My Brother's Best Friend, My Boss, My Bewitching Night

Chapter 2 -Livvy

I threw my suitcase in the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. I was so lucky I had my case packed for the work conference in a couple of days. I had been trying to be organized for a change and literally packed it last night. It being packed meant I could grab it and make a quick escape. Not have to see the two of them for any longer than I needed to. Not have to see their naked bodies being paraded around my own apartment. Not see them clean themselves up. Not listen to his excuses and lies any further…

Tears are pouring from my eyes. That was all he had done since he realized I was in the room with him. Lie. Make excuses. I cannot believe that he had done that to me. Perhaps that was all he had done to me from the start of our relationship. Maybe I had just been blind to it.

Swept away in the happiness he brought me. Swept away by the love I felt for him, and the love I thought he had for me. I look back now and realize how stupid I have been. The thought of it makes me sick to the stomach. I had been warned at college he was a ladies' man. I was told to stay away from him. But he had been so charming. So sweet. He won me over, especially when he said he just hadn’t met the right lady yet, and he thought that I could be the one…

What a fool I was for believing him. For believing he would change. Isn’t that what they all say? But I genuinely thought he had changed. He seemed like the perfect boyfriend. Treated me so well. Seems he had been cheating behind my back all along. I can’t stay here now. Can’t be with him. But I have nowhere to go in the city. I will have to head home. Wow, my family are going to love that. They hated Theo. Called him a playboy. A good for nothing. Always said he wasn’t good enough for me.

Seems they may have been right. I do not want to face them right now. Do not want to give them the satisfaction of saying ‘I told you so’. Not right now. Not when I felt like I was falling apart. I could call Summer. She would listen. She would be there for me, like she always was.

My best friend since high school, Summer Browne, has always been there for me. It had been hard for us when we went to different colleges. Having to get used to being apart. She loved our home city and went back there after college too. Found herself a job and a home. She was happy there. I never had been.

But right now, I was missing her, needed her. She would know what to do. Or at least I hoped she would. She would listen to me. Stop me crying. I clicked on my phone contacts, and found her name, hoping she wouldn’t mind a house guest for a few days…

There was a persistent knocking on my car window, and I glanced up to realize Theo was standing there, still adorned in his towel. i***t. Obviously, he recovered from the knee to his nuts. Shame I didn’t do it harder…

“Liv? Please, let’s talk” he begged. He looks at me, giving me the look with his eyes that he knows I find irresistible. Did he think coming out here like that was going to help his cause? Ha, not today. Those looks were not going to work anymore. Nothing he did would work anymore. He had broken anything there had been between us. Not to mention breaking my heart…

I click call on Summer’s contact and put it on loudspeaker, allowing me to turn on the car, and then I open the window slightly, just enough to be able to speak through.

“Go f**k yourself Theo. You make me sick” and I drive away from him as quickly as I could. Though a tiny part of me is tempted to drive over him…

I can’t believe I am driving away from my boyfriend of four years. The one I truly had thought I would have a future with. The one I thought would make me happy. Turns out I could not have been further from the truth if I tried. Seems all those warnings and rumors of him at college were more accurate than I had realized…

“Liv?” I heard Summer’s voice. “Everything okay?”

I realize the call has connected to my friend, and she is likely wondering why I haven’t greeted her.

“Oh Sum!” I sighed, fighting tears again. “Can I come stay with you?”

“Oh babes, of course you can. What has happened?” she says.

“Theo…” I find myself stuttering trying to get the words out. “I walked in on him and another girl”.

“Are you for real?!” she yells. “I am guessing you mean like f*****g her?”

“Yeah, something like that.” I sigh. “And apparently she isn’t the first.”

I hear Summer making a snarling sound at that detail. Yeah, I think my friend may be angry on my behalf. “I swear Liv, I will kill him!” she says angrily.

“Well, I think I stayed calm while I was there, and kneed him in the crown jewels as I left too. Plus I told him I hoped it dropped off. I can’t believe he has done this to me…” my voice falters.

She chuckles slightly before she speaks. “Oh, baby girl. We will sort this. Get yourself to mine. You are welcome here as long as you need. What about work?” she says kindly.

Oh, of course. Me rushing away from the city would make going to work difficult. Ah well, maybe a fresh start would be best all around. No, I didn’t like my home, but right now, I do not like here much either. And it holds much more painful memories than back home. I knew where I would be better off.

“I guess I will be looking for a new job.” I said with another sigh.

The two-hour drive to Summer’s home felt like it took an eternity. It truly did. Summer and I didn’t stay on the phone too long, so she could get her house cleaned up for me. Her saying that made me smile; I knew she would be rushing around tidying up for me arriving. Plus, she said she wanted to go out for some shopping, ready for me to arrive. She was the sweetest. I was blessed to have a friend that would drop everything for me.

Though I know my family would have done the same had I contacted them. My parents would have had me home in an instant. They had begged me to come home after college. And were hurt when I refused. So, I know without a doubt had I called them they would have been there waiting for me with open arms. But also, plenty of judgment and criticism and I don’t think I am strong enough for that. Not now. I can not face them right now.

