Four Weeks Ago
Friday Midnight
As I follow a few car lengths behind, I watch as Phoenix picks up his phone. He's talking to someone. I call him to see if he'll answer and he doesn't. I try three more times. No answer. It hurts to watch him ignore me like that. He literally just left my house and was all kisses and compliments. Now, he doesn't know me. I'm determined to get to the bottom of this. One minute he's on, the next he's off. What's causing this weird behavior. It's like there's someone there pulling invisible strings and he moves at their whim.
He pulls up to his house and rushes inside. I park in the condo community parking lot across the street. It's perfect because I can see him, but he can't see my car from behind the bushes that line the property.
Let's not drive onto any boulders this time!
Being extra cautious, I take my eyes off his home and watch where I'm driving. I can't live through another incident like last time. My heart beats with a crazy vengeance. I know I shouldn't be out here, but I can't seem to shake this feeling there's something Phoenix isn't telling me. Worse than that, he's purposely lying to me, hiding whatever it is he doesn't want me to know. It's clear, I love this man, but I can't live like this. He's got me on a line, waiting for him. He has too much control over me. He's leaving and disappearing without explanation. I don't like being in this position. I feel too powerless.
Fifteen minutes later, his front door opens.
Uh huh. I thought you were tired.
I call his phone to see what he will do. He takes one look at the screen and dismisses the call.
A shot to my heart.
He reaches back to close the door. Except that instead of closing the door, he rests his hand on the lower back of some woman that walks out after him. She closes the door and they get into the Viper. The car I just got out of!
Who is that? He put his hand on her lower back and she's OK with that? I know what it means when a man puts his hand there! Classic body language 101. Either has or wants to fuck you!
It doesn't mean anything. Nick does that to you, and you know there is absolutely nothing going on there!
Well, it does mean they're comfortable with each other.
What about the fact that she was there when he got there!
She either lives there or has keys!
That's why he never brought you back to his house!
But he did offer the night I rolled on the boulder.
Envy spikes my heart like a dagger. I can barely breathe through the anger.
He's everything to me, how could he have room for someone else like that? How did I not see this before?
I pull my car out and proceed to follow them. He gets on the highway.
Really? And you said you were so tired but you have enough energy to go home, shower, get dressed and go on another date with this, this woman!
We drive for a long time. Every time he changes lanes, I change lanes, but I make sure to stay one to two car lengths behind.
We arrive at a toll, in Chicago of all places, some two hours away! But there's a problem. He has the fast pass and I don't. He gets to zip by, while I have to wait in line to give change.
Hurry or you'll lose him!
I choose the shortest lane. Driving aggressively, cursing and blasting the cars around me.
You can't lose him! You need to know where he's going and who that lady is!
I find the exact change in the bottom of my handbag and quickly drop it into the attendant's hand. As soon as the lever goes up, I zoom past, trying to catch up and find Phoenix.
God, please let me find him. Please let me find him. Please let me find him.
Frantically looking around for that black and red Viper, I don't see it anywhere. I speed in and out of lanes as I attempt to gain lost ground. I'm driving like a maniac, beeping my horn hawkishly and driving so close to people's bumpers they're forced to switch lanes. What if I get into a car accident? What if the cops see me speeding like this? What if Phoenix gets on to me?
This is crazy, Ari. Slow down! You want to be alive when this is all over!
I take a deep breath and calm down. I lift my foot off the pedal, allowing the car to slow down.
God, please let me find him! I look in the furthest left lane, I spot him, three cars up. Thank you, thank you, thank you, God!
I ease my way up until I'm right behind him. I call his phone again to see if he'll answer.
He looks at his phone. Then he turns his radio down.
My heart flutters in a sick kind of way.
He yawns, then pretends to cough. "Hello?" he answers the phone sleepily.
I feign an upbeat tone. "Hey baby! What are you doing?" I ask, knowing all too well the answer.
"Sleeping," he replies in a groggy voice.
"Aww, sweetheart. I miss you already. I wish you would've stayed over. Can we talk for a little while?"
"Not right now." He yawns. "I'm really tired. Had a long day. Can we talk tomorrow?"
"Sure, babe." I hang up.
Does he think I'm stupid? How many times has he done this? The four days he fell off the edge of the earth? What should I do?
You know he's lying and sneaking around. What else do you want to know?
I want to know who she is. Her name and what she means to him. I want to know where they are going.
OK. Go down the rabbit hole and see where it takes you but it's at your own risk. You don't know how this is all going to end if you keep on.
That's a risk I'm willing to accept.
We hit another toll.
I scramble for change, digging in my ashtray. I hand the change to the attendant and fly through. This time I'm not too far behind.
Idiot, still doesn't know you're right behind him.
We drive for a while until he signals to the right and gets off. I follow. Anxiety builds with each passing moment.
Where is he going?
We're in the heart of Chicago traffic and it's brutal. Drivers here, play for keeps. They're very aggressive and loud. Despite the late hour, there are horns, sirens, and people everywhere. The city is crawling with busybodies moving from one place to the next. There's something going on at every corner. Flashing signs and billboards. Clubs and restaurants. Pedestrians and street lights.
He continues driving until we're away from all the crazy traffic. We're entering the suburbs. We drive down a few, dark, one-lane roads and finally arrive at a huge, unlit parking lot with a building that has no name, sign, or any identifiable symbol.
I slow down, crawl to a stop and turn off my headlights at the curb, as he pulls into the parking lot. Feeling secure because I'm parked behind bushes, I get out of the car, so I can see and hear what they're doing.
Phoenix gets out of the car first.
"You ready?" he asks as he slams his door shut.
"Let's go." She's tall. Older than me, closer to his age. Curly hair. Like mine.
I don't like that.
She's about my complexion.
I don't like that either.
Looks like he has a type. I wonder how they met. I can't tell if she's pretty or not, it's too dark. I hear the click of heels on pavement as she meets him in front of the Viper.
He didn't open the car door for her.
Peering past the bushes, I can see they're dressed to go out and judging from the muffled bass I'm hearing, this is some sort of club but what kind of club doesn't have a marquee? What kind of club is hidden like this one?
This place is all wrong. Something is off.
Once again, Phoenix places his hand on her lower back and leads her to the entrance. There are no lines and no bouncers outside the building. It looks like they are stopped at the door, so there is some sort of security here. They disappear inside.
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A/N: Hey Lovers! This is anything but ideal. Aria is clearly hurt after seeing this. Do you blame her for following her intuition or do you think it would've been better if she left it alone? Please Vote, Comment and Follow! Thank you!