Christmas Betrayals

CHAPTER ONE

AVA POV

Throwing my phone on my bed, I let out a sigh.

I have been trying to get in touch with Jasmine for a week now, but I can't get to her. I wondered if that woman had died or something.

Hell no, I shouldn't be having such ridiculous thoughts. She can't be dead.

Or could it be that she is in danger?

No way. Yes, I know she can be all mysterious, but she isn't the type that would get into trouble.

I honestly hope she is fine. Sadly, I can't get to her because she stays in New York while I am here in London.

Actually I have never seen Jasmine physically but yet she is my best friend and the only friend I have got.

How we met is a mystery.

So we have been pen pals for three years now. It all started with a hello from her, and the rest is history.

Actually, at first, I was sceptical about her being my friend, especially when I found out that she was living in New York and I was in London. I mean, I know nothing about her, and she is just a stranger, but as time goes by, we get to know more about each other. Our age, what we loved, what we hatred, what our goals were, and so on.

I slowly found myself enjoying her messages day by day, and since then, we always talk on a daily basis.

She is such a good storyteller with a wild imagination. Like she tells the best stories ever, especially about werewolves. We all know they do not exist but whenever I read her messages as she talks about them, I feel like what they really do exist and they are somewhere around her which is why she knows alot but then that's total nonsense.

They are just mere friction and nothing more.

Her stories sometimes inspire me, especially in my field of work, which is being a script writer.

I have always wanted to be a script writer right from when I was little, and now I am so happy to say I have fulfilled that goal. Although script writing isn't an easy job but I find joy doing it.

After college, I was able to get a job in one of the movie firms here in London. I will not call myself the best yet, but I have won awards for the best script writer.

I remember when I was having a hard time at work. The only person who was there to comfort me and support me was Jasmine.

Jasmine was always there to make me feel confident in writing whenever I felt on the edge, and I was about to lose my mind. I almost gave up because I felt like I wasn't good enough, but she pushed me to never give up, and she helped me out by sharing some opinions, which were a great help to me.

She has always been with me whenever I felt sad that I don't get to see my parents always. I am the only child of my parents, but unlike other parents who spoil their only child rotten, my own parents never cared about me. All they cared about was work and travelling. They would prefer to travel alone and leave me all by myself at home.

I was about to lose my mind because of the loneliest, but when my best friend came into my life, I forgot all about loneliest because she was always there to listen to me and keep me company.

She was the one who persuaded me to leave my parents' house and stay in my own place since I was an adult. Moving out was an excellent idea because now I don't feel sad whenever I see my parents leaving the house with their suitcases.

I am happier living alone.

I owe this peace all thanks to Jasmine

This is why I love her so much, and I see her as a sister and not just a best friend.

She was also present when I said yes to my boyfriend, Lance.

Lance was my crush in high school before he left. He left to another town where he stayed there with his family.

It was during our reunion last year that I found out he is back to town and he plans to stay.

I thought I had lost feelings for him, but when I saw him, I realized those feelings never left.

I kept watching him in the dark, but what I wasn't expecting was that he also watched me closely.

After the reunion, we bumped into each other in a cafe where I love to buy my coffee. I felt it was destiny that brought us together that day. We exchanged numbers, and after a few dates, we officially became couples.

Lance is someone who is so romantic, and he knows the right words to say to make me feel so special. He sure makes me happy and blushes always. I am glad that we are together.

I love everything about him except for his anger. Lance has anger issues that he promised to work on.

I decided to believe his words and wait for him to heal from his anger issues.

But then he couldn't find the time to heal because he got into trouble in his place of work. He was fired for that, so now he is unemployed.

Not only that, but he was sent out of his house for not paying rent.

Having no other place to go to, he decided to come over to my place. We agreed he would only spend some weeks in my place while he hunt for a new job and another house. But weeks slowly turned to months.

He is now comfortable staying in my house. Sometimes, I will want to have my own privacy, but I can't. I am really getting tired of seeing him every day because he sometimes acts like he owns the place, and it's not mine. He doesn't do anything. He only eats my food and is lazy around.

I badly wanted to complain to him but I have to be careful with him because of his anger issues. Also, I am scared so he won't break up with me. I love him so much, although he sometimes gets into my last nerves. I still believe he will change someday, and our future is going to be much better.

When I told Jasmine about him staying over at my place, she got really upset and advised me to kick him out.