Then there was my brother, Noah. He was the best brother there was. We have always been really close. Got on so well. But also, that came with him being far too protective, and that means he would be way too much for me to cope with right now. And the added factor that he had hated Theo. Had seen something in him that he did not like. He said he was not good enough for me. So, he would be even worse of an option than my parents right now, as much as I could do with one of his big brother hugs.

As I drove along, there was such a mixture of emotions coursing through my body it hurt. Fighting tears. Feeling angry. Such a blend of emotions felt unnatural. I don’t think I have felt hurt like this before. Betrayed like this before. I don’t know how I am going to carry on. How can I turn my life around? Make a fresh start. That was what I needed. I thought to myself as I pulled up outside Summer’s small house on the outskirts of the city.

“Liv!” I heard her squeal as she ran from the house. I am certain she didn’t even touch the steps on her porch as she ran to me…

I couldn’t help but smile at her despite my low mood. “Hey Summer” I greeted her. “Thank you so much for this.”

“What are friends for” she grins. “Been a while since we had a sleepover”.

I get my case from the trunk of the car, and she watches me, puzzled, as we walk into the house. We head straight into the lounge, leaving my case at the bottom of the stairs.

“Erm, Livvy, I don’t mean to sound stupid, but you have more clothes, right?” she asks. “Because unless that case is like Mary Poppins’ bag, I doubt you have got that much in there”.

I chuckle at her. “Well, I kind of grabbed what I could and left.” I tell her. “I literally had this case packed for a work conference in a few days, so when all that had happened, I grabbed it and went. I did not want to be there with them for a moment longer than I needed to.”

She smiles sadly at me with a nod. “I want to kick his cheating ass Liv, I truly do. But I will be a good girl, just this once. I will put my sensible head on, just for you. See, all grown up.”

I laugh as we sit down on her sofa. “Thanks Sum.”

“But you do need to go back and get all of your things from that jackass's place. You are not leaving your things there with him, Liv. So, you and me can go when he will be working if you like.” she grins. “Maybe trash it on the way out.” she adds with a wink.

I shake my head at her. She has not changed one bit. Still as crazy as before. But she is already making me feel more cheered up being around her. “I don’t think we need to trash it. He won't be able to afford it on his own. That in itself will devastate him.”

“Oh, what a shame for his cheating ass. My heart bleeds for him.” She smirks. “We still need to get your things from there before he moves out then. And maybe a few other bits that aren’t yours, if they are pretty and worth keeping” she chuckles.

I find myself laughing with her. “You are crazy.”

“And I do believe that is why you love me.” She tells me. “And why you call me your friend.”

“It may be one of the reasons. And the fact you are always there for me. Thank you so much for this Sum. I will find a job as soon as I can, I promise. And start paying rent. Helping out before I look for a place of my own.” I tell her.

She mocks an upset expression. “Oh, how rude! I never said anything, did I? There is no rush. You can stay here as long as you need. And no rush to find a job. Look how well that ended for you last time! But I don’t want you moping babes. He has been treating you badly. You deserve better. I know it hurts, but you need to get through this, and we will find a way. I got you, okay? We will get your things. And I think we are due a girlie night out too. Drink your sorrows away, what do you say?” she smiles.

Hmmm a night to drink my sorrows away sounded good to be fair, and it had been a while since I had been out with Summer, as Theo had never liked me going out with her.

I think she was right. I need to get through this. I know it won’t be easy. But I have no doubt she would be there for me. A night out it would be. Celebrate kicking him to the curb.

Summer and I were in the car a few days later. She flicked though the radio stations trying to find a song she liked.

“Did you tell Theo-the-Tart you were coming?” Summer asks as we continue our drive.

She seems to have a new name for him each time she says his name, none of which are particularly flattering, and all of which makes me smile. She is doing her hardest to keep me occupied and cheer me up.

“I thought about it, so he could maybe pack for me. But then I thought he was more likely to hang around for me then. So no, I didn’t.” I explain.

“Atta girl” she smiles. “We can pack things together. Won’t take too long. And like I said might accidentally pick up a few things that aren’t yours.” She winks.

I shake my head.

“What? Accidentally, obviously. I mean, I am your friend, there to help you, I haven’t visited the apartment, and don’t know whose things are whose, so I might pick some pretty things up, that would look great in our house, not realising they are actually his. Such a terrible mistake. But an accident all the same, because I didn’t know.” She says with smirk.

I laugh. “Obviously a mistake”

“Obviously. I mean, such a shame when something pretty makes it way to our house instead of his. But these things happen. Especially to such terrible, cheating, dirty d***s…” she shrugs.

“You are crazy.” I tell her again.

“Ah well. All the good ones are, right? It will be okay today babes. We get to go out tonight. Focus on that. You, me and the girls. Lots of drinks. Forget he ever existed.” She reaches over and squeezes my leg.