my life and no one else cares. It's all I've ever wanted for my entire life, and then you... and ... and he... well, it was one hell of a reality check. And I ... I felt ....”
“Like an unlovable piece of crap.”
“Yeah.” The word comes out on a gush of air through the phone and I nod. I've been there. I know exactly how it feels, which is why I believe what I did was a million times worse. But Ash, she doesn't seem to agree. “Regardless of what I've achieved in my life already, it makes me no better than you or any other girl.” She stays silent for a little while. “But in my world, I only have to make one phone call and neither of you would be able to move for weeks, possibly months, without the paparazzi following you everywhere. Revenge, as you put it, would have been easy when you’re talking about the guy stupid enough to step out on one of the Valentina twins.”
Part of me feels sorry for Ashleigh. She gives off this impression of confidence and she's successful in everything she does, but I'm only just coming to realize that she is afraid of it all falling apart. Afraid she'll have to come back to Los Angeles and the life she hated so much.
“Don't let her fool you, Jules.” Ashleigh gasps as I look up from the telephone handset. Sean is leaning against the door jam. “She's not above revenge games. I wouldn't let her do it.”
Ashleigh laughs nervously down the phone. “We've really gone off track,” she mutters really quickly and changes the subject. “What I was trying to say was I want what you have and Dex is the first guy I've felt that connection to in a really long time.”
Sean's bitter snort brings me right back to the real reason Ashleigh called in the first place. My brother's unreasonable reaction to Ashleigh dating Dex.
“I'm going to see him tonight,” she tells me.
“Again?” Sean barks at the cell.
The silence on the other end of the line fills the atmosphere with a familiar awkwardness that I hate. My bedroom suddenly has that unpleasant feeling like when you walk into a room full of people and they all stop talking to look at you. I'd forgotten how socially awkward I feel when Ashleigh and Sean are together.
“Yes again.” Ashleigh snaps at Sean and his eyes darken but he doesn't reply. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie to me. What is so inexplicably wrong with Dex?”
“I don't have a problem with Dex, I've never met the guy.”
Ashleigh makes a sound similar to a pressure gage being released. “Whatever your problem is, Sean, just get on with it or get over it. I don't care which as long as you just do something because I can't live with you like this. And I’ve tried to put some distance between us so you get used to the idea, but you’re not making it easy for me.”
“Cut out the dramatics, Ash, it's been three days.”
It's a little like watching a tennis match as their voices ping pong back and forth. I've never seen them like this. I don't quite understand what happened to the most intimate non-marital, non-sexual, non-blood related, cross gender relationship known to mankind. In fact, a better analogy would be a horror flick because I can guarantee if one of them doesn't give then this is going to be a blood bath.
“For fuck's sake, Ashleigh,” Sean eventually shouts. “What do you want from me?”
“I want you to be happy for me,” she cries. “As I was for you.”
“No, you weren't!” Sean spits back. “You told me marrying Anna would be the biggest mistake I'd ever make.”
“Is that what this is about? You think Dex is a mistake? At least he makes me happy which is more than I can say for Anna.”
“I don't care what you think about my wife, and I don't give a fuck who you’re dating either.”
Wow, this is brutal. After years of secretly wishing they'd just get on with it, I actually wish I wasn't a fly on the wall, because it's obvious they both have forgotten I'm here.
“Yes, you do!”
“Like an unlovable piece of crap.”
“Yeah.” The word comes out on a gush of air through the phone and I nod. I've been there. I know exactly how it feels, which is why I believe what I did was a million times worse. But Ash, she doesn't seem to agree. “Regardless of what I've achieved in my life already, it makes me no better than you or any other girl.” She stays silent for a little while. “But in my world, I only have to make one phone call and neither of you would be able to move for weeks, possibly months, without the paparazzi following you everywhere. Revenge, as you put it, would have been easy when you’re talking about the guy stupid enough to step out on one of the Valentina twins.”
Part of me feels sorry for Ashleigh. She gives off this impression of confidence and she's successful in everything she does, but I'm only just coming to realize that she is afraid of it all falling apart. Afraid she'll have to come back to Los Angeles and the life she hated so much.
“Don't let her fool you, Jules.” Ashleigh gasps as I look up from the telephone handset. Sean is leaning against the door jam. “She's not above revenge games. I wouldn't let her do it.”
Ashleigh laughs nervously down the phone. “We've really gone off track,” she mutters really quickly and changes the subject. “What I was trying to say was I want what you have and Dex is the first guy I've felt that connection to in a really long time.”
Sean's bitter snort brings me right back to the real reason Ashleigh called in the first place. My brother's unreasonable reaction to Ashleigh dating Dex.
“I'm going to see him tonight,” she tells me.
“Again?” Sean barks at the cell.
The silence on the other end of the line fills the atmosphere with a familiar awkwardness that I hate. My bedroom suddenly has that unpleasant feeling like when you walk into a room full of people and they all stop talking to look at you. I'd forgotten how socially awkward I feel when Ashleigh and Sean are together.
“Yes again.” Ashleigh snaps at Sean and his eyes darken but he doesn't reply. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie to me. What is so inexplicably wrong with Dex?”
“I don't have a problem with Dex, I've never met the guy.”
Ashleigh makes a sound similar to a pressure gage being released. “Whatever your problem is, Sean, just get on with it or get over it. I don't care which as long as you just do something because I can't live with you like this. And I’ve tried to put some distance between us so you get used to the idea, but you’re not making it easy for me.”
“Cut out the dramatics, Ash, it's been three days.”
It's a little like watching a tennis match as their voices ping pong back and forth. I've never seen them like this. I don't quite understand what happened to the most intimate non-marital, non-sexual, non-blood related, cross gender relationship known to mankind. In fact, a better analogy would be a horror flick because I can guarantee if one of them doesn't give then this is going to be a blood bath.
“For fuck's sake, Ashleigh,” Sean eventually shouts. “What do you want from me?”
“I want you to be happy for me,” she cries. “As I was for you.”
“No, you weren't!” Sean spits back. “You told me marrying Anna would be the biggest mistake I'd ever make.”
“Is that what this is about? You think Dex is a mistake? At least he makes me happy which is more than I can say for Anna.”
“I don't care what you think about my wife, and I don't give a fuck who you’re dating either.”
Wow, this is brutal. After years of secretly wishing they'd just get on with it, I actually wish I wasn't a fly on the wall, because it's obvious they both have forgotten I'm here.
“Yes, you do!”
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