Unsound Devotion

XV

"Dad, I'm going to Kate's birthday." Jess told her father, wearing a clean shirt and jeans. She even had her hair cut and gelled. They didn't know why, but she felt she should make an effort... for Kate. For everything the girl had done for her.

"I hope you bought a nice present." James grunted from behind the car as he finished bolting on the wheel. "This girl is worth the best, I'm telling you."

"Yes, Kate is a good friend."

James raised his eyebrows.

"Friend? When are you going to make a move Jess? For now she's looking at you with goo-goo eyes, but if you don't act, she'll get bored of waiting."

"I don't understand what you're talking about at all, Dad." Jess replied seriously, not understanding anything.

"She has a crush on you, Jess. I may be old, but I'm not blind."

Jess shook her head, chuckled not believing her father, and went to the truck.

Kate celebrated her birthday in an intimate circle. There were also two friends of hers, her parents, and one of her aunts was coming.

"Happy Birthday," Jess mumbled, handing Kate a tiny box. The rest of the guests were sitting in the conservatory and Jess took advantage of the moment Kate was alone in the kitchen to give her a present.

"Thanks!" The girl smiled brightly as she unpacked the box. There were gold earrings shaped as symbol of number Pi.

"Wow! They're wonderful." She immediately took off hers and put on a new one. She ran to the mirror to check the effect and came back squealing, kissing Jess on the cheek.

"Sorry to interrupt the moment." A dark voice spoke from behind them. "Where to leave a present, Kate?" Jess turned to meet Eva's chocolate eyes, looking at her with a mixture of anger and sadness. Probably. Jess never knew. But she could feel the woman's tension.

"Thanks, auntie." Kate smiled at Eva as she took the gift and hugged her. Eva stood stiffly, hardly paying attention to the girl. Her eyes glued to Jess.

"I didn't know, Kate, that you had invited Miss Hunter." Eva grunted.

"Jess and I are friends, so it was an obvious choice." Kate laughed, winking at Jess.

"I'll go say hi to your parents." Eva muttered ignoring the brunette and leaving the kitchen.

"We should go too before dad burns the barbecue." Kate grinned, grabbed Jess' hand and led her out of the kitchen.

"Dad, this is Jess." Kate introduced her to her father, who looked a bit like a mad scientist with big glasses and slightly gray hair that stood out slightly from his head. He was wearing a chef's apron and hat, and Jess caught the smell of burnt meat from the grill where the man was standing. Opposite were the rest of the company, Jess met Eva's eyes, but she quickly turned away from her and talked to Kate's mother, Maggie.

"Are you this badass mechanic?" Kate's father grinned widely at her, extending his hand, which Jess took without hesitation. The man seemed very open and kind - these qualities Kate definitely inherited from him. "Kate talks a lot about you." He noticed, winking at his daughter.

"Dad!" Kate blushed and Jess laughed lightly.

"I saw you playing basketball." The man said.

"Oh?" The brunette furrowed her brow.

"On the old pitch." He explained as he turned the meat on the grill. "I teach at a public university and sometimes my students talk about this place. I went there once out of curiosity. You were playing basketball."

"I go there sometimes." Jess shrugged.

"You're really good, you could easily get an athletic scholarship, but Kate said you wanted to be an engineer, right?"

She nodded.

"Dad, Jess is a math genius. If you don't believe me, ask Eva." Kate said proudly.

Her father smirked.

"You'd better join the others. I'm about to serve the steaks."

They sat down at the table and Jess turned off a little, watching Eva and Kate. Eva didn't say a word to her, and Kate still wanted to engage her in conversation.

Kate's mother, Maggie, watched them with raised eyebrows, sometimes glaring at Jess when she saw Kate touch her hand, playing with her fingers. The brunette pulled her hand away immediately, each time.

"Dinner is served." Kate's father announced jovially with a bow and Kate laughed, Maggie just rolled her eyes.

They refilled and the man began serving drinks. When he was with Eva, Maggie covered her glass.

"Honey, you know Eva can't drink." She gently admonished him, looking at him meaningfully.

"Oh yeah... what month is it?" The guy asked, smiling at Mrs. Trenton.

Jess sat frozen. Wondering if she heard correctly.

"Third." Eva replied, glancing at Jess, who felt her breathing quicken.

"You don't know the gender, yet? What would you like? A girl or a boy?"

"Boy. Girls are problematic..." Eva smiled, Maggie looked at her friend with what seemed like disgust... but Jess couldn't tell because she suddenly wondered where was the exit.

She pinched her hand under the table to make sure it was real. Because how could Eva be pregnant?

"Jess? You okay?" Kate whispered leaning towards her.

"Toilet." Jess muttered through clenched teeth.

She got up and walked out into the corridor, after a while finding the right door.

Closing it behind her, she sat against the cold wall and buried her face in her hands, nervously tugging at her hair. She felt insignificant, tiny... and cheated.

She heard the door open and close. Someone sat down next to her.

"I didn't know how to tell you." Eva hummed, resting her head on Jess's shoulder.

"You had two months to do it ... you already knew in December when you came to me then ... what was it for? All of these...?"

"I really like you Jess. Sex with you was great. You're so hot..." Eva whispered, slowly running her hand over the brunette's biceps.

Jess shook her head.

"You played me."

There was something in Eva's eyes that Jess couldn't understand. She also couldn't understand how a redhead could be so cruel?

"You thought I'd leave my husband and kids for a high school girl? I was just bored." Eva said in an icy whisper, looking slightly away from Jess.

"I don't want to hear you anymore." The brunette said, got up and left.