Chapter 53


    I stood just inside my apartment, my hand gripping the doorknob tightly as I watched Timothy and


    Linda in the hallway. It was like I was frozen in ce, unable to tear my eyes away from the scene


    unfolding before me.


    “Were you waiting this whole time?” Timothy asked Linda, his lips in a t line.


    My heart sank as Linda responded, her voice light and flirtatious, “Well, hello to you too,


    handsome.”


    “Sorry, I’m just really distracted right now,” Timothy replied, his eyes briefly flickering to my


    apartment door. My heart thumped rapidly, and I feared he noticed the small sliver where my eye


    was looking right back at him.


    He wouldn’t have had time to investigate either way since Linda was leaning closer to him. “Oh,


    never mind that. What do you need, sweetie?”


    I clenched my jaw, feeling a pang of jealousy and anger rising within me. Linda was being far too


    familiar with Timothy, and it was clear that she was trying to distract him from whatever business he


    had that was probably way more important than her.


    “I need someone to take care of Duke for me,” Timothy said. “I’m going to be out all of tomorrow, so


    I need someone to walk and feed him.”


    Linda’s eyes lit up with a mischievous glint, and she leaned even closer, practically. batting her


    eyshes at him. “Oh, don’t worry about a thing. I’d be happy to take care of Duke for you.”


    She ced a hand on his arm and gave his bicep a squeeze. She was shamelessly flirting with


    Timothy, but the expression on his face remained neutral. It was like. he didn’t even notice, or


    worse, he didn’t care.


    Perhaps she was getting fazed out sooner than expected.


    “And I can take care of you too while you recover,” she continued, her words. dripping with


    innuendo. “You shouldn’t even be up after what you went through.”


    “I have help,” said Timothy, and he took her hand away from his arm. Instead of cupping it in his


    own, he let it fall back at her side. From there, he kept the conversation focused on his dog,


    completely indifferent to Linda’s tant


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    flirtation.


    O


    If he wasn’t interested in her, then why was he spending time with her? As Linda continued to flirt, I


    couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. Was I just like her him–a casual fling to pass the time?


    Had I waited too long to see him?


    Before I could dwell on my thoughts any longer, I decided it was time to retreat. I didn’t want to be


    caught eavesdropping


    on their conversation. It was clear that there was more to their rtionship than I knew, and I didn’t


    want to intrude any further.


    I took Linda’s phone and tossed it through the crack between the door and its frame. It slid across


    the floor, and I hoped that it would like she’d just dropped it.


    As I closed my apartment door, I tried to shake off the hurt and confusion. Whatever was going on


    between Timothy and Linda should have been none of


    of my business. That didn’t stop my heart from hurting


    however.


    Back in my apartment, I slumped onto the couch, reying the scene in my mind. It was evident


    that my feelings for Timothy hadn’t faded, despite my attempts to move on. Seeing him with Linda


    stirred up a storm of emotions I couldn’t control.


    I should’ve known better than to think Timothy had changed. I had wanted him to be a different


    person, but I was left with the bitter truth.


    As the evening wore on, my resolve to make Timothy a cake crumbled. The thought of baking


    something for him, of trying to be a friend while my heart. yearned for more, was too painful to bear.


    I couldn’t pretend to be okay with just being his confidante, hiswyer, and his high school


    ssmate.


    I needed to distance myself from the situation, to give myself the space and time. to heal. Making a


    cake for Timothy would only fuel the fire of my emotions, and I couldn’t let that happen.


    My phone chimed and I pulled it out to see who had texted.


    Aria texted, Just got off work. Wanna get dinner?


    While I didn’t really have the energy to sit out and eat, I also didn’t feel like moping


    away in the apartment for the rest of the night. I typed my response quickly.


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    1 said, Sure. Just let me know where.


    n


    We met at the Thai ce down the street. She had only been there once, but I took her word for it


    when she praised the food.


    Aria was already at the podium speaking to a waitress when I arrived. Right as she saw me, she


    gestured for me toe over.


    “Just the two of you?” asked the waitress as she collected some menus. Aria nodded. “Yep!”


    “Follow me, please.”


    We filed behind the woman as she led us to a booth in the middle of the room. The ce had a


    subtle red glow with ents of gold from the hangingnterns above. The aroma of spices hung in


    the air along with the soft chatter of other patrons.


    Aria and I sat across from each other and the waitress sat down our menus. After telling us another


    waitress woulde by to take our orders, she hurried along back to the podium.


