I check my phone and realize I have texts and a phone call from Júlia.
"I'm going home, I have to explain to Júlia what's going on," I say to Peter.
"But don't tell her about Becky. It's supposed to be a secret." He's putting on his sneakers.
"It'll be hard keeping this from Júlia, but I'll try to explain things without telling her and without lying."
"Well, I can tell you that you've got a loyal friend in her. She kicked me out when I was at your place and didn't rest until I was out of there. Even asked for the spare key I had. I'm glad she did, otherwise I wouldn't have come looking for you and wouldn't have found you here."
"Júlia's always on my side. I asked her to do those things." I smile. I love Júlia.
"Speaking of which... What are you doing here? In Hardin's room?"
Oh, he is so jealous, I can see the insecurity in his eyes. He scratches the back of his head.
"I knew you wouldn't be looking for me here, at least for a while. And I knew Hardin wouldn't rat me out. If I had gone to Dylan's, he'd tell you right away. I didn't want to see you."
"I understand. Not that I need to understand anything. Obviously you can be here or wherever you want without me having to understand or accept it. You know what I mean."
"Of course." Peter's discomfort makes me laugh. He smiles at me and I say, "I'm going to my dorm now."
"Want me to come?"
"I should do this by myself. See you tomorrow?"
"Sure. I'll drop you off at your street, far enough that she won't see me."
"Okay."
I text Hardin thanking him for everything and letting him know that Peter and I sorted things out.
***
I wake up to the sound of my doorbell. I open the door and it's Júlia, who seems stressed out.
"Sorry, I feel asleep yesterday. But hey, I have all of Peter's things in bags at my place, and although it was tough, I managed to clear the way for you. But he'll keep looking for you. He said he wasn't giving up," she explains as she enters my studio. Oh, that's why she was not replying yesterday.
"Actually, we sorted everything out," I say, a little embarrassed from all the chaos I put her through.
"What?! How!?" Her blue eyes and her mouth open wide as she sits on my couch. "So he was there with another girl and you forgave him?" She's shocked. "I really don't know you anymore," Júlia concludes.
"He wasn't with her, there's a reason for everything and it was a very good one."
"What reason? What did he tell you?"
"I can't tell you. But trust me when I tell you he did nothing wrong," I say slowly.
Júlia gets up impatiently and walks around the studio in silence.
"When did you become this dumb? This guy, this guy's playing you and you don't even get it. He's lying to you, playing you along, making you suffer, and still you're gonna go with him to the USA. You're gonna be there all alone with no support whatsoever."
"It's not lies. I can't explain the reason why I can't tell you, but you don't have to worry. I'll be fine on my own. I've always been fine on my own, and I have Peter and he'd never do that to me."
"Kelly. Becky's pregnant with Peter's child!" Júlia screams this in my face and I swear my heart stops and I can't move.
"Wh- what?"
"Yeah, she's pregnant. She came to my place yesterday and told me. She asked me not to tell anyone, so you cannot tell them that you know. But obviously if this is true, then he cheated on you at least once, or more than once, who knows."
"How..." I still can't move and Júlia hugs me.
"I didn't want you to find out like this, but you need to stay away from Peter. Never talk to him again, and I'll help you. In fact I'm going to talk to that asshole right now and tell him to back off and then I'll come back here."
My friend leaves my place and I'm completely stunned, it's as if I couldn't breathe.
How could I be this stupid and believe that whole thing? Of course, Peter never even bothered wearing a condom with me ever since we first had sex... the same thing probably happened with Becky and now this happened.
I don't even know how they got together behind my back. He knows damn well how to cheat on girlfriends, it's not the first time nor will it be the last. I can't forgive this. I can never be with him again. I don't know how to act or what to do.
I hope Júlia takes cares of this for me. I need drugs, a lot of drugs to numb myself, and Júlia can't find out about it.
Finally, I'm able to move, and I lie in bed. I text Heidi, she's gonna get me something strong, ketamine.
***
Heidi is still not replying, which is bullshit because I don't know anyone else who sells it.
The only thing I have here is vodka and weed. I get up and start drinking shot after shot of pure vodka, and roll two joints to smoke.
My room is spinning.
Hardin: I'm glad you worked things out.
Funny, how things change in a few hours.
Júlia comes back, and she starts yelling at me, but I don't even understand what she's saying.
I feel nauseous because of all of this.
She holds my head up while I puke in the toilet, and then lies in bed with me.
YOU ARE READING
Good at Games, Bad at Love (18+)
Romance"Can I give you a hug?" Is it possible to want and not want something at the same time? "Please?" he insists and I nod. He approaches me and my breathing becomes irregular, our bodies are too close. He doesn't hug me. Instead, his hands touch mine...