The Love of Lies

Cursed

Cori’s POV

Feeling better, I start heading back to my seat, already mentally checked out for the night, but I’m intercepted by Ashton, who scoops me into an annoying hug.

“Why did you leave?”

“I didn’t feel great, so I went to the restroom.”

“Why didn’t you get me?”

“You looked busy.” Ashton smirks, pulling me closer as he lifts my chin.

I don’t want him touching me right now, but at the same time, I don’t not want him to touch me.

“Let go of me Ashton.” I’m saying those words, but my body is completely still in the man’s arms, not understanding how I actually feel right now.

“Are you jealous?” I push Ashton away, but he grabs me again, showering the side of my face in kisses. “You’re the one who asked me not to ruin the night. Vanessa was being unusually friendly, but I promise you that there is nothing there.”

I roll my eyes, but Ashton hasn’t released me, and it’s not until I stop pouting that he finally lets me go.

“Did you have lamb?”

“Yeah, why? Did you not like it?” I start shaking my head, telling myself that this is the last time I will allow anyone from the Lewis family to force or guilt me into attending any of their events.

“They served the people at my table Chicken thighs and bland vegetables. It was worse than hospital food, and I like hospital food.” Ashton starts chuckling, pulling me even closer as he locks my lips in a kiss.

“You’re cute when you’re angry.” I get the feeling that Ashton is trying to distract me from something, but I don’t know if it’s because my mind is playing tricks on me.

“Did something happen while I was away?”

“Yup.”

“Something bad?”

“In a way.” I look at the man quizzically, but he just kisses me again, only stopping when we hear the clearing of a throat.

I don’t have to turn around to know that it was Troy behind us, and I fear that Ashton and I may have been breaking some weird engagement party rule by kissing in what could be viewed as the middle of the room.

“I didn’t think you came!” Ashton releases me so that I could hug Julia who has several checks pinned to the bodice of her dress.

It’s elegant and nice enough to be considered a wedding dress for most, but considering that she’s walking around with thousands of dollars on her body, I doubt that she would ever go for something as simple as what she’s wearing now.

“Where were you?”

“Oh, they put Ashton and I at separate tables.”

“What?” The couple ask at the same time, looking at Ashton who shrugs while pointing to me.

“It’s okay. I didn’t think it was important.”

“Cori, when someone does something like that to you, even if you don’t think it’s a big deal, you should make it one, especially if it’s done by my parents.”

I don’t see the issue, but Julia goes on to explain that the ‘issue’ is respect for her future husband and his family. I haven’t really learned all the ins and outs of their societal hierarchy, but if I’m not mistaken, Julia’s family holds a slightly elevated status compared to Ashtons.

Dollar for dollar, they're pretty evenly matched, but as far as the sphere of influence, Julia’s parents hold more weight.

“Sorry, I just didn’t want to ruin your night. Also, you’ll have to take a rain check from me. I didn’t know that I was supposed to give you anything tonight.”

Ashton steps forward, placing his hand on my lower back as he tells me to check my purse, which I do, gasping when I see what’s inside.

“Pin it on her.”

“But-” The way the man is looking at me tells me that this is also something important, so despite the check coming from his account, anyone watching will know that I was the one who ‘gifted’ it.

Julia and I exchange another few hugs before she’s called away from us, but Tory lingers behind a little, reminding me to pay attention to his ‘wife’s’ warning.

Again, Ashton places a hand on my lower back, drawing my eyes to his face. He tells me that I’ll get used to ‘it,’ while simultaneously guiding me toward the bar, which must have opened while I was in the lady’s room.

He’s being unusually touchy, not that he wasn’t before, but there’s a certain feeling to it that shouldn’t make me worry, but since the only time I ever saw a man being this gentle was when he wanted forgiveness, my mind is wary.

Ashton’s POV

I was afraid that Cori got the wrong idea, but once I actually spotted her, I realized that this is a good thing for me. She’s clearly jealous, an emotion I haven’t seen in her before, and because I know that I’m many of her firsts, my pride has been boosted in a way that makes me feel giddy.

I don’t want to lose this feeling, so I won’t tell her that she and I have the same idea of ‘hope,’ but as soon as we’re in a comfortable place where I can hold her in my arms and talk without someone potentially interrupting the conversation, I will tell her that it isn’t just the baby that belongs to me, but her as well.

Fortunately, now that Cori and I have greeted the celebrants and she’s given them ‘her’ gift, we can leave at any time, but we still have people that I want Cori to see before we go.

“Ashton, you’re driving.”

“I won’t drink much, but even so, you can drive us home.” Cori is passive when it comes to unnecessary arguments, so even if she’s worried about me getting drunk, she won’t say anything because I’ve already given her a solution to the potential problem.

