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I give Jasmine a look. I don't want to have to go over all of this again with them. "I just needed some air. I was feeling a bit sick. It was too hot in there."
She gives me a look like I'm bullshitting her. And I know I should just tell them, but I'm so exhausted by it all. "Oh, okay. Well, you missed a good movie."
We hop up from our seats and make our way out through the front of the building toward our car. I can't help but keep glancing around. Am I being followed now? My mind is racing. How am I even supposed to go home right now, to my room, knowing there is a hidden camera somewhere? I feel sick to my stomach over all of this.
Brad
I sit across the table from the woman I used to love. At least I think I loved her, now it all seems so hard to believe I could ever have loved someone like her. She is beautiful, yes, stunningly so, with her perfect hair, face made up, and designer clothes, but as the saying goes, it's what's on the inside that counts, and in this case, that is manipulation, deceit, adultery—none of it pretty.
She has been making small talk for over an hour while we ate our meal, and I'm beginning to wonder if there was any real reason she even wanted to meet up tonight at all. Or if this was all just a ploy to spend time with me and try to manipulate me again.
"So, as I was saying, I have decided to move to LA. What do you think?"
"I think it has nothing to do with me where you decide to live, Madeline. We're not together anymore, and after you sign the papers, we won't have any reason to see each other again."
She tries to take my hand across the table, and I pull away. There is that flash of wounding in her eyes again, but she recovers quickly. "Brad. We have been through so much, are we really going to let what happened back in England tear our marriage apart? I thought our vows meant more to you than that. I mean, it was just one little slip-up, and it will never happen again."
I stare back at her in disbelief. I can't even believe the words she's saying. How could she possibly think I would just forgive her over this and take her back? She's delusional. "What? Um, screwing my best mate behind my back for over a year is not one little slip-up. And the only one who needs to think about what our marriage vows meant is you. I stuck to mine."
Tears well in her eyes. She always did know how to turn it on when she wanted things to go her way. But her waterworks no longer work on me. I cross my arms over my chest and wait for the sob story to start. "What happened back there was just a stupid mistake. I was so stressed and worried about you after you got hurt, and you were distant. I needed reassurance, but you were going through your own stuff. If you could see it in your heart to forgive me, nothing like that will ever happen again. I want what we had in the beginning back, Brad. I want to start a family with you like we planned. Together, we could have it all."
I glare at her, not giving her anything. "Did Byron end it with you or something? Last I heard you had moved in with him and the two of you were living the high life."
She gives me a look like I shouldn't have brought up his name. But she was the one messing around with him. "He didn't dump me. I regretted what happened as soon as you left and wanted you back."
More bullshit. Something obviously happened there, or she wouldn't be here begging me for forgiveness. "Too late, Madeline. I have moved on. And so should you. We are never getting back together."
She scowls at me. "What, with that teeny bopper I met at your place? I'm happy for you to get it out of your system, whatever this is you have going on with her, but, Brad, we both know you will end up back with me. You can't have a real future with her. She's just a kid, you are in completely different stages in your lives. She's probably out partying and having fun. She also has a soccer career to think about. Do you really think she would be ready to have a child any time soon? Even if she wanted to, you would have to wait years for all of that. We're at the stage where it's time for us to settle down and start a family. I know how badly you wanted to have a baby. Now is our chance to do this together."
She's unbelievable. Making this all about what she can offer me over Andy. "No, our chance was before you fucked it all up. That's over now, and that's on you." I push back from the table, take the papers from my pocket, and throw them down in front of her. "This is over. Sign the papers. I won't be meeting up with you again," I say angrily, making it as crystal clear as I can.
I take out enough cash to cover the bill for dinner, toss it on the table, and storm away from her and don't look back. I can't even believe she had the nerve to bring up the fact that I wanted a baby. She's messed up, using that against me. And to say that Andy and I aren't right for each other because we are in different stages of our lives. What the fuck would she know about what I even want anymore. She makes me fucking furious.
I storm angrily up the busy street. It's Friday night and there are a lot of people around this part of town with all the restaurants and nightlife entertainment. I make it to my car, and as I go to jump in, I hear someone call out from across the street.
"Hey, Coach Swift." One of the girls from my team.
I look over to where the voice came from and see Luna and Darcy. They wave from outside a small bakery. Darcy is leaning up against the wall and she motions for me to come over to them. I'm not really in the mood to deal with them, but I wonder if Andy is around as well. I know she's pissed at me for going to dinner with Madeline. She said it was fine, but I know it wasn't. But it was also something I needed to do. I close my car door and cross the street in the direction of the girls.
Andy and her sister come out of the store with brown paper bags. She's smiling at something Jasmine has said, but I can tell instantly something is not right with her. Her usual sparkle is gone, and it looks like she has been crying.
"Brad, what are you doing here? I thought you had that dinner," she says, looking confused.
"I did, but it's over now. I was just about to head home when your friends called me over." I motion to my car across the road.
"Oh, okay," she says sadly, and I can't tell if she is just ticked off with me or if something more is going on. But I know she's not her usually sassy smartass self.
"Are you alright?" I ask, rubbing her arm.
She shakes her head, and I take her in my arms as she cries. I look to Jasmine for an explanation. "She got some more messages. It's not good, Brad," says Jasmine, the worry for her sister etched on her face.
I knew it was just a matter of time before it happened again. Andy keeps thinking it's just pranks, but I think tonight she may actually realize how serious this is. "Hey, you're safe, I have you now. Let's get you home and we can work this all out. I won't let anyone hurt you. Andy, you're safe."
"There are cameras," she mumbles into my chest.
"Cameras?" I mouth to Jasmine, and she nods. Shit, where? "Jas, I'll take Andy with me, we'll see you at home."
"Alright," she says, leaving with the other girls.
