UNJUSTIFIED HATRED {completed} (wattys 2015)

CHAPTER 28- TORN

Michael opened the door to his place then ushered her in. She took in his place as he walked her further inside. It was just as fancy as Ash. Red and white couches took up space in the living room. She looked for a stair case but came up short; it must have been a one floor apartment. The apartment was spotless including the kitchen with its black appliances and marble counter. Like Ash, Michael also had a kitchen bar but unlike Ash’s no dinner table.

He led her to the red sectional where he sat her down gently.

He offered her a juice which she sipped quietly. The silence was deafening as they both waited for the other to speak first. She could feel the words at the tip of Michael’s tongue. He was dying to know what was wrong with her.

She took another sip of her orange juice then took a deep breath. Here it goes

“Ash is cheating on me” she uttered quietly.

No response from Michael at her declaration. She looked at her to find him staring with a look that wasn’t of surprise. Of course he knew Ash was not being faithful. They were best friends after all.

“With my friend” she added. That did it.

“What? How?” she heard the surprise in his voice and knew Ash had kept Cindy a secret from his friend as well. Typical of him to hide anyone that wasn’t of the same class from his friends.

She nodded then dove into Ash and Cindy’s affair and how she found out. When she was done, she realized she had been crying. She wiped them off angrily; she didn’t want to cry for Ash. Not anymore.

Michael came over to her then pulled her into his chest.

“I’m so sorry” he muttered in her hair.

 The tears came back again, this time not for Ash but from the overwhelming feeling she felt been in Michael’s arm. She felt the sincerity in his apology as he continued to mumble how sorry he was.

When she was done crying, she pulled her head from his chest and noticed his shirt was now soaked with her tears. He wiped her tears then gave her a kiss on her forehead.

“It’s going to be alright” he promised.

Emily simply nodded. It was going to be alright. She was going to move on and care for her child herself. Fortunately for her, she had Michael and Mr. Hurley who would be there if anything were to happen to her.

He wiped her eyes again then kissed her eye lids, one after the other. Emily suddenly noticed the proximity and felt her whole body tensed up. His eyes crashed at hers and she gasped softly. She didn’t know who leaned in first but the next thing she knew a pair of soft lips landed on hers. Without thinking of it, she opened her mouth giving into the kiss. The kiss felt nice and she suddenly wanted more. She grabbed his shirt pulling him closer to her. It felt her she was on fire and was in desperate need for something to cool her down. It had been too long since Ash and she was about to remedy that.

Michael held her head in place as he ravished her mouth. She moaned into his mouth as their tongue tangled together, both fighting a losing battle. She wasn’t surprised her body reacted to him; he was intend handsome and she had gotten attached to him with the phone calls and text messages.

Her toes curled as the kiss deepened. More, please.

She reached for his pants to get things moving but a warm hand stopped her. Michael pulled away first giving her an apologetic look. 

“Ems, no”

The rejection struck a nerve. She had believed he wanted the same thing too.

Emily blinked suddenly realizing what almost happened. What’s wrong with me? She wondered.