In Two Years

Chapter 21: This Was Not Part of The Plan

Scarlett was right. About me at least. I do want more. I want more of his arms around me. I want more of his breath on my neck. I want more of his lips being so close to mine.

As Riley's back is turned to me, I sneak out of the kitchen bashfully and head into the living room to rejoin the party.

"Hey Jo!" I hear a familiar voice say behind me.

"Michael," I say sternly.

"You've always been really hot." He moves my hair away from my face. I can smell the alcohol in his breath.

"You're drunk." I pick up my drink and try to walk away from him.

"Where are you going? I just gave you a compliment." He says slurring his words while trying to pick himself up from the table he leaned on for support. He tries to lightly grab my hand, but I slam his hand back onto the table before he touches me.

"Do you honestly believe that I would want a compliment from you?"

"Oh come on. Why so hostile?"

"Are you fucking with me?"

"Jo. What's gotten into you? You used to be so sweet. I thought maybe one day we would have been a thing." He tries to put his hand on my arm again.

"You are a piece of shit. You cheated on my best friend. And now you're trying to get with me?" I scoff. "There's nothing I want more than to never see you. I have no empathy for cheaters." I say without moving the tone of my voice. It's steady and assertive.

"I didn't do anything."

"Do not act innocent. You're so pathetic. Stay away from me and my friends."

"I think you're forgetting that they're my friends too."

"They don't want to be."

"What the fuck did you just say?" His lips drop from his smirk. His eyes fill with fear.

He doesn't want to lose his friends. He doesn't want to be completely alone. He should have thought about that before he cheated on Ella.

"You heard me. Do you really think that any of those guys want to be your friend now?"

"So many guys have cheated, but we forgive them. That's how it goes. My boys wouldn't leave me."

"Has Jake talked to you at all since you've been here?"

His eyes have a lost look in them.

"Not all of your friends are cheating scumbags, Michael." I take a sip of my drink and turn my back to him. I see Ella looking over at us from a distance with pain on her face. I walk over to her and hug her.

"What does he want?"

"To ruin his life some more I guess. I'm sorry Ella. You shouldn't have to worry about him here."

"It is what it is."

"Is there any way I can get your mind off of him?"

"Yes, there is." She smiles. "I need to know about this guy who's been keeping you distracted." She expects me to roll my eyes like every other time she's asked. But I don't this time. My mouth slips into a smile.

"There it is! Finally, You have no idea how long I have waited for you to find somebody." I laugh. She's being so dramatic. "What's his name?"

"Riley."

"Josephine! Oh my gosh. How did I not pick up on that? You guys have been hanging out so much lately. Have you been dating him this whole time?"

"No! We just got really close this semester. It's weird. You know how hard it is for me to get close to people, but with him. Something's different."