Essence Extracted

Chapter 1

     I was on my way to Gage’s house.  I doubt he’d be home but that was the best part of it.  I had thought that tonight was going to be the night where we’d finally make love for the first time.  With my bag of goodies in tow, I took the key that I knew was stowed away under a rock in the front garden and headed for the front door.  I let myself in.

     Heading to the kitchen, to drop off some of the food I had picked up for us, I thought I had heard something coming from upstairs.  Choosing to ignore it, thinking it was just because I was in this large house by myself and hearing unfamiliar noises, I continued with placing everything away.  I smiled at the thought of us finally being able to be together.  It was something I finally felt ready for.  Gage was the perfect guy – the one.  My grin was quickly replaced with a scowl when I heard a feminine giggle.  Perhaps I hadn’t heard right.  I took the steps up quietly, two at a time to be more precise as I came to a stop on the landing.  Pausing to listen in on where this giggling was coming from, I narrowed my sights on the door to Gage’s room; I knew all too well that I was in for a world of hurt but still, I continued on.

     “What the fuck is going on?”  I walked in.  Trust me, when I say that the world of hurt I was preparing myself for didn’t amount to the true hurt I began to feel as my eyes landed first, on a shocked Gage and then on the topless raven haired stranger that was straddling my man’s naked waist.

     “Uh.  Hi?”  The raven girl said.  I stood there, staring; in shock no less.

     “Out!”  I yelled, fury consuming every fiber of my being.  “YOU!”  I turned my gaze toward Gage who was now trying to weasel his butt out from between his current flavor’s thighs.  If fire could be expelled from my mouth, I think he would have been burned to a crisp at this point.  The raven girl quickly jumped off, revealing a rather large and erect package that had me wondering if this was the first time he had done this or if there had been other times.

     “I’ll call you.”  She quickly turned to look at him while his gaze was still fused to mine, never wavering.

     “Babe,” he began but I hushed him by holding my hand up at him.  He quickly got up and pulled his underwear and pants on; “I can explain.”

     “You can explain?”  I asked him bitterly.  “Maybe you can explain why you’re not at school right now?  Maybe you can explain who that bitch is!  Maybe you can explain to me why I’ve wasted two years of my life with someone like you!”

     “Pay,” I hushed him again.

     “Never mind.”  I tell him.  “I don’t want to hear it.  I thought we had something special.  Clearly, we don’t.  I thought that you loved me.  Boy was that a lie!”  I huffed.  Taking a deep breath, I fought the tears that were stinging behind my eyes.  I felt utterly betrayed.

     “I do love you, Payton.”  He tells me softly.

     “Tell that to someone who cares because as of right now, I don’t.”  I say.  “Goodbye Gage.”  I turned to leave.  I was one foot out the front door, literally when I felt his hand on my wrist, pulling me back into the house.  I refused to turn and let him see the damage he had caused me.  In that moment, I felt his guilt, his lust, and his remorse, rolling toward me.  God, did I hate being so in tune with my emotions.  This is where being an empath bites the big one.

     “I can’t let you leave like this.”  He said almost at a whisper.

     “But I have to.”  I told him, turning finally but looking down.  His hand reached for my chin to tilt my head up.  “You were never mine.”  I looked at him for a few seconds as I turned and walked out of his life – never to return.