The best of the worst scenarios.
"Oh, pretty please. Come on, we never go out!" Kendall exclaimed, her voice laced with a mix of enthusiasm and impatience. "You're always so far away, and now that you're finally back home, you're telling me you don't want to go?" She looked at me with wide, pleading eyes as if I were the only thing standing in the way of her fun.
A wave of guilt washed over me as I considered her words. I hated letting my best friend down, especially after she had waited so long for me to return. But deep down, I knew she needed a break from everything, and I feared that going out would only complicate matters further. We couldn't just go out and drink like we used to, could we?
"I-I..." The words caught in my throat, and a battle raged inside me. Just say no!
Desperate for support, I turned my gaze toward Victor, silently pleading for him to jump in and help me manage the situation. But he remained utterly silent, his expression unreadable, almost like a statue paralyzed by an invisible force.
I felt abandoned then, desperately needing someone to back me up, but Victor seemed perfectly content to watch me navigate this tension alone. What was going on in his mind? Why wasn't he stepping in?
Kendall had her heart set on hitting the club, but my gut churned at the thought. The excitement flickering in her eyes contrasted sharply with the unease knotting my stomach. I glanced at Victor once more, searching for a sign that he shared my reservations, but his face was steely, his demeanor far from encouraging. The longer this continued, the more confused I became about his intentions.
"We never go out and have fun together!" Kendall continued, her voice rising with enthusiasm. She leaped from the couch, her energy practically radiating off her. "I promise I won't overdo it! I promise, so pretty, please say yes!" Her hopeful expression tugged at my heartstrings, making it even harder to stand my ground.
With a sigh, I looked back at Victor, hoping for a word of encouragement or a nod of solidarity, but once again, I was met with indifference. Struggling to find my voice, I inhaled deeply and braced myself to say no despite the guilt gnawing at me.
"Kendall... I don't think that's a great idea." As the words left my lips, I could immediately see the light in her eyes flicker and dim, her excitement wavering under the weight of my rejection.
Her face fell, and I could feel the tension thickening. In a sudden burst of frustration, she stomped her foot and pointed an accusing finger at Victor, her fury radiating off her like heat waves. "This is your fault! You got her all worried about me, and now she's scared I'll go over the edge," she spat, her voice seething with anger.
The atmosphere shifted as Kendall's fury ignited a spark of chaos; my heart raced, wondering how we would navigate this downward spiral.
"Sorry to say, sis, but I have no part in this. Besides, Lilan feels uncomfortable on her own. You made sure of that, not me," Victor proclaimed, his arms crossed tightly, and his posture relaxed as he leaned casually against the cool countertop.
Her furious response took me aback, but instead of backing down, I felt a surge of determination. I stepped forward, matching her intensity, as she strode resolutely toward Victor, her fists clenched and ready for a fight.
At that moment, I understood why Victor was so worried and distant regarding Kendall's relapse. During this fragile stage, she became aggressive.
I'd never seen her like this... Ever
I wasn't fast enough to prevent her from lunging at Victor; she smacked him in the face and shoved hard against his chest, trying to inflict harm.
"Kendall, stop!" I reached for my best friend, who didn't seem like my best friend.
YOU ARE READING
With Things We Can't Have
Romance"Fuck you," I cried out, retracting my hand to inspect my injured finger. The small, throbbing pain was a reminder of our confrontation. "See? You can't help but play the damsel in distress." His large hands enveloped mine, inