Stay- Book One The Full Circle

The Ex

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Chapter 7

The Ex

Trent

It's been a year since I moved out here to Long Beach from Chicago, four years since I had moved to Chicago from Austin and five years since my world fell apart. My parents had been a rock for both Harper and I, they were surrogate parents to our friends and her, they adored her. The girl that set the wheels in motion causing me more pain and turmoil than was necessary. My high school sweetheart, Adrienne Lewis, destroyer of everything I loved is back.

She was the ideal girlfriend to any red blooded American heterosexual boy. She was smart, beautiful, talented top of the class and head cheerleader. There wasn't a guy I knew that didn't want to date her, including Jeremy. It was my senior year at University of Texas and Jeremy had agreed to do inventory for me when he got done with his shift at the bar. I had a late class for my international finance course and had to ace this test. I don't think I could have imagined just how this single night would derail my life for years to come.

Adrienne was the closing bartender so I didn't think anything about it when I hadn't heard from her by the time I walked out of my class. I figured I would get some food at the restaurant and take my girl home when she was done so I drove over and found the place engulfed in a roaring fire. The guys that had been working were huddled around the ambulance getting treated and I felt my fears rush into me when no one could find my parents, Jeremy or Adrienne. We were all panicking. Once the flames were out and the firemen searched the remains of the building they found my parents remains locked in the back storeroom just outside where the fire began. Their escape had been blocked by flames and never had a chance to get out. There was no sign of Jeremy or Adrienne.

Harper and I were utterly distraught. We were alone for the first time in our lives and devastated by the news. We headed home still trying to understand why our parents had been there. They were supposed to be out shopping for my big birthday bash that weekend. I was turning twenty five. It was a big milestone and they were planning to shut down the bar in my honor for the night. Instead, it was shut down permanently and they were gone.

When we got home that night, I was surprised to find Jeremy's truck out front. I thought maybe he had heard the news and was there for us but I was completely off the mark. Harper and I walked into a dark house and I could hear muffled sounds coming from my bedroom. At first I thought Jeremy was talking on the phone but then I recognized a familiar female voice and then I heard her familiar moaning and words as Jeremy did the same. When we busted open my bedroom door it was clear neither had a clue what had happened. They had been too wrapped up in turning on each other to turn on the news.

We didn't need to turn on the light. Both of us saw it all. She was naked straddling my best friend and didn't stop when we walked in on them. Grinding on him she threw her head back in pleasure as if this was the most normal thing for them to do. It was Jeremy that freaked out. He struggled to get her off of him, struggled to even stand. I saw the way he staggered as he walked towards us but Adrienne she sat back and smirked at me like she wanted me to find them like this.

How many times had they been together?

"Trent are you listening to me?" Harper brings me out of my memory.

Looking over at the beautiful blonde sitting next to me I stretch my arm out and play with a lock of her hair. I don't want to deal with this again. It took me too long to put those memories behind me. I don't want to go back. I want to stay in this moment with her. It's my bar, it's my responsibility to be there and stop this kind of mistake from happening again.