Tangled Love

Chapter One

Kelsy POV

~Flash Back~

“Kelsy, honey I know what you are not saying, and I need you to know your father and I are very concerned for you.” My mother said from the other end of the phone.

           “Concerned about what mom, I’m fine. I’m a little stressed about finals but aside from that I’m fine.” I said with a deep sigh.

           “Okay honey, if you insist that you are fine. I guess I will leave it alone. How are your classes going?” She asked in an attempt to change the subject.

           “I don’t know. I guess they are all good. I’m getting A’s in all but one class which I’m getting a B+. How’s dad and uncle Joey?” I asked wanting to not talk about myself anymore.

           “Dad is good and you know your uncle Joey. He has a new girlfriend and I swear that girl is your age and to be honest, I think she may be younger than you.” Mom said and I could hear the disgust in her tone.

           “Well mom you know he has always liked younger women. I don’t understand why it still bothers you.” I said and she laughed.

           “It doesn’t really bother me; it’s just your uncle Joey is my baby brother and I want him to get his life together. He can’t depend on me and your father for the rest of his life.” She said with a deep sigh.

           “I’m sure he will when he needs to but mom I got to go. Annette just got here and I’m going into town with her to do a little shopping. Thanks for the deposit. Tell dad my tuition is paid for the rest of this semester and half of next semester. Also, my dorm is paid through July. Love you both. I will call you tomorrow.” I said blowing her a kiss before ending the call and placing my phone back on my desk.

I didn’t know at the time that was going to be the last time I spoke with my mom. The next day both my parents were killed in a freaked plane accident. There were no survivors.

~End of Flash Back ~

           “Kelsy… Kelsy… KEL!” Annette shouted bringing me out of my thoughts of the last conversation I had with my mom.

           “Yes Annette, what can I do for you?” I said looking up at her with a small smile.

           “Look babes, you are stressed out and I want to go out. So…” Annette said looking at me with pleading eyes.

           “Um no Annette, the last time I let you talk me into going out with you. I couldn’t remember a single thing about it the next day and that is how Robbie found me.” I said and she poked her bottom lip out.

           “But Kel, that was six months ago, are you still holding that against me?” Annette asked me in a seriously girl get over it tone.

           “Ann, I have to work maybe next time.” I said looking at her and she shook her head.

           “Look you’re off on Saturday and I really need the back up. I promise I won’t let you drink too much, and I will make sure to take your phone and delete all your ex-boyfriend’s out of it, so you don’t accidently drunk dial anybody. Please, please, please. It’s a Gamma party and I can’t show up by myself. I will look like a loser.” Annette said with her bottom lip poked out and I caved.

           “Okay, but I work Saturday, I will see if I can switch my shift with Omar.” I said and she made a loud squeal and hugged me tightly.

           Annette and I have grown so much closer over the last six months. She has been my true rock through everything after I lost my parents, but she can be a little wild. I guess having a friend that is wild is okay when you need to figure out a mental escape from your reality every single day. After Annette left, I went back behind the counter to start my shift. Since I lost my parents, I have been working two jobs, a full-time waitress position at Manndible Café and a part-time position as a PA for Professor Collins at my college, to pay for my education. I was just about to clock in when I received a text message from my Aunt Rosalie, my father’s sister.

           “Hello Kelsy, I haven’t had a chance yet to set up your account, so I put a check in the mail for you this morning. The attorneys representing your father’s estate are only allowing me small withdraws which is barely enough to keep the house p*****t. I hope you are finding steady employment because I’m not sure how much longer I will be able to afford your affairs, your father’s, and my own. Anyways, please let this check stretch for a while I won’t be able to send one next month the property taxes are due, but I will get one to you the month after. – Aunt Roselie.” I read her text message and almost threw my phone.

What am I supposed to do about my dorm room next month? I asked myself as tears begin to form in my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away and went to greet the next customer in line.

“Hello, welcome to Manndible Café. What can I get for you today?” I asked the customer and she looked at the guy she was hanging on with a smile.

“We will have two Manndi Burritos, these two bags of chips, and this bottled coke with a Strawberry Banana smoothie, please.” The guy said but I never looked up at him. After I took his order, I gave it to the kitchen and went to the back for a second to compose myself.

“Hey Kelsey, I was wondering if you are available to take my Tuesday and Wednesday shift next week. I need to go out of town Monday after work and Janelle said you may be looking to pick up some extra shifts.” Omar asked me as I walked into our employee break room.

“Umm, Sure, but can we switch shifts on Saturday. I have something I would like to do Saturday evening, but I have the late shift.” I said and Omar nodded his head.

“That would be perfect. I was planning to take Jasmine to get massages on Sunday but now we can go Saturday afternoon. Thanks Kelsey, you’re a life saver.” Omar said with a smile and walked out of the break room, and I followed after him and back to the line.

