Status: On Hiatus
This Ain't a Fairytale
Chapter 10
Leigh
“What the fuck Leigh? So it’s okay to just lie to me to go have dinner with some other guy?” Josh demanded as soon as I was in the door. I stood there, my knees ready to give out at any moment as I clutched my bag for dear life.
“I didn’t lie to you Josh – I said I was going to have dinner with a friend – Sidney’s a friend,” I made a point of enunciating and drawing out my last word, hoping to get my point across.
“Yeah, sure. So you can ditch your boyfriend for a big hotshot single hockey player and not expect me to get angry? Every time I turn around you’re trying to make plans with him, and when’s the last time we’ve ever done something together, huh?” his volume escalated, and I dropped my bag when he suddenly turned to me, his hands on my arms, his strength causing me pain. I was too frightened to even make a noise, but I could feel his fingers digging in and knew I’d end up with bruises.
“Look Josh – he’s my best friend, and we’ve been best friends since we were four, okay? I miss him, I miss spending time with him!”
“There’s a difference between spending time together as friends and how much time the two of you spend together,” he growled, and I swallowed hard.
“Josh! I don’t get mad when you spend time with women!”
“The only women I spend time with aside from my family and you are all co-workers, who are married, nonetheless. You know there’s no chance of anything going on there. But you and Sidney all but live together!” he spat, and I could feel myself begin to tremble in his arms. I couldn’t deny any of that – Sidney and I had basically lived together during summers back in Nova Scotia, and when I’d first moved here before moving in with Josh.
“Just tell me straight up. Are you sleeping together?” my jaw dropped at his question, and never had I felt so hurt.
“Josh I would never—” my response was cut off when I felt his hand connect with my cheek. I stood there, frozen with a mix of fear and shock, before my hand finally responded to my brain and I touched my skin, which was tender and no doubt red.
“Oh my God Leigh – I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…” he immediately took a step back from me, looking horrified.
“I’m so sorry, shit Leigh I really didn’t mean to… it’s just, I love you so much, do you know how much it hurts to imagine you with some other guy? Especially someone like him? Oh God Leigh, I’m so, so sorry,” he sobbed, and soon the shock wore off. He was just upset, he wasn’t thinking, he didn’t mean it.
He pulled me into his arms, and I stood there, not pushing him away, but not pulling him closer. I was too numb for that.
“What the fuck Leigh? So it’s okay to just lie to me to go have dinner with some other guy?” Josh demanded as soon as I was in the door. I stood there, my knees ready to give out at any moment as I clutched my bag for dear life.
“I didn’t lie to you Josh – I said I was going to have dinner with a friend – Sidney’s a friend,” I made a point of enunciating and drawing out my last word, hoping to get my point across.
“Yeah, sure. So you can ditch your boyfriend for a big hotshot single hockey player and not expect me to get angry? Every time I turn around you’re trying to make plans with him, and when’s the last time we’ve ever done something together, huh?” his volume escalated, and I dropped my bag when he suddenly turned to me, his hands on my arms, his strength causing me pain. I was too frightened to even make a noise, but I could feel his fingers digging in and knew I’d end up with bruises.
“Look Josh – he’s my best friend, and we’ve been best friends since we were four, okay? I miss him, I miss spending time with him!”
“There’s a difference between spending time together as friends and how much time the two of you spend together,” he growled, and I swallowed hard.
“Josh! I don’t get mad when you spend time with women!”
“The only women I spend time with aside from my family and you are all co-workers, who are married, nonetheless. You know there’s no chance of anything going on there. But you and Sidney all but live together!” he spat, and I could feel myself begin to tremble in his arms. I couldn’t deny any of that – Sidney and I had basically lived together during summers back in Nova Scotia, and when I’d first moved here before moving in with Josh.
“Just tell me straight up. Are you sleeping together?” my jaw dropped at his question, and never had I felt so hurt.
“Josh I would never—” my response was cut off when I felt his hand connect with my cheek. I stood there, frozen with a mix of fear and shock, before my hand finally responded to my brain and I touched my skin, which was tender and no doubt red.
“Oh my God Leigh – I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…” he immediately took a step back from me, looking horrified.
“I’m so sorry, shit Leigh I really didn’t mean to… it’s just, I love you so much, do you know how much it hurts to imagine you with some other guy? Especially someone like him? Oh God Leigh, I’m so, so sorry,” he sobbed, and soon the shock wore off. He was just upset, he wasn’t thinking, he didn’t mean it.
He pulled me into his arms, and I stood there, not pushing him away, but not pulling him closer. I was too numb for that.