Fuse

thirteen | karaoke

S P E N C E R   J A M E S O N

I wake up with the worst headache imaginable. This is how most of my mornings start. I guess I'm just so stressed that my body automatically wakes with aches and pains.

My hair moves and I instinctively flinch. His hand runs over my skin, pulling strands of hair back at the same to me. "Good morning" Marshall murmurs and I force a smile, trying to control my breathing.

"Morning." I reply because the morning is far from good. I close my eyes again, hoping I might go back to sleep again but I can't.

"I need to go back to New York to take care of some business, my flight is later today so I'm going to go straight from work."

He's going back there again?

"For how long?" I ask.

His fingers still run themselves through my hair "I'm not sure, maybe a few days." He sits up in the bed, looking down at me. "I'll text you and let you know if I have to stay longer" he says as he gets out and puts a shirt on.

He's going to be gone for a few days? I can't wait.

He comes back into the room and kisses my forehead before leaving.

I turn over in the bed and notice his phone on the nightstand. Getting up, I reach for it and call out for him. The screen lights up and a message comes through.

Can't wait to see you.

My eyes widen and I lock it again just as he comes back into the room. "Thanks," he says as I hand it to him.

He's meeting you with another woman? That must be why he's being weirdly nice today. Does she know what he's really like? I wonder how long this has been going on for? Has he been cheating on me from the start?

In a way I'm almost relieved. I mean, if he's being satisfied by someone else then at least that means he doesn't need to come to me.

I hear the front door close and I leave the bedroom and walk over to the bathroom to take a shower. It takes a while but I finally feel refreshed. It's strange. It's like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders knowing he's not going to be around.

I really thought that if I agreed to marry him, things would get better. I thought he loved me. I guess I was wrong.

My phone vibrates and Harlow's caller ID appears on the screen.

"Hey girl, Asher invited me over to his place for a few drinks do you want to come?"

Usually I would say no but I guess things have changed.

"Sure what time?"

"I'll pick you up at five." She says and hangs up. It's almost three now so I walk into my room and open my closet. I pull out the trash bag that's hidden underneath my purses and empty the contents on my bed.

The clothes are a complete mess, all crumpled and creased like they haven't seen an iron in fifty years. I have to hide them or Marshall will throw them if he knows I still kept some. They're the clothes that are more revealing than my others.

I pick a white strapless top and iron it before choosing a pair of jeans. For the first time in a really long time I finally feel like I look pretty. I have a cute outfit and I'm going to do my makeup how I used to. I'm going to be me and not have to worry about being judged for it.

I'm really excited.

I do my makeup and straighten my hair just as Harlow messages me.

Outside.