Entangled (Phoenix 1)

CHAPTER 19

"What is wrong? Fiona didn't throw us out. So it's a good sign." James stated when he heard Emily utter the word 'shit.'

"Did you really expect her to kick us out? It's Fiona, not me." Emily said to him.

"Yes, I know. So, what's the problem?" James asked her.

"She is pissed at me. I should not have let you two dumb-head tag along with me. Let me go and talk to her." Emily told them and went to talk to her best friend.

When she entered the kitchen, she saw Fiona was keeping all the groceries in their rightful place. Taking a risk, Emily went towards her.

"Hi."

Fiona looked at her and quietly muttered, "Hey."

Taking this as an opportunity, Emily approached her. "Fi, I know that you are angry with me, but...."

Fiona, though, cut her off. "Like I told James, not now, Emily. I am way too exhausted to deal with this crooked shit. I need a break, and I mean it."

"Fi, I am just worried about you," Emily said in defeat.

"Don't be because I am fine. And I will be great with each passing day. Currently, I just need some time to figure myself out." Fiona said to her friend while keeping two packets of bread in the fridge.

Since that was the last item in the bag, she was about to leave the kitchen but then stopped when she remembered Emily's get-together with her family.

"How was your lunch with your father?"

"Crappy, and I expected nothing less. He was a jerk like usual. Trying to make me see the light of his actions. Basically, he was trying to justify why he betrayed us in the worst possible way." Emily rolled her eyes, but Fiona knew that her best friend was hurt.

Emily's dad did a number on her, and he is the sole reason she lost her faith in any decent guy. Mason, their friend, had a rough time cracking Emily's barriers and making her see him as a friend.

"Don't bother with him. Okay?" She tried to console Emily.

"I hate him, Fiona. I cannot forgive him. I just can't." Emily groaned in frustration.

"Then don't. Nobody in their right mind would expect you to do that. Just let him do what he wants to, but don't let him affect your life."

This made Emily nod her head in agreement. She really appreciated her friendship with Fiona. It means the world to her.

"Fi, about Justin..." But yet again, Fiona interrupted him. It's like she doesn't even want to hear his name.

"Emily, please, no. I don't want to listen to anything. Not now, at least. I just want my days to go normally like they were a few months back. I need to feel free or, at the very least, pretend to be."

"Okay." Emily gave an understanding nod.

Fiona did look exhausted and deserved a break.

"Anyway, you guys are welcome to stay here, but you will have to entertain them, at least for today. I haven't slept since yesterday, and I am in desperate need of a good night's sleep. So make them feel comfortable without threatening to kill any one of them." Fiona told her and left for her room without looking back.

Fiona was aware that she was being impolite to them, but it was necessary. She was done being pushed around. It might seem impracticable, but she did not expect to see any of them for a long time. Fiona was serious when she told Emily on call that she was done with everything. She was dead serious about leaving the job and shifting to Seopol, her hometown where she grew up. It would be difficult to explain everything to her parents, but it has to be done.

After a few minutes of Fiona's departure, Emily went to the living area where Justin and James were sitting, lost in their thoughts. When they sensed Emily's presence, Justin looked at her with hope in his eyes, while James glanced at her with curiosity.

"Fiona is no longer mad at me." She told them cheerfully and sat on the couch with a pleasant sigh.

"What about Justin?" James asked her.

"She refused to talk about him or even hear his name. But give her some time. She will come around."

This made Justin grumble in frustration.

"I am going to talk to her." Justin declared and stood up.

"I don't think it is a good idea. Back there, it looked like she just needed a complete break from the mess that you and your two Grams created." Emily told her.

"I have to talk to her right now before the situation becomes worse between us. And it was more of our grandmother's mess than mine." He told her.

"It is already worse. Sure, the 'Great Interfering Grams Club' might have created a ruse, but you are the one who tested her patience to the point where she ran away. It is going to take a long time for you two to even be in the same book, let alone on the same page." Emily told him honestly.

"Not helping Emily," Justin said.

It was James who backed Emily up in her words. "Hate to break it to you, bro, but Emily is right. If you had even acknowledged her presence, things wouldn't have gone this far."

"There is no use in crying over spill beans. Let me go and talk to her." With that, Justin went upstairs with the help of the direction given by Emily.

He knocked on Fiona's door twice when she opened it. It looked like she was expecting Emily.

"Hey." He told her nervously.

Fiona didn't expect Justin to have the courage to talk to her. She wanted to slam the door shut in his face, but she did otherwise.

"Hi."

"How are you?" He asked her anxiously, and she shook her head and closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply before opening her eyes.

"What do you want?" She asked him tiredly.

"I want to clear things out." He told her honestly.

"Too late for that." She was about to go inside, but Justin stopped her.

"Fiona! I know I messed up big time, but we need to talk."

"Not now." She told him.

"Come on, Fiona. You cannot ignore me forever." He expressed himself.

"I know that. You are my boss, and I am answerable to you." She told him the fact.

"You know what I am talking about."

"Not now, Justin. I am tired, and I want to sleep. We will talk later. Please make yourself comfortable around her. Emily will show you and James the guest bedroom, and the three of you can order anything you want or cook something in the kitchen. It is your call."

"Fine! But we are going to talk tomorrow. And what about you? Aren't you hungry?" He asked her.

"No, I already ate before coming home. I didn't anticipate any of you showing up. If you may allow, I am going to get some sleep right now."

Fiona closed the door after Justin nodded, then walked downstairs, his face solemnly.

"She didn't entertain you, huh?" Emily asked with a smirk.

"Why the hell are you enjoying my misery so much?" Justin asked her with a frown on his face.

"Because you deserved it. To be honest, I didn't think Fiona would make you suffer, but you did end up on her wrong side."

"What are you going to do?" James asked his friend.

"I don't know, James. But I really need to clear the air between us. I wished I had listened to you earlier."

Justin was sincere in all he said. He shouldn't have put off talking to Fiona for so long.

He simply hopes it isn't too late.