RC.(The Story Pursue)

Ch11 .......... J

When we arrive at the restaurant, Jenny is already waiting. She's sipping a cocktail while looking at something on her phone.

Stylish dress, graceful appearance and an angelic face. The girl has everything for her, difficult to think of her as the bad guy.

She's only a few meters away from me and my hairs are already standing on ends...

(Stay cool Tayla ... Stay cool...)

As we get closer to the table, she gives us both her beautiful smile.

Jenny:"Ryan!"

She throws herself into her brothers arms who welcomes her warmly. The complicity between them both is undeniable.

If she's trying to show me how close they are and how much I'm no match for her, she's doing it very well!

But I have nothing to fear. I know Ryan loves me. He's proved it to me time and time again.

After this demonstration of tenderness, a little over the top if you ask me, she moves away from him and looks at me.

Jenny:"Hi Tayla."

The bitch! Nothing in her voice shows the least hint of animosity. One might even think that she's happy to see me!

(Be hypocritical.)

T:"Hi, Jenny! How are you?"

In playing who'll be the most pleasant, she most certainly won't win!

(even if I dream of slinging my bag in her face!)

Her brother is watching us. I wonder if he has the faintest idea about the conflictual relationship she and I have.

I guess not. He seems really happy for us all to be together. Or maybe...

Maybe he too is playing a role tonight ...

I can't believe it for a second that he doesn't suspect anything, judging by how easily he reads in others.

R:"Take a seat."

Ryan pulls a chair out and invites me to sit down opposite his sister.

(What a good idea!)

But the worst is yet to come. Instead of sitting down in his turn, he simply hangs his jacket on the back of his seat.

R:"I'm going to order something special at the bar ..."

(No !!! Don't leave me alone with her!)

Jenny:"Something special?"

Jenny looks at her brother strangely. I don't know if it's surprise or worry...

Given what she thinks about our relationship, she can't possibly imagine the scale of the announcement  that Ryan is about to make. She probably thinks it's something related to work.

But I'm sure she knows her brother enough to suspect that he hasn't brought us here together to celebrate the closing of a deal or a new merger ...

So that look is probably worry.

R:"Wait and see..."

Seeing Jenny lose her composure like that delights me, but finding myself alone with her, much less.

Ryan walks away innocently. The madman, he doesn't know the risks he's taking by leaving us alone like that!

It may well be that he finds only the remains of our bodies on his return.

We glare at each other for a few seconds in silence. Her smile suddenly dissapers.

Jenny:"You'd better not make a scene tonight."

(Excuse me?!)

Jenny:"I want Ryan to have a good night ... Let's think about him first."

(Who the hell does she think she is?)

She started it all and now she's lecturing me?

This girl definitely has a nerve!

We've hardly been together for more than a minute and I already want to rip her vicious tongue out!

Before I have time to answer, Ryan comes back, an enigmatic smile floating on his lips.

Jenny and I smile our most beautiful smiles back. My god! How I hate all this sham!

He settles in his seat and puts a hand on mine. It seems to me that Jenny is suddenly very tense...

The waiter comes carrying a bottle of champagne, while another puts three flutes down onto the table.

Jenny:"What are we celebrating?"

His sister's voice is less and less confident. A very vile feeling seizes me, that of power.

T:"Yes, we have something to tell you."

It's low but I like the idea of dealing the fatal blow.

(I let Ryan speak.)

Ryan looks at me with complicity as the waiter pours the golden liquid into our glasses.

R:"Tayla and I are engaged."

It seems to me as if Jenny has changed colour. She's almost deathly pale. If she had been drinking champagne, I'm sure she would have spat it out!

Jenny:"Oh!"

Ryan tightens his hand around mine and lets a tender gaze linger in my direction.

R:"I wanted to tell you before we make it official."

Jenny is speechless, gazing wide-eyed at us both.

(I'm jubilating.)

Jenny:"I ... I don't know what to say ... It's ..."

I can tell that she's gathering all her strength to stay the cheerful little sister but this time she's clearly finding it diffcult.

Jenny:"It's ... wonderful! Congratulations!"

(My god that doesn't ring true at all!)

I refrain from rolling my eyes in front of her obsequious attitude. I must admit that she's an undeniably talented actress.

R:"Let's drink a toast!"

Ryan raises his glass, a big smile on his lips. I follow suit, Jenny's late in reacting.

(No wonder... she needs superhuman strength to keep up the act!)

R:"To us!"

We drink a sip, in a somewhat disconcerting silence.

Jenny puts her glass back down smiling sourly. Her cheeks seem to have regained their usual colour. That of anger. She's furious.

Jenny:"Please excuse me a minute ... I have to go to the bathroom."

(Yeah right! Go and vomit!)

 I watch her as she walks away, her purse in her hand, pretending to go powder her nose. How pathetic...