    Aria didn’t even bother looking at her menu, her eyes trained on me as she grinned. I lifted an


    eyebrow, slightly concerned about what she was prepared to say. She had made a habit of


    surprising me the past couple of months.


    “You’ll never guess what happened at the spa today,” she began, her bright cheeks. shining pink.


    “You used a foot scrub on someone’s face again?” I asked, lifting my menu.


    Aria scoffed. “No! Although, I was giving a back rub to this one particr hottie. I guess the


    treatment was so good that he decided to slip his number in his way out.”


    my purse on


    My grip tightened on the menu. It seemed like only yesterday, Aria was crying. about her break up


    with some guy he could barely remember. While I knew she was a romantic at heart, I wished she


    didn’t just snatch any guy that tossed his number her way.


    “That’s great!” I said, forcing some excitement in my voice. “Did you guys get to


    talk?”


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    Clupter 53


    “Just before we came here, yes!” she said chipperly. “He told me how lucky he felt to meet me,


    especially since he didn’te across too many beautiful women.”


    “Don’t they all say that?” I muttered, letting the menu slip from my fingers and p against the table.


    With it out of my face, I saw the brief sh of hurt on Aria’s face. I bit my lip, realizing what I’d just


    said.


    “I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I didn’t meant it like that.”


    “Hmph.” She crossed her arms over her chest and slid down in her seat, sulking. “I’m sure you did.”


    “No, it’s great you’re getting out there!” I added, but she was already dismsissing herself form the


    conversation right as a waitress approached our table. She took out a tablet and began tapping on


    the screen.


    “Hi, my name is Helen, and I will be your server for the night! Can I get youdies. something to


    drink in the meantime? Appetizers?”


    Aria opened her menu and twisted her lips. “I think I’ll just get a Coke.”


    “Just water, please,” I told Helen. “And no appetizers for us.”


    Helen once again tapped on the tablet and have us a short nod. “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”


    When she left, I went right back to pleading to Aria. “Look, I had a really crappy day. I shouldn’t


    have taken it out on you.”


    “It’s fine,” Aria said, waving it off. “I just thought he was cute. I’m not looking for anything serious.”


    “You should though!” I pressed. “You shouldn’t settle for less, especially when there’s someone out


    there that will give you more.”


    She didn’t seem convinced by my words. Avoiding my gaze, she turned back to her menu and


    started flipping through it. I sighed and picked my menu back up, but I kept my eyes on her.


    “I saw Timothy with another woman today,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.


    Aria’s eyes widened and she lifted them to finally meet mine. “What? Are you sure


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    it was him?”


    I nodded solemnly, “Yes, I’m sure. I saw them together in the hallway, and they seemed rather


    close.”


    Aria’s eyebrows furrowed, “But that doesn’t make sense. He seemed so invested in you.” “it’s not


    like we were dating,” I said quickly. “Just very friendly.”


    “He seemed very friendly with you,” Aria grumbled, tossing her menu aside.


    I let out a bitterugh, “That’s the thing, Aria. He’s always been like that.”


    Her confusion was evident, “What do you mean?”


    I fiddled with my straw, trying to find the right words to exin. She still didn’t know about the


    history between Timothy and me. She didn’t even know we went to the same school.


    “Just…after everything that happened, I thought he’d change his ways for his own. good,” I said


    instead.


    Aria’s expression softened, “Did you really want him to change?”


    I shook my head, my frustration brewing. “No, I think he was just being nice at the


    moment, especially to hiswyer of all people.”


    Aria ced aforting hand on mine, “I’m sorry, Evie. You really like him, don’t you?”


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    I shook my head. “No! I just figured he was shedding that gross persona of his.”


    Aria squeezed my hand, “Don’t me yourself, Evie. He’s just really popr right now. Some guys


    let it go to their head.”


    “You’re right,” I sighed. “I guess I just wanted to believe he was different.”


    Aria smiled softly, “It’s understandable. We all want to believe in the best in people. Like you said,


    we deserve someone who will treat us with respect.”


    I smiled gratefully. “You’re right.”


    “That’s the spirit,” she said encouragingly. “And if Timothy can’t see how amazing you are, then he


    doesn’t deserve you.”


    5/0


    A


    Chapter


    When we got our meal, I felt slightly better than before. It hurt to know that Timothy wasn’t the


    person I thought he was, but it was better to know the truth. Unfortunately, that truth might’ve been


    what Bruce was hammering into my mind all along.


    How could he prove Bruce right?


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    田