I guide Cori toward a group of my friends, quickly greeting them before pulling my girl closer, formally introducing her.

I don’t really hang out with men who would treat Cori in a disrespectful way, so despite the fact that most of them have seen her at Pauline’s baby shower, they pretend to be meeting her for the first time.

Conversation flows nicely between everyone until Mark joins the conversation, causing Cori to partially hide her body behind mine, intimidated by not only the man’s actions, but probably by his size.

Mark is a professional football player, so he takes pride in his physique, but he’s notoriously hot tempered and doesn’t know his own strength. The only reason he and I are still friends is because he stopped me from getting what could have been a potentially life changing injury while back in high school.

It was a huge story back then, specifically because the player on the opposing team was aiming for my spine. It’s Mark who got in his way, and the whole thing was captured on video.

Overall, he’s not a bad person, he’s just not very bright, but everyone who knows him, loves him for who he is, specifically because we prefer his candidness as opposed to someone who’s going to beat around the bush and hide their true feelings.

“Oh yeah, before I forget, do you still want to take over the lease to my apartment?” Mark looks at me like I’m crazy, making me think that maybe I’m confusing him with another friend, but I’m almost positive that he wanted the space.

“You think I still want to live there? Do you remember that chick who wouldn’t leave and you had to call the cops, or what about the girl who f*cked up your white couch, and let’s not forget about your newest problem…” Mark gestures toward Cori with his thumb before continuing. “Sorry bro, but I think your f*ck pad is cursed.”

“I’m going to go to the restroom,” Cori is speaking so softly that only I can hear, but I know that she’s only walking away because she doesn’t like the conversation, and I’m too angry to chase after her right now.

“Why the f*ck would you bring that stuff up in front of her?”

“Doesn’t she know that she was just a piece of ass who got lucky?”

“Lucky? Bro she’s twenty-f*cking-one. You think she feels lucky right now?”

“She looks pretty happy to me.”

“I don’t give a f*ck if she’s glowing. Don’t talk sh*t without knowing the whole story.”

“Damn… has the p*ssy prince actually been whipped?” I glare at Clarence, another one of our friends who can’t control his speech.

I’m not really mad at him, but the memory of giving myself that awful moniker is something I’d rather forget, specifically because shortly after, I had my first and only STD scare. Fortunately, I learned to control my d*ck when I got clean results, a skill I possess even up until now.

“Relax bro. You know that I’m just messing with you, neither Mark nor I mean any harm, okay?”

“Whatever you say, but now I have to clean up whatever mess he just made with Cori.”

“Sh*t, you actually like that girl, don’t you?” I smirk, hoping that my emotions are conveyed, and as vulgar as Clarence’s mouth may be, he’s not one to minimize romantic relationships. “I’m happy for you! We need to celebrate this with a drink!”

The man pulls me closer to the bar, forcing me to lean against it, and not long after, someone taps my shoulder.

I recognize the woman as someone from Julia’s side, and I think her name is Lacey.

No words are exchanged between us, but she hands me her phone, expecting me to input my information, and wanting to set boundaries without offending the woman, I take the device and set my name as “I’m taken.” As soon as I give her back her cell, I face forward again, locking eyes with Cori who looks completely broken.

Cori’s POV

I wanted to give Ashton privacy, not because I didn’t guess he took me to an apartment meant for one-night stands, but because I didn’t want to hear it. However, when I returned, I witnessed the man inputting his information into a woman’s phone before handing it back to her with the expression he uses when he’s trying to be cute.

I didn’t even know that I was staring until Ashton faces forward, locking eyes with me before I look away, feeling like an i***t for thinking that we were anything more than friends who sleep with one another.

“Cori… Cori… Cori, wait it’s-”

“It’s okay Ashton. You’re a single man and you’re free to do whatever you want with whoever you want. All I ask is that you keep me out of it.”

“Cori, wait-” Ashton grabs my arm, and I gently push his hand away, not really wanting to have this turn into a repeat of the Wayly event.

“Ashton, please… Let’s just be happy for your brother tonight. We can always have this conversation later. Besides, you have two other women waiting for you.” I point in both directions before walking away from the man, returning to my seat with a heavy feeling that only gets worse when Chris tries to make excuses for his friend. “If you were me, would you feel the same way?”

“No, but you didn’t even let him explain.” I stand up and make my way to the opposite end of the bar, not wanting to continue the useless conversation.

“What’re you drinking?” I didn’t even notice Brandon was the person beside me, and because I don't want to be rude, I politely tell him that I don’t drink.

“You religious or something?”

“No, she’s pregnant.” I roll my eyes, wishing that Ashton would just leave me alone right now, but like Vanessa, he must like drama.