To Our Pinky Promises

Chapter 35

"You're right, I don't understand." Lily said, placing her hands on the kitchen counter before turning to me. "More importantly, I don't think even you understand why you're putting up with it."

I turned to look at her with a sharp glare. "What are you trying to say here?"

Lily rolled her eyes again, unfazed by the warning look I was sending her. "Oh, stop giving me that look. That shit doesn't work. Even if you're going to punch me for this, I'll still say it. That man is toxic."

I huffed out an annoyed breath as I got back to the task at hand, pouring the pasta into the boiling water and adding some salt into it.

"Look, he treats me better than any guy I have ever met. He showers me with gifts, he opens the door for me-" I started, listing the things I've memorized by heart to her.

Lily cut me off with a snarky laugh. "Yeah, don't forget about the occasional guilt tripping, emotional abuse and degradation."

Lily turned to look at me before adding, "and 'treats you better than any guy you have ever met'? What? The only guy you have ever had your eyes on ever since you took interest in the opposite gender is Alex; and let's be real here, no matter what Alex had done to you in the past, it can't be worse than what Isaac has been doing. Isaac's a shithead, admit it."

I banged my hands onto the counter to stop her from talking. "He's a great guy, Lil," I said, my voice rising before I closed my eyes and breathed deeply to calm myself down. "He just gets tired sometimes." I finished.

Lily rolled her eyes as she poured the milk into the pan and began to stir. "I really can't watch you fool yourself for the nth time. It's been 4 months, Em. Are you really going to waste even more time on this guy, letting him step all over you and your pride and dignity?"

I opened my mouth, about to reply with another stubborn response, when the bell suddenly rang.

We both looked at the direction of the front door, as if we could see who it was past the walls and doors in the way.

I looked at Lily, "Were you expecting anyone?"

Lily shook her head. "I take it that you didn't either?"

I shook my head.

I looked around and ended up grabbing the knife on the counter that Lily had used to cut the bacon strips.

Lily held the spatula that she had used to cook the bacon and stir the carbonara sauce as we both made our way to the front door.

I held a hand back to signal Lily to stay back as I approached the door.

"Who is it?" I called out, cursing my voice when it came out sounding meek.

"Em? You there?" Isaac's voice came from the other side.

Lily and I sighed, the tension leaving our body and the air around us as we relaxed.

"Speak about the devil," Lily muttered before taking the knife from my hand and turning around to go back to the kitchen.

I unlocked the door and opened it, revealing a huge bouquet of flowers.

My eyes widened in surprise, not expecting to see flowers instead of a familiar face.

"Uh," I stammered.

"Surprise." Isaac said, lowering the bouquet of flowers and revealing his smiling face.

"Isaac," I forced a smile, still looking at the flowers. "What are the flowers for?"

"For you, of course." Isaac replied, "An apology, for what happened earlier. I'm sorry, sweetheart. Work's really been stressful, I don't know what came over me."