“Next in line please.” I said to the next person in line.

“Hey Kelsey, How are you?” Robbie said as he walked up to the counter and I rolled my eyes.

“I’m fine Robbie, what can I get for you?” I said with a bit of irritation in my tone.

“Don’t tell me you’re still upset about that incident six months ago, I already apologized. Are you ever going to forgive me? I told you I didn’t do it to hurt you.” Robbie said and I looked up at him and I could tell he was sincere, but this is Robbie, and he is good at blurring the lines.

“I’m working Robbie, what can I get you?” I said and looked back down at my order tablet.

“Fine, just get me a cinnamon raisin bagel and a cup of Manndibrew Blend please.” He said with slight frustration in his tone and when I looked up at him there was sadness in his eyes.

“Look Robbie, I know you’re trying but I just need a little more time.” I said and he looked at me with hopeful eyes.

“I understand Kelsey, take as much time as you need.” He said then handed me the money for his order and I handed him back his change.

Robbie and I dated for a little over six months when I walked in on him kissing his ex-girlfriend Myra and my dorm roommate, she was his high school sweetheart and they apparently had unfinished business. I wasn’t mad at him for kissing her. Honestly, I didn’t know that they even knew each other but after they both explained to me their history, I understood why it happened and I told Robbie that he had my blessing to pick up where they left off if that is what they both wanted.

I liked Robbie a lot at the time, but I knew our relationship wasn’t going anywhere so I accepted our fate and tried to move on. A month after that incident, I lost my parents and a week after that, I guess I drunk dialed him to come get me from a party I had attended with Annette. The next morning, I woke up in his dorm room with just one of his t-shirts on. He said we didn’t do anything, that he only kissed me but when he tried to take it further, I asked him to stop. If I wasn’t a virgin, I wouldn’t have believed him but since I didn’t feel violated down there, I quickly got dressed and ran from his dorm room back to my own. Later that day, I had a r**e exam done and the examiner said there were no signs of s****l penetration and that it appeared I was still a virgin, but I still felt Robbie had no business changing me out of my clothes or even trying to take things further when it was clear that I was drunk.

That isn’t the reason I am not on speaking terms with him now though. After I left the examiner office that day, I went back to my dorm room and told Myra what happened from what I had gathered and when she asked him about it, he lied to her saying that I called him, and came on to him begging him to sleep with me, but he refused so that is why I am telling her the story I told her. She was angry with me and the next day she moved out of my dorm room leaving me to find another room mate to help me with the dorm expense. It took me a little over a month to find a new roommate and I couldn’t afford the expense alone, so I had to pick up another part-time job and make arrangements with the housing unit to keep my dorm room until I found a new roommate. My grades suffered during that time.

I guess it really wasn’t as bad as it seemed at the time, but I feel like I can’t trust him and that is why I am not on speaking terms with him now. I heard a few weeks ago that he and Myra split up because she couldn’t trust him either and since then he has been trying to get me to talk to him. He says he needs to explain himself, but I don’t think I really care enough to listen.

“Hey Kelsey, the line is getting a bit long. Are you okay?” Omar asked me pulling me from my thoughts. I hadn’t realized that I had spaced out for a minute.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry. Next in line.” I said calling the next person in line to the counter.

After a few hours it was time for my break, and I decided to finally answer Aunt Roselie’s text.

‘Hi Aunt Roselie, Thank you. I appreciate whatever you send, and I will do my best to make it stretch. I’m still working at the Café, and I recently started a part-time position as a PA for one of my professors so I should be fine. I will let you know when I receive the check in the mail. ~ Kelsey.’ I texted back to her and then put my phone back in my pocket before returning back to the counter to help customers.

The rest of my shift went by fast and before I knew it Amanda was coming in to relieve me.

“Hey Kelsey, how was it today?” Amanda asked as she came behind the counter to start her shift.

“It was actually pretty busy at times and at other times boring and slow but a few customers were saying there is an Omega Phi step show tonight at NYU and that a lot of them are planning to come here after so you should have a busy night.” I said and she frowned.

“It is always a busy night when you work the morning shift and Jeff is lazy. Will you be free to come back and help if it gets too busy?” She asked me with a pout and I laughed.

“I’m not sure but call me and I will see what I’m doing.” I told her then handed her the ordering pad and took off my apron and walked to the employee breakroom to get my bag and things out of my locker before clocking out.

When I was leaving, I noticed a group of guys walking in and among them was the same guy I saw earlier with the girl hanging off of him. I quickly grabbed my coat and put it on then clocked out and left as quickly as I could before Amanda could ask me for help.

As I walked out the Café, I heard one of the guys call the guy from earlier Elias and when I looked up I noticed him watching me with a smile so I smiled back and quickly walked out of the Café and started my walk to my dorm. My dorm isn’t far from the Café it normally takes me about a half hour to get home.