Love Over Betrayal

18. Stranded

A few days later, I had tried texting him after school, with no reply.  I was starting to feel very worried, like I should go over to his house and see if he was alright. The night I was contemplating most, I walked up to my room and found him on my bed, in his usual place.

“James!” I exclaimed running up to hug him and pouncing on the bed next to him.

“Hey,” He replied.

I was so glad to see him.  It had been almost a week since we last saw each other.  I was very glad to know he was doing alright, and that we were still good.  I had been a little worried about his rejection to me bringing him anything to help him recover, but now it was like none of that mattered. 

“I missed you so much!” I told him still attached to his sides.

“I missed you too.  I had strep, and I'm still recovering,” He coughed.

I leaned off him, “Oh I’m sorry,” I said, “Do you need anything?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” He replied, coughing again.

I wanted him to get better soon.  I missed our nights together.

“I’m going to make you some tea, just in case though,” I told him walking towards the door.

“You don’t have to do that,” he said leaning back.

I wanted to though.  I went down to the kitchen and prepared some green tea with milk and honey for James.

“Here you go,” I said in a sing-song voice as I opened the door to my room.

James was holding his phone,“Thanks,” he smiled, closing his phone fast and putting on the table beside my bed.

I handed him the warm tea and he sipped it slowly.

He took a minute to really taste it and complimented, “This is really good!”

I smiled crawling onto the bed next to him.  James put his arm around me, and I placed my head on his shoulder.  We lay like this for a while, just enjoying each others company.

“I really did miss you the past week,” I whispered to him sincerely.

“So did I, your gorgeousness was hard to stay away from,” he replied playfully.

I rolled my eyes at this.  James really thought I was one hundred times better than I actually was. Although, it was flattering.  He placed his warm hands underneath my chin and turned my head so that I was looking directly at him.

“Yes?” I asked him.

Then he leaned in closer and slowly pressed his lips to mine.  I had missed this feeling, as well as his company.  It was very sexy as continued kissing. I crawled over him, putting myself on top of his strong chest. Then he suddenly jerked away and coughed.  I backed off to give him room as he reached for his tea again.  It was good know he actually liked it.  When he had set the mug back on the table, I lay back next to him, ready to comfort to his sickness if needed.

Then he turned to me embarrassed and said, “Well this tea is going right through me. I’ll be right back,” He laughed sitting up.

“Okay, I’ll miss you” I joked.

He smiled then got up and walked out of the room.  I sat on my bed alone in my room.  I could hear the wind blowing outside.  As I listened I began to hear a subtle vibrating sound, and turned to see James’s phone buzzing.  I looked over to see a picture of a girl in a very tight hot pink tank top, who’s contact read, Gretchen.  I grabbed his phone and slid it opened. I selected the message.  When reading the letter I could not believe what I was seeing.  I dropped the phone on to the bed and my mouth fell opened that wide too.  I ran my fingers over the hair at my forehead trying to tell myself I was just seeing things.  The terrible message said,

Hey babe! Where r u? I’m lonely tonight :(

My face turned red hot.  James was cheating on me? I couldn’t believe this.  I wanted to go crawl into a hole and just sit there, alone, wallowing in this.  I hated him, how could he do this after everything, I had left my boyfriend to be with him, and now he had betrayed me.  My anger and sadness turned into heavy tears in my eyes, they streamed down.  I trusted his so much.  I loved him.  I gave him everything and he just took advantage of me.  What was his problem?  I lay my face right onto the matress, and spread my body across it.  I wanted to scream and break down, but I heard running water from the bathroom.  James was coming back.  I had to break him.  Catch him in the act and kick him out of my life, the sick bastard. 

He entered the room chipper as ever and I put on my best normal face.

“Hey! Missed you,” he teased mimicking me anf giving me googly eyes.

I tried to smile, but wails of pain ripped from inside me.

“Rachel, are you okay?” He ran to my side seeing the tears that he had unknowingly caused.

I jumped off the bed when he tried to comfort me.  

“Gretchen!” I screamed, my knees trembling from under me and I melted down to the floor.

I could tell that he knew exactly what I was talking about.

“I—She’s—I don’t—Rach—I love you," he stammered.

“Don’t tell me that! She just sent you a text! 'I miss you tonight',” I yelled back at him.

“Why were you even reading my texts?” he asked.

“Oh my fucking god, James!” I stood up so I could yell at his face, “It doesn’t matter how I know! All that matters is you were all over some other girl for--who knows how long! And you lead me on! I thought we had something James!”

I still had tears coming down. I stomped the ground underneath me. I trusted him with everything. I had chosen him over Tyler, and this is what I get.

“Rachel calm down—“

“NO!”

“Okay Jesus. It all started fast with her. You know like you were dating that Tyler guy? I’d probably react like this if I had found out about him right?” James explained.

“Yes but—I thought after you knew that—that you would love only me, so that I wouldn’t have to go through the same thing you did,”

“I did love you Rachel,”

“Did,” I spat at him.

James sighed.I could not believe this,“Just leave now,” I ordered. He stood there speechless, “GO!” I yelled pointing at the door.

“I’ll give you time to cool off,” he said walking out.

“No you will not! I don’t ever want to see you again! Get out of my life, and stay out of my house!” I exclaimed stomping over to shut my window.

James left, slamming the door behind him.  I closed  the window down with the same strength.  I then jumped onto my bed and buried my face in blankets.  I had never been cheated on before.  It felt as if my heart had been snatched out of my body and then chewed up and spit on the ground, then crushed by Gretchen and James making love on to of it.  Yeah, that explains it all.  It was rough and shitty.  Life sucked and I cried a lot that night with the only people who understood me, Ice Cream and The Last Song.