Open Relationship - Chapter 8

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Posting during class like a rebel. Hope you enjoy! Please vote and comment!

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Noah

It was Friday night and James wasn’t answering her phone. She hadn’t answered all week actually. I was nervous that maybe we had gone too far with the dinner last time and my grandparents sitting in. I thought of how we’d left it and how she’d told me she didn’t want me upstairs because she needed sleep. I should have seen that something was wrong then. Our relationship was pretty much based on sex and she hadn’t wanted it. Was she questioning her decision now and didn’t want to keep this going?

I cleared my throat and shrugged it off. I wasn’t going to let her get to me. It was probably some crazy mind game those girls always tried. My phone buzzed and I saw it was Henry.

“Noah, Hollis invited us out to the jazz club tonight. You should join us.”

I hesitated before answering. “Sure, I’ll meet you there in a bit.”

When I finally got to the jazz club, the bouncer gave me a look I couldn’t read. I headed inside and saw the guys over at one of the back tables. I waved at them and caught Hollis’s panicked eyes, flickering over to the dance floor and back to me. I followed her gaze and felt anger flare up faster than I thought it could.

James

Landon went all out with a date when given the opportunity. First we went out to dinner at a very nice French restaurant seated outside in a lighted garden. Second, we had a flambé chocolate fondue for dessert with numerous types of cakes and fruits. He laughed at me when I screamed at the pot bursting into flame. It wasn’t my fault because they hadn’t warned me! Then he took me to the jazz club for drinks and dancing. He asked my permission first of course, as he wanted to make sure I didn’t mind going to my place of employment for the end of our date. To be honest, it was nice to end it somewhere familiar. I felt less nervous the instant I saw Jeffrey’s face at the door and Hollis at the bar giving me a thumbs up.

We had a more private table, one we usually reserved for regulars that we knew were good tippers. We had gone through a few drinks, making me a little looser, but not drunk. “So explain this to me. You just won’t eat animal crackers?” Landon said, amused and I laughed.

“Okay, so when I was little, my sister Hollis told me that they were actually living creatures and that when I was crunching them it was their bones crunching and they were actually screaming in pain but I couldn’t hear it over the crunching noises. I was scarred for life. Now whenever I crunch an animal cracker, all I think of is crunching bones and screams of terror.” I relayed and Landon broke into laughter.

“That’s hilarious! I have to meet this sister of yours.” He chuckled.

“She’s right over there,” I looked up and pointed in the direction of her table and froze. I felt like my heart stopped and my stomach felt sick. There stood Noah, giving me the coldest stare I’d ever received in my life. I gulped and Landon noticed my tension.

“What’s wrong?”

“That guy over there,” I turned away from Noah and back to Landon, “the one standing and staring at us. That’s the other guy I told you about.”

“Did he follow you here?”

“No, I don’t think so. Those are his friends over with my sister. I think it was purely accident.”

Landon made a harrumphing sound and took my hand in his, smiling at me. “Why don’t you dance with me?”

“Oh, um, okay.” I tried to wipe Noah from my mind. I was on a date with Landon, and it would be unfair to let Noah’s presence distract me. Besides, he wasn’t allowed to be jealous. He was the one with the girlfriend. With that thought, it was easier to not think about Noah and to just enjoy Landon spinning me around and holding me close against him.

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