Chapter thirty: One step forward, two steps back

O L I V I A

The two days passed by in a blur, and before I knew it I was picking up my best friend from the airport.

"I'm here!" She had squealed when she saw me before she had engulfed me in a bear hug.

"You're here." I had laughed before we got over the fact that our dream was coming true and that she was there.

An hour later we dragged her handbags and suitcases through my door. Let me tell you, not an easy task. The girl had brought myriads of stuff with her. I wanted to reason with her, but I knew from experience that it was pointless.

Griffin and George came by and visited for a while. Griffin was glad to see me in one piece and he said it out loud, making us laugh. We were sprawled around the living room for the most part of the evening. I made us all snacks and we talked a long while as we ate. They took their leave after we ordered and ate dinner and then it was just me and Sam.

" . . . and so he agreed," Sam recounted how she got her boss to transfer her to NYC with a smirk.

"That was hella smooth, girl!" I laughed.

"I know," she declared flippantly. "Why isn't there any alcohol here?" She whined for the hundredth time.

"Because I have work tomorrow," I recited in a deadpan like I did all those times before. "Hot chocolate?"

"Fine," she pouted, "But only because you make a mean cup."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes with a smile as I got up to make her some. She trailed behind me into the kitchen.

"Don't you wanna settle in before you sleep?" I asked her as I got the ingredients out.

"Are the sheets fresh?" She questioned.

"I changed them after Griffin left and no one has been in there since, so I guess," I replied.

"Good enough for me," she said, hoisting herself up on the island. She rocked her legs back and forth as she talked to me. "I called mom and dad," she spoke.

"Oh? And what did they say?" I asked her as switched on the stove, placing the pan on it.

"They want me to visit them," she answered. "I was thinking about it anyway."

"You should," I agreed, measuring the milk and pouring it in. I made sure the flame was just right while I fished for grated chocolate in the fridge.

"I'm going tomorrow," she told me.

"And . . . ?" I prompted her to reveal more when she paused hesitantly.

"Do you think I should tell them about Josh?" She asked.

I paused to think about it.  

"I don't know," I admitted as I added the chocolate to the milk and began stirring. "It depends on your relationship with him. And your relationship with your parents."

"I don't know what to do." She sighed. "I want him to meet them, but at the same time I'm not sure how they'll react."

"Why?" I frowned, adding cinnamon to the mixture as it neared its boil. It was already smelling heavenly.

"Because- I don't know," she fretted. "They hated him in high school!"

"This isn't high school anymore, Sam," I coaxed her.

"I know, but you know how my parents are. Their memory is phenomenal."

"I know," I mused. "It definitely helped the empire they've built."

"Liv," she sang complainingly.

I smiled. "Alright."

I lowered the flame a little and added the marshmallows and the vanilla essence before boiling it again, stirring according to need as I talked.

"I'm sure they will approve of him now," I tried to tell her convincingly. "He may come off as a little like his old self in the beginning, but he really seems to have changed."

For the most part anyway. He is more thoughtful with her and I can't deny that. He makes her really happy, too. And Sam is no fool. He couldn't play her if he tried.

Maybe, just maybe, I have been overthinking all this.

Sam rolled her eyes, unaware of my inner monologue. "Haven't we all." 

"No," I grinned at her, "Not us all."

"Touche." She shrugged uncaringly. "But back to the topic."

I nodded, my mind made up.

"I think you should," I told her. "You've been dating him for almost two years and I really think they should know it if you're serious. They're your parents."

"I guess." She bit her lip in thought. "I mean, I'm pretty serious."

I paused, tensing. "Is he?"

"I think so," she replied. Her tone was confident despite her uncertain words.

"There you have it then," I told her, relaxing. "Introduce them."

"Okay," she breathed. "Tomorrow."

"I wonder how Josh will react," I thought out loud. "He might have changed, but some habits die hard. Will he chicken out?"

"Oh, he won't have a chance to." She let out a laugh. "I won't tell him till the last minute."

