys2019

13. a f t e r m a t h

I tossed and turned all night.

Either way, I felt so much better knowing that he was right next door. The sheets reminded me of him. Everything else was warm and comforting, and I didn't feel so alone.

I was wide awake at the sound of his footsteps on the marble. I pretended to be asleep as he opened my door a creak, then changed his mind. The rest of the way to the kitchen, he was humming a tune.

I started to wash up, and when I exited there was the heavenly scent of fried eggs and bacon. There was something to be said about guys who could cook, I must say.

The doorbell rang, and I crept over to the door, nearly forgetting that this wasn't my house and it wasn't my place to meddle. However, I did see someone I knew when I peeked into the peephole.

"Cleo?" I flung open the front door.

"Nick, I—" She started, then went pale instantly. "Emma? What are you doing here?"

I went out and closed the door behind me, putting a finger to my lips. Thank god the sound of the pan sizzling was enough to muffle her shocked words.

Cleo was definitely not herself today. Her usual ponytail was messy and unkempt, her pencil skirt a little tilted and ruffled, and she vaguely smelled of alcohol. Whatever she was here for, it must have been bad.

I felt her give me a once-over. She registered what I was wearing — still Nick's button-up shirt, and probably saw my bedhead and everything. It was enough for her to gape.

"You slept with him." She said, looking as if a truck just ran over her.

"What?" My eyes widened. "No, it's a misunderstanding."

"I got you an apartment for a reason. And I thought you were averse to the idea of him visiting you. I should have known you meant that you'd prefer to do it here, in his much fancier house. But I get it, it's part of the job, right? You want a night, and he thinks you're Zara —"

"Cleo, do you like him?"

She gawked. But I knew exactly what I was talking about. Everything she said felt like a punch to the face, but I knew why she did that.

"You wanted me here because you wanted me to comfort him. And now that I'm here, you tried to expose me, didn't you? You wanted him to realize that I betrayed him, so he would run to you and realize that you were the only one ever there for him, am I right?"

Once she got over her shock, she became furious.

"Ten years." Her voice trembled. "I've been waiting for him for ten years. Why do you think I look so young? Do you really believe I'm in my thirties? I have pledged my everything to him since I was fourteen, and still he hasn't come to me." Cleo started sobbing with rage. "Everyone else told me to be patient. That once he was done with fooling around, he'd see who's by his side. That it would be his turn to stay by my side —"

"He is done fooling around." I said earnestly. "But Cleo, if you want to gain his affection, I don't think this is the way to go."

"So what? I should do what you did — try to get into his bed?"

"Don't talk about her like that." I had no idea when, but Nick had joined us from behind. I immediately relaxed when he was by my side, and then stiffened when I remembered...

He thinks you're Zara. He thinks you're Zara.

Cleo's face twisted. "You have no idea what secrets she's keeping from you! Do you even know who she really is?"