Free Until There Was You by Stacey Harrison

window and an
uncomfortable silence lingers in the air, none of us speak or even
make eye contact. The only sound that can be heard is of her soft
sniffling that lets me know she is crying. I feel like an arsehole,
maybe she would be better off with Nate. Not that it matters, I am
far to selfish to ever let her go.
    When we pull up I jump out the
car not bothering to wait for Dem to open the door so he opens hers
instead. Storming through the house, shedding my shoes in the hall
and my jacket on the sofa.
    I make my way to the glass
cabinet and pour myself a very much needed, very large Brandy
taking a big sip. She walks through the room not even acknowledging
me and heads into the guest room I assume, as I hear the door slam.
Great she is ignoring me, well let her, I think as I slump down
onto the sofa, glass in hand. Maybe I got it wrong? Maybe I am over
reacting a touch? Can she blame me? I wonder how she would feel if
she found me and Melissa like that? I think back to earlier when
Melissa threw herself at me and Lexi just looked amused, didn't she
care? Wasn't she the least bit jealous? Maybe I don't mean anything
to her after all? I muse to myself.
    I realize I ain't going to get
any answers from my Brandy and head to her room. I don't bother
knocking - why should I - its my house. As I walk in she turns to
look at me from where she is stood in front of the mirror removing
her make up. She is now in silk shorts and vest, she still looks
beyond beautiful in her pajamas, it totally disarms me. She turns
back to the mirror but doesn't speak, fine I will go first
then.
    'Do you have feelings for Nate?'
I snap and she doesn't answer.
    'Are you not even going to
answer me?'
    'Not when you are being
ridiculous.' She finally replies but doesn't take her eyes off her
own reflection.
    'How am I being ridiculous? I
see you and him all over each other, talking about how I upset you
and you expect me to think nothing was going on?' I am instantly
livid again just thinking about it.
    'That is what you honestly think
was happening.' She gasps. 'I was upset at the person I made you
turn into back there and he was telling me how I shouldn't judge
you. That you were doing it for me, that you were angry at the way
they treated me.' She yells looking so raw I can't not believe
her.
    Wow, he was looking out for me
and I treated him like the shit on my shoe. This is going to take
some fixing, but I am not blind, he fancies her and she still
hasn't answered my damn question.
    'Do.You.Have.Feelings.For.Nate?'
I question slowly and firmly. She shakes her head slowly, not in
response but rather looking disappointed.
    'No Liam, I don't, I like him as
a friend but nothing more. I barely know the guy.' She huffs.
    'You barely knew me when we
fucked.' I retort. Shit what am I doing? That was so out of line.
Her eyes fill with tears and her face is masked with hurt and
regret. God this is bad, she is definitely going to hate me now if
she didn't already.
    'I was just making sure you got
your money's worth.' She fires back, her voice harder than I have
ever heard and her expression now blank. What have you done?
    'Lexi, I didn't mean that. I am
so, so sorry, I was mad and didn't mean it.' I rush out trying to
take it back. Please let her forgive my stupid arse.
    'Didn't mean what Liam? Let's be
honest here, I have served my purpose. I let you dress me up like a
doll to parade in front of your Fiancee or whatever the hell she
is. To look the part whilst you rattled your parents and hers. It
worked, don't worry though I had fun, mostly. It was fun being
someone else for a while but at least being broken little Lexi, the
whore, there are no exaggerated expectations. People only want to
fuck my body, not with my mind.'
    'You know that's not what this
is. How can you even believe that I was using you? Everything I
feel for you is real, I spoke out of anger once and you throw
everything else back in my face. How is that fair? The only person
that has ever