Match made in heaven.

I chuckled incredulously. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Samantha," I spoke reprimandingly. "Isn't it enough that you're his girlfriend? Why do you have to subject the poor guy to even more torture?"

"Don't forget that you're my best friend," she said as she wagged a finger at me. "You have no loyalties to my boyfriend as opposed to me, you understand?"

I laughed. "Yes, ma'am."

I glanced down at the milk and was satisfied to see that the marshmallows had all dissolved. I switched off the flame and poured Sam a cup, garnishing it with whipped cream and more grated chocolate. I added some marshmallow paste before I handed it to her. She took the cup enthusiastically.

"What about you and your man?" She teased as I prepared my cup. I blushed, already feeling abashed. She took a sip and gushed, "Ahhhh, this is delicious!!"

"Thanks." I grinned at the praise. "And nothing much." I leaned against the counter.

"Those photos I saw said otherwise." She winked at me suggestively.

"No no no." I shook my head. "Let me stop you right there."

"Why?" She laughed. "What are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything." I sighed. "It's all right in front of you."

"Uh-oh." She clicked her tongue. "Trouble in paradise?"

I sipped my drink. Not to toot my own horn, but it was good. "Not exactly."

"What is it?" She asked me. "The articles, pictures, and blogs?"

"Those, yeah." I nodded.

"But there's more," she deduced from my tone.

"Maybe." I sighed.

"Tell me."

I groaned. "It's getting between us, Sam."

"How?" She prompted.

"This whole thing," I fussed. "I blew up on him the day before yesterday. And to make things worse, he openly admitted that he is keeping something from me!"

"Okay," she dragged the word out. She took a sip of the steaming liquid before she continued, "One, blowing up is natural. Don't worry about that. Kai would definitely understand. Two, I'm sure he has a good reason to not tell you what he is hiding."

"I just don't like fighting," I grumbled. "But I hate that he doesn't trust me enough to share something with me."

She shrugged. "Maybe it's not even about the situation."

"I'm sure it has something to do with our breakup," I muttered. Her eyes widened fractionally for a split second before she recovered. It was so quick, I thought I'd imagined it.

"What about it?" She asked from behind her cup.

"I don't know," I admitted. "But it was almost like he was about to say, 'I didn't cheat' before he stopped himself."

She took a long drink, smacking her lips somberly. "Umhmm?"

"Yeah." I took a long, searing sip. It warmed my throat and my insides.

"Why would he say that? I'm sure you were imagining it," she said in a thin voice.

"What happened to your voice?" I pointed out.

"Just burning a little from the hot chocolate," she chuckled. It was forced. "Listen, Liv. Just talk to him. Tell him how you feel."

I exhaled, remembering how that went. "I did."

"Not enough, or you wouldn't be talking to me about it like it were still a problem." She shook her head. "You guys need to communicate. Love is not enough to get anyone through unless the relationship also has trust and communication between the partners."

I sighed thoughtfully. "Maybe you're right."

"You know I am," she told me. "Just talk to him."

"See," I swallowed, preparing myself for a confession, "I don't think I want to talk. My insides are bubbling with frustration. I want to scream at him."

"Do it," she said nonchalantly. "I scream at Josh all the time."

I blinked. "What?"

"Yeah. Ask him. He's always so nice about it."

I grimaced. I was definitely wrong. The Josh I thought I knew would never go through that for two years. I suddenly felt a pang of pity for the guy. "Fuck. Poor boy."

"Shut up." She rolled her eyes. "He's happy."

I laughed. "So are you, apparently."

"Ah, no arguments there." She smiled contently. She finished her drink in one big gulp and let out a satisfied sigh. "Heaven. I am in heaven."

"But Josh isn't here," I mocked her.

"Right," she opened her eyes, "I take that back. But, this is a close second."

"You're one of a kind." I chuckled.