“Ava don't be blind by love. Open your eyes to see that this guy is just using you. From all you have told me, all I can see is an irresponsible person who you shouldn't keep as a boyfriend. He should act like a man for goodness sake and get a job and also leave your house. All I see is a lazy boy. Trust me, girl, his type cause nothing but destruction and pain. You know I love you so much, and I will never advise you wrongly, I think it's time to break up with him.” she said to me just last week before she disappeared.

I tried to convince her that Lance would change someday and he wasn't that bad like she thought, but she won't listen.

Actually my boyfriend and best friend hate each other.

Lance hates Jasmine because he thinks she acts like a know it all and she is going to advise me wrongly. He hates it whenever he sees that I am talking to her.

There was a day he told me to stop replying to her messages because he isn't comfortable with her, but I refused to listen to him.

Unlike him, Jasmine has stayed longer with me, and she is like a sister to me who I can't do without. She is always there to reply to my messages, and she has never ignored my message.

That is why I am so bothered that she has been silent for so long.

Or is she still mad at me for refusing to listen to her advice to kick Lance out? Our last conversation was about her still insisting I send Lance out of my house. I refused to listen to her and take her advice.

Could that be the reason why she is avoiding me? Is this her way of teaching me a lesson?

I let out a sigh.

“AVA!!!”

I jumped in fright.

I turned to see my boyfriend looking, no not looking but glaring at me.

“Sorry what happened?” I asked her.

“I have been calling your name for a while, but you refused to answer me. What is making you to be so absent-minded that you can't pay attention to me, your boyfriend, who is standing in front of you.?” he asked.

“Sorry I didn't hear when you called me.” I apologized.

“You didn't answer my question. I need an answer from you right now.” he ordered.

“Just had a lot on my mind. It's related to work, so it's nothing to worry about.” I lied.

“I have told you to stop working yourself out about work. Stand up and go get dressed. We are going to the bar. You need some drinks to forget all about work.” he said.

“Babe I am not in the mood to go to the bar right now. Maybe some other time.” I said gently.

“Something is bothering you, and I can tell it's not just work. You know you can just tell me anything. I am your man, and it's my duty to listen to my woman and also help her out if she needs my help or support. So be honest with me and tell me what exactly is bothering you.”

From the tone of his voice, I knew I could actually talk to him about Jasmine because he doesn't sound angry.

“So it's been a week now since I last heard from Jasmine, and I think something bad has happened to her because she has never ignored me even for a day, but it's a week now. I am so scared. Do you think calling the police in her country is a good idea.” I poured out my worries to him.

The moment I mentioned Jasmine's name, his entire mood changed, and he began to frown.

“Every time Jasmine, Jasmine, Jasmine. Can you just stop mentioning that girl's name here? She is just an online buddy who you know nothing about, so why bother about such a person. If she hasn't spoken to you for that long, maybe she has finally decided to move on and stop being friends with you.” he said, sounding so mad.

“Jasmine is not that type of person. We are online buddies yes but yet what we have is entirely different from what you think.” I told him.

“She is of no good. I keep telling you this over and over again. You need to cut ties with her for your sake.” he said.

“I need to find her first and get answers from her before I can cut any ties with her.”

“I really don't understand you anymore, Ava. You have let that woman poison your mind. You no longer see that she is a bad influence on you. You need to have better friends and not her. I am your boyfriend, and I will never lie to you. You should stop keeping her around.” he said.

“She has always been my friend even before you because my boyfriend so it's hard to do what you say. I will pick her always.” I told him.

“Now I can see that you don't care about me. You just care about some b***h who you just met online who is a bad influence on you. I guess she is dead already.” he rolled his eyes.

Now this is something I don't like. He could have talked bad about me and I won't mind at all. But saying such words about my best friend is something I won't tolerate.

“You are nothing but a selfish being. How can you be so heartless. You don't even have any human sympathy or what so ever. This is my best friend we are talking about here yet you wish she is dead. That is not something to say.” I glared at him.

“Ava watch how you speak to me. I won't accept this disrespect.” he warned.

“Or what? You keep talking yet you forget that this is my house. You don't pay for the rent but I do. You don't work to keep the house clean but I do everything. So if you want to act like a mature man, get something doing with your life.” I spat out in anger.

Then I realized what I just said. I was just about to apologize but he stormed out of the house, slamming the door so hard that the walls shaked.

Shit I went overboard. I must have hurt his ego and feelings.

I was only upset, alright.

Still I know I shouldn't have said those hurtful words to him.

I need to find him.

I picked my jacket and rushed out of my house to find my boyfriend.