Into The Fray

Part -2

4 months earlier...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So then I told Charlie 'that's not a scarf, that's a ferret!' "

The entire room roared with laughter. I liked Mr. and Mrs.Waters, they were pretty chill. They liked to rub their money in other people's faces quite a bit, and they spoiled Valerie rotten, but they were nice enough.

Besides they were Stephie's parents and practically ran the city with their money, so I had to stay on their good side.

"That was a wonderful story mother but maybe you should let someone else speak." Said Stephanie gently, gesturing to me. "Kyle's got some big news."

I chuckled as I gently twirled her pale orange hair in between my fingers.

"Stephie it's not that big of a deal, besides I like your mom's stories. They're funny."

"Kyle got a promotion at the bank!" She burst out excitedly.

Her father raised a gray eyebrow at me, "I thought you were assistant manager..?"

"I was. Now I'm manager." I replied with a small smile.

"Oh thank goodness..when she said 'big news' my mother instincts automatically screamed baby at me! Thank Jesus almighty! I was just about to go all Beyonce on you Kyle and tell you to put a ring on it!" Mrs. Waters exclaimed dramatically.

"That's great Kyle, we're very happy for you," Mr. Waters said, ignoring his wife's previous comment, "but just know if you're ever in need of a higher paying job, you're an extremely intelligent young man, I'd be happy to hire you in any one of my offices."

"Thank you sir, but I'd rather work my way to success then have it instantly. It creates more character, I mean, isn't that what you did?" I asked.

Haha, yes, Kyle Reed can kiss major ass when he wants to.

Mr. Waters immediately raised his wine glass, "I'd like to purpose a toast to Kyle's new promotion and to building character, cheers."

"Cheers." Everyone said in unison.

"Where's Val?" Stephanie immediately asked after sipping the deep red Merlot.

That's one thing about me, hell, I may not be the most classy or clean-cut guy around but I know alcohol like the back of my hand.

Her father shrugged, "That's one thing about that girl. You tell her family dinner, and she comes with her laptop and locks herself in her old room for hours on end. She's a workaholic."

Or addicted to porn.

I didn't dare say that though. Valerie and I never really got along, she was two years younger than me and Steph, and although they were really close, it was pretty apparent to everyone that Valerie and I couldn't stand each other. That however, didn't stop Stephie from constantly trying to play peacemaker.

"Oh can Kyle and I go get her?" She asked, biting her lower lip slightly.

Mr. Waters shrugged. "I tried. Maybe she'll come out for you. "

She nodded and slowly rose out of her seat grabbing my hand, and dragging me to what must've been Valerie's old room.

Valerie sat on her old mattress, typing on a black, sleek, laptop, with her jet black hair in a messy top bun, and dark rectangular reading glasses on her nose.

"Hey Val, how's the novel coming?" Stephanie asked.

"Great. I've got 10 chapters done. It's going to be the third book in the 'Zipper Mouth' series." She responded not taking her eyes off the laptop for a second.

Stephanie smiled at her sister, "Oh, well, mom, dad, Kyle, the others and I were hoping you'd join us for dessert...because you missed dinner."

She stopped typing to look me over. Finally after a good minute she just continued typing, "I'm not hungry."

"I was also hoping I could spend some time with you.."

"You know where I live. You should stop by sometime instead of organizing shitty family dinners so you can see me. You never call, or visit. I always after to come chasing after you, but today I'm busy. I have a deadline to meet. My agent will be horribly disappointed if it's not met."

Her voice was monotone, containing no emotion whatsoever.

I remembered Val in highschool. She'd always been shy, awkward, and slightly dark, but extremely intelligent, and when she didn't want to be near you, or see you, she had this great way of shutting you out. Like she was doing to her sister, and best friend right now.

Stephanie nodded, taking the blow. "Fine, but if you change your mind you know where we are."

She walked back to the table obviously hurt. I didn't walk back with her.

"Why the fuck do you have to talk to her like that?"

"Why the fuck do you have to meddle?" She countered.

I wanted to hit her really hard, but I knew slapping the bitch in the face wouldn't benefit anyone.

"She's my girlfriend it's my job, and she's your older sister you shouldn't talk to her like that."

Valerie's eyes never left the screen yet she still was able to chuckle darkly at this.

"If only you knew.."

I had one foot out the door, but spun around after she said this.

"Only knew what?"

That was the first time I saw her actually put the laptop down.

"She's been cheating on you for the past 4 months."

The words were like a stab at my heart, but I knew Val was lying just trying to get to me, right?

I shook my head at her, "Bullshit. Stephanie wouldn't do that to me. You're a damn liar."

She cocked a dark eyebrow at me, "Really? You haven't noticed she's been distant since you started working more? You're a fool. She's been sleeping with your neighbor Collin."

"How'd you know his name is Collin?"

"Because she told me you idiot. The few times she talked to me all she did was brag about it, and ask for advice."

This couldn't be happening. I'd been dating Stephanie since we were juniors in high school.

I swallowed hard.

"Wha-what did you tell her?"

"To choose one and leave the other." She said it so casually like it wasn't a big deal at all.

"What...what did she say?"

"She'd leave you if you didn't get a promotion soon."

My blood turned to ice in my veins. This wasn't just a family dinner this was a 'whoo congrats you're making more money so I'm not dumping you' party.

I marched straight out of Valerie's room and back to the dinning room.

I must've been pretty pale because immediately Stephanie's family was concerned with how I was feeling.

"I just have a really bad head ache," I paused, "Stephie can we go home? I feel kind of sick."

"No problem babe, want me to drive?"

"No, it's not that bad."

I was holding back angry words, and all different kinds of emotions, but I'd wait until we were in the car to let them all flow out. I didn't think Mr. and Mrs. Waters would be too thrilled if I called their daughter a soul sucking, heartless, cheater in front of them.