I downed my own lukewarm drink down. I straightened up, took her cup from her and carried them to the sink. I emptied and gathered the rest of the dishes, cleaning up while we made idle banter. When I was done, we shifted from the kitchen to the living room.

"I'm sleepy." I yawned late into the night. "I have work tomorrow, Sam."

"A little while more?" She pleaded.

"No," I shook my head resolutely, "That's what you said the last two times, and now it's half past midnight. I need my sleep."

"Fine," she agreed sulkily. "But we have to talk more."

"Sure." I yawned again. She looked like she wanted to control it, but hers broke through too.

"This weekend," she said threateningly when it passed. "It's a girl's weekend, got it?"

"Won't you be tired, though? And don't you want to spend time with Josh?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'll just be returning after spending a day with him. I am sure I will survive."

"As long as you're sure," I said.

She nodded. "I am."

"Okay then!"

* * * * *

Samantha was chirpy the next morning. She seemed excited by the prospect of throwing her boyfriend under the bus. I swear that girl was diabolical.

After I bid her bye, I left for work. Another cute envelope was ready to greet me when I arrived and I discarded it after just a cautionary check. Brian was already there when I arrived and Jane came soon after. They had at least started talking again so it was nice to see some occasional flirting happening around me. It kept the atmosphere lively. We ate lunch in our room, all three of us.

It was when I was getting a coffee did I encounter the first person other than the ones who knew.

"Ms. Davis," Charlotte joined me at the station. My stomach began churning and I instantly regretted going there. "Good afternoon."

I forced a smile. "Good afternoon."

Let me debrief you. Charlotte was our CEO's pet girlfriend. High class, very opinionated, and career-driven. Fiery, sharp-tongued, and had a general tendency to leave others crying after a simple conversation.

My luck.

"I'll get straight to the point," she said. "I didn't take you for the homewrecker type."

The blood in my veins stopped flowing. My heart skipped multiple beats and my palms started sweating. My breathing became short and irregular.

"I-Excuse me?" I managed to sputter out.

"You and me, we're the same, Olivia." She giggled. "Ah, I wish I'd met you sooner."

I was speechless.

"You know, I have only one problem," she muttered. "See, Michael-" aka our CEO "-is a huge fan of NYG and so is Craig." Aka one of our major investors. "First the injury and now the bad press, it doesn't look good for the quarterback and hence, it doesn't look good for the team. Craig isn't very happy right now. He's threatening to pull out." She frowned. "That means no money to run the company. Meaning Mike is unhappy. And if he isn't happy, I don't get what I want. If I don't get what I want, I am not happy and you do not want that.

"Look, I know your type. I can help you out. We can help each other out. You want a rich man? I'll set you up! I'm exploring too. Mike might be rich, but Adrian West? Dayum. Wait," she shook her head, "This is about you. Right. So, would you like to meet Mike's brother Logan? He's pretty handsome and goddamn hot too. I'm su-"

"Stop," I raised my hands, "Just stop."

She scowled, obviously not pleased at the interruption. "What did you just say?" 

"You're crazy," I spat in a burst as I fought with my bubbling anxiety. 

"Watch that pretty little mouth of yours, Olivia," she said menacingly, stepping closer to me threateningly. I stood frozen, my throat all closed up. I couldn't breathe. "I have the power to crush you in an instant. If another article with new photos of you and your so-called love comes up, I will make you pay."

"You're not my boss," I said feebly. I felt lightheaded.

"No, but I do control your CEO, and hence her." She smirked before spinning on her tail and walking the other way. I finally gulped a mouthful of air frantically, clutching the counter. Black spots clouded my vision partially and I struggled to even my breathing. 

When she was a few feet away, before she could disappear around the corner, she turned her head and called over her shoulder, "Remember what I said, Ms. Davis. I meant every word."

And I lost my breath again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the double update! <3

QOTD: Who is your favorite out of the Big Three/GOATs? (Lawn Tennis)

Take care! I'll see you guys tomorrow!

All my love,
xoxo.