Josie
Hudson heads out for tour around two in the afternoon. I give him the longest hug I can without being clingy, and wave goodbye to him as the bus Deanna rented pulls out of the record studio. Hudson even has a live band to perform with him now, and from their first couple of meetings together, they all really get along.
I couldn't be more excited for him. He deserves this tenfold.
Still, there is a little apprehension about being away from each other.
He and I have been content in our bubble. Or in our own little world as he calls it. I know that time and distance won't change a thing, but there is a small part of me that's worried.
The what-ifs scare me, even if I try to ignore them.
What if he meets someone he likes better?
What if long distance is too hard?
What if he makes it big and forgets about me?
But I shake those thoughts off. Hudson loves me, and I love him. That'll be enough.
I make it back to my apartment around three, and decide to take a nap. The last few weeks have been stressful, and I'm ready for spring break so I can relax. Even though I probably won't be relaxing at all while on the road with him, so I need to sleep now as much as I can.
The next time my eyes open, the sun has set and it's dark in my bedroom. I feel like I've time-hopped several years. That's how great I slept.
I stretch, then yawn as I sit up and notice my stomach growl.
I can hear Livi shuffling around in the kitchen, and I decide to go see if she's ate yet, or if she's making something now. Maybe I can talk her into making me something, too.
"That was the best nap of my life." I mumble, turning the hallway corner. "Livi? Why are you in the dark?"
But my best friend doesn't answer me.
An inexplainable amount of dread drops onto my chest.
From the corner of the room a figure, tall and lean, definitely not belonging to my petite best friend, moves at me slowly.
I back up against the kitchen wall, feeling around for anything I can use as a weapon, but coming up with nothing. The knives are on the counter near the person.
"W-who are you? How'd you get in here?"
"It's been so long."
Chills break out across my skin at his voice. He's right. It's been so long. So long, that'd I'd almost forgotten about him. I haven't seen or heard from him since Thanksgiving.
"Trey."
"You know..." His voice sounds easygoing. The kind of nonchalant that could snap at any moment. He's too happy, and not in a safe way. "I kept waiting for the perfect time to do this. I wanted to do it sooner."
"Get out!" I scream, "Now!"
"Your neighbors won't save you this time." He chuckles, slowly getting closer. "Everyone was told to leave for a few hours because of a possible gas leak."
"How—"
"I know people, Josie. People who don't give a shit what I do with my power. They cleared the whole floor. It's just me and you."
Bile rises in my throat as tears burn my eyes, but I refuse to falter. I will stand strong against Trey until the bitter end.
"Leave me alone, Trey. Please. Can't you just let me go?"
"Maybe I could." He shrugs, "But I don't like it when my pride gets hurt, Josie."
"What do you want?"
"I want what was promised to me, but I have a feeling you won't give it, will you? Not willingly, at least."
"I want nothing to do with you." I practically spit venom at him.
"But sometimes we don't have a choice, do we?"
"You can hurt me all you want. Kill me for all I care. I won't end up with you, Trey. I'd rather die."
"See..." In one quick movement he lunges at me, framing me against the wall. His breath smells of whiskey and the rough material of his shirt brushes my bare arms. "I figured you might say that. I'm not interested in killing you, Josaleigh. If you don't do as I say... I'll kill him."
My chest heaves.
Him. He doesn't have to say Hudson's name for me to know exactly who he's talking about.
"You wouldn't."
"Wouldn't I?" Trey's laugh makes me flinch. "You're right. I wouldn't, but I have an entire contact list of people who will. Brutal ways, too. I'm talking torture. I'm talking we'd kill Hudson and make you watch."
I shiver at the thought of something happening to Hudson. That's when the tears finally spill over my lashes.
"Aren't you going to ask me how you can keep him safe?"
"Marry you." I breathe shakily. I know the answer. I don't have to ask.
"Bingo. You're a smart girl." He pushes off the wall, pacing around my kitchen. "Not right now, of course. I have a year left of school and after that, I'd like to establish my career first. But you will be promised to me like you always were. When I'm ready for you, you will marry me."
The world tilts as I lean against the wall for support.
"And if I don't agree..."
"I'll have him killed. And if that isn't enough, I'll kill Livi, too."
"I fucking hate you."
"I don't care." Trey makes his way back towards me, "He took what was mine, and I should kill him just for that. But I'll use him for leverage instead. Go near him again and let me find out about it. He'll be dead before the next sunrise."
"My family won't let y—" The words die on my lips, because yes, they will.
"Your mother agreed this was the only way."
"I break up with him and then what? What do I do while I wait for you? I won't be a lawyer. You can't punish an innocent man because I didn't pick the right career choice."
"I could." He nods, "But you're right, I won't make you finish school if you don't want to. Trust me, I will have plenty of uses for you when we're married. Your parents alone will unlock doors for me. I can think of other things for you to do. Mostly things involving you on your knees in front of me."
I spit. Directly at him, without thinking, I spit in his face. Maybe I shouldn't provoke him, but the idea of living without Hudson, plus marrying Trey, is enough to make me want to give up. I don't care what he does to me.
Instead of raging, he just laughs as he wipes it off.
"Break up with him. Now. Where's your phone?"
"In my room." I murmur, feeling like I'm drowning with no one around to pull me out.
"Let's go."
I don't even try to fight him. Maybe I should. I should find a weapon, hit him in the head with it and not stop until he's dead.
But this is larger than me.
If my parents are in on it, if I go to court, they won't stand up for me in saying it's self-defense. They'll tell the judge I'm crazy.
Hell, they'd pay the judge off and throw me in a psych ward.
While that option does sound better than a life married to Trey, I can't risk something happening to Hudson because of me.
At least now I know that there's a small chance one day I can figure my way out of it. Maybe somehow I can get out of this.
Not that Hudson will be waiting for me if I do, but at least I'd be free.
I can barely hold my phone as Trey stands over me.
"Short and sweet. Say whatever you have to say. Then, block him. I'm taking your phone."
"My phone?"
"Yes. You can get a new one and a new number. I don't want him to have a way to contact you."
I whimper, unlocking my phone through blurred vision.
I pray he doesn't answer. I pray that he's busy and that I can have a few more minutes to think this over, but of course, he picks up on the second ring.
"Hey."
"Hey." I know he'll be able to hear my voice cracking, and that maybe, somehow, he will know I don't want this. I will him to communicate with me telepathically and know that I love him more than anything. "We need to breakup."
"What?"
I close my eyes, attempting to breathe, but not able to get enough air.
"I'm breaking up with you."
I know he's going to ask for more details, but I don't know what to say. This is the last thing I want, and I don't want to make up some hurtful reason he'll have to live with.
Isn't it better to wonder sometimes than to know for sure?
"Why? What? Are you being serious?"
The pain in his voice makes my body shake with a sob.
"I don't want to be with you anymore, Hudson. I'm sorry. Good luck with everything. You deserve the world, but we're over."
"Josie—please. I love you."
Before I can tell him I love him, too, Trey reaches down and presses the end call button.
"Fuck you!" I yell, having a full-blown meltdown now.
"No more contact with him. Hudson may as well be dead to you. See you soon."
When Trey leaves me there with my heart shattered into a million pieces, I fall to the floor and weep.
How did it come to this? Every part of me wants this to be a nightmare, but I know it isn't.
I can't imagine what Hudson's thinking right now, and I wish I could tell him what's going on. I wish I could explain.
But he will be okay.
He will move on and be successful.
Me, on the other hand? I don't think I'll ever be okay again.