AllFreeNovel
Share Us
*
Gigi stayedin the library until it closed at eight. She had no intentions of going back to her apartmentiftherewasa slightchance Maxwas stillhangingaround.Fromthetextsand voicemails she’dlistenedto,hestillwas.Hekepttellinghertocallhimwhenshegotthe message.Shedeleted themall and turnedoff herphone.
Earlier,she’dtextedJentoletherknowshe wasstayingbacklater than usual.Jenhadrepliedthatthevodka wasinthefridgeandher schedulewasclear.Thewalkhomehadbeenanervous one.Shewas constantlylookingoverhershoulder,hereyes scanningforMax.Althoughsheknewhe couldn’t possiblyhavestayedoutsideherapartmentallday,itdidn’tstopherfromthinkingthathejust mighthave.
Approachingherbuilding,Gigibreathedasighofrelief;Maxwasn’tthere.Shepulledopenthe flapofhermessengerbag andsearchedaroundforherkeys.Unlockingthefrontdoor,shestepped insideandmadeherwayupthestairstothesecondfloor. Beforeshecouldevengetthekeyin the door,Jenpulledthething open.Inherfreehandwasthebottleofvodkashe’d promised.Itlooked expensive.
With a devilish grin,Jensaid, “I swiped this fromwork.”
“Jen,”shegroaned.
“Hey,ifMaxisgoingtoscrewyouover—sorry,wrongchoiceofwords—thenI’mgoingtoreturn thefavor.”
“You’ll getfired if hefindsout.”
Herroommatelaughed. “Hewon’tfindout. I asked Jeremytotakeoneofftheinventoryforme.”
TakingtheopportunitytochangethesubjectandtakeherownmindoffMax,Gigiraisedan eyebrowatJenand smiled. “Jeremy,huh?What’sgoing on there?”
Jen’sexpressionturneddreamy.“Nothing…yet.But givemetime,Borello.”GivingGigialittle shoveinthedirectionofthecouch,Jenadded,“Now,go and getcomfortableandprepareyourselfto getdrunk.”
Gigi slumped ontothecouch,lettingthecushionsswampherbodyuntilshewasbeingcocooned bythem.Alldayherhearthadbeenaching.Shedoubtedshetookinanythingthatherprofessors hadtoldher,her mindtoo preoccupiedwith Max.Howcouldhehaveliedtoherlikethat?Thatfact hurtmorethan the betrayal.
“Here.Drinkthis. You’rewearing thesameexpressionyouhad onthismorning.”
ShetooktheglassfromJen,thecubesofice knockingtogetherasshebroughtittoherlips.She cringedaftershe swallowed,theliquorburningherthroat.Shelethereyes roamaroundtheroom, buttheystopped whentheyreached a bouquetof long-stemmed red roses.
“Wheredidtheycomefrom,”shedemanded,pointingattheflowersliketheywerecarryingthe Ebolavirus.
Jen peeredover her shoulder. “Oh.Them. Theyarrivedaboutan hour after you left.”
Gigi could seeacard sticking fromthetop. “They’refromMax.”
Jen shrugged. “I didn’treadthecard,butthat’swhatIassumed.”
Puttingherglassdown,Gigigotupandpluckedthe cardfromtheclearplasticarm.Slidingher finger under theedgeof theflap,sheopened up theenvelopeand pulledoutthecard.
Gigi,
I’msosorry. I’ll tell you everything. Call me. Maxxx
“Ishebegging foryourforgiveness?”
Wordlessly,Gigi passedthecard toJen and swallowedtherestof hervodka. Shecoughed,but wasdetermined tofollowthrough with thegetting drunkplan Jen had comeupwith. Shepoured herself another drink.
Jen turned tolookat her nowstanding atthekitchenbench. “Are you goingtocall him?”Gigi shookher head. “Whynot?”
“There’snopoint. Thewholerelationship—if that’swhatyou can call it—waspointless. He’s leaving in a fewmonths—maybesooner.”
Jen frowned. “So,you’rejustnot going totry?”
“There’snopoint,”sherepeated.
Standing up,Jen walkedtowardsher.“Doeshetreatyou nicely?”
“Yes.”
“Doesherespectyou?”
