Our fallen souls [EN] (High Enough) : VOLUME 1

55 - Joséphine

We find ourselves panting in the bedroom, both of us lying on the bed. Our eyes are fixed on the ceiling, while our hair is drenched in sweat.

He stands up and stares at me. "Tired, Miss Evans?"

I join him, also turning towards him.

His phone starts ringing. He quickly checks it and picks up. "Yes? I'm on my way," he replies briefly.

He hangs up and gets out of bed.

"Who's calling?"

"Shawn, he wants me to take him home, he's completely drunk."

"But you've been drinking too."

"I'm more lucid than he is, believe me," he says, starting to get dressed. He puts on a black T-shirt and matching jeans. He puts on his sneakers and grabs his phone from the dresser.

"Couldn't he ask Cassie or Clyde to bring it back?"

"Baby, he's my buddy, I can't leave him like this."

"I understand, but it's just..."

"I'll be right back," he cuts me off abruptly. He kisses me one last time, his lips settling urgently on mine, before rushing out of the room. I remain lying on the bed, overwhelmed by growing confusion and bewilderment at this sudden situation. Questions swirl around in my head, but I get no answers. Finally, I get up and head for the bathroom. The warm shower water trickling over my skin offers soothing comfort, temporarily erasing my worries. I let myself be enveloped by the warmth and sensation of the water sliding down my body, trying to chase away the troubling thoughts that linger. After all, I keep telling myself, it won't be long before he returns. An hour maximum, I reassure myself. I dry my body with a towel and dress quickly, getting ready to slide into bed. But no sooner have I taken a step towards the bed than the doorbell rings, shattering the silence of the apartment. My heart races with excitement, thinking that Blake has returned sooner than expected.

However, my smile fades instantly as I discover the person standing in front of me. A woman in her early twenties, her blond hair neatly combed, stares at me with piercing eyes. She's dressed in a tight black skirt that highlights her sinuous curves, and her high neckline immediately draws attention to her breasts. A mixture of incomprehension, surprise, and mistrust invades my mind, as I struggle to understand who she is and what she's doing here.

"Yes?" I ask, staring at her warily.

"My name's Rachel," she replies in a confident voice.

"Rachel? I don't know you," I say, scanning her features but unable to recognize her.

She leans nonchalantly against the door frame, detailing me up and down with an enigmatic smile. "I know your boyfriend well," she adds in an almost mocking tone.

My eyebrows furrow slightly. "I don't know who you are, sorry," I reply, preparing to close the door.

"Wait a minute. He's not who you think he is."

Intrigued, I bite my lip and reopen the door, giving him a second chance to explain.

"Follow me and I'll show you."

I'm torn by uncertainty. I don't know this woman, and I can't help wondering if she's just crazy or obsessed with Blake.

Shawn pops up, running towards us and grabbing Rachel's arm.

"Rachel, don't do this."

"Do you know her? And you weren't with Blake?" I ask, my words marking my confusion as I try to untangle the tumultuous events unfolding before me.

The light plays over his face, dancing on the contours of his expression as he purses his lips slightly. His gaze, usually so assured, now betrays an inner turmoil.

"With Blake?" he repeats almost mechanically, as if surprised by this turn of events. "No, I wasn't with him," he finally clarifies, his voice full of nuances that I'm struggling to decipher. "Yes, I know her, but don't pay any attention to what she says..."

Shawn's words echo through the air, their impact vibrating through my being like an unexpected thunderclap. Each of his words is like a sharp splinter, puncturing the fragile bubble of certainty I'd been trying to preserve. What's he hiding from me?

"She has a right to know," Rachel declares, a sly smile forming on her lips.

"But know what, damn it? What don't I know?"

"Lots of things, sweetheart," Rachel replies provocatively, staring nonchalantly at her nails.

"You're a real pain in the ass, Rachel," says Shawn, clearly annoyed.

I bring my hands to my face, trying to gather my thoughts, to understand my relationship with Blake.

What could he be hiding from me? What am I not allowed to know?

"I want to know. Take me with you." My voice resonates with resolute determination, though my emotions threaten to sway it. As I'm about to leave, Shawn's arm wraps around mine, holding me firmly in an embrace I feel more like an attempt at protection than restriction.

"Joséphine..."

"Let go of me, Shawn!" My gaze fixes on him, a restrained intensity burning in my eyes. The anger boiling inside me is like an uncontrollable fire, threatening to consume everything in its path. My breath is short, my emotions on edge, but I stand my ground, determined not to be overwhelmed. "I want to know. I have a right to know!"