The Billion Dollar Girl

(Chapter 10)

ῼ Ash Castillo ῼ

I let a smile spread over my face, and Lucy blinked, dazzled.

“But…I’m already married.”

“So what?” She was cocky. I liked that.

“Well…” I said, pretending to hesitate. Let’s play this game for just a little longer. “I don’t really want to leave my…wife… She’s outside, right now, and I don’t think she’ll be that happy –”

“Your wife is here?” Lucy said, stiffening.

“Yes,” I said, smiling again. “Ella? Ella, honey?” I called, my tone lilting. “Come in.”

No answer. I frowned, as Lucy looked away, smirking.

“Looks like she’s gone.”

I stood up, and walked to the door, pulling it open. Crap. Where the hell has she…?

Oh God. She couldn’t’ve heard what Lucy said, right? She couldn’t’ve…

I ran, ignoring Lucy as she pulled on my arm.

***

Ͼ Ella Castillo Ͽ

I took a swig from my coffee, and breathed out. A steam cloud billowed in front of my mouth, and cold air danced around my lips. I took another swallow, to warm my mouth up again, staring up at the non-existent stars in the black void of sky. I was calm now.

I watched life pass me. Cars blurred past me as owners pushed through the busy streets (well, this is New York, pretty much every street was busy and car-filled). Gangsters strutted behind me, clearly going home after a day of gangster-ing. Couples walked on the road opposite mine, talking and laughing and smiling.

Damn Ash. Damn him.

I tipped the coffee back, and drank again. I licked my lips. I couldn’t understand why the hell I was feeling like this – I couldn’t understand how… Maybe I was just angry, because I could be replaced so easily – by someone I hated. Yeah, that was it. Totally. I pictured Ash and Lucy, laughing together, talking, and…kissing. I gripped the rail hard, and my knuckles shone white against my skin.

Damn.

I forced myself relax and leaned forwards, onto the cold steel railings, shivering as air passed against my bare legs. I was outside a coffee shop – the one I used to spend a lot of time in. It was about the only coffee shop in the world that would be open at this time.

There weren’t any chairs outside, so me and Zack used to lean against this metal fence instead. I stared down at my chocolate muffin. I used to love these – I’d dip them into my coffee, and Zack would pull faces, saying I was gross, because all the muffin crumbs would float on top. I semi-smiled, now.

But that was the past.

Now, every day I saw people who hated me, and thought I was “stupid” and “weird”. Now, every day I saw Lucy. Great swap.

I finished my coffee, and my fingers, that were so hot from clutching the side of my cup, started cooling. My chocolate muffin now beckoned. I bit into it.

Then I pictured Lucy. I was so inadequate compared to stupidly skinny, pretty, elegant Lucy.

Skinny.

I was Size 8. I was normal, right? Not fat, right?

But not Lucy.

I swallowed. Suddenly I felt bile rise up in my throat. I leant my muffin on the rail, and shoved a lollipop into my mouth to erase the sharp acidic taste of sick. Great. Now I couldn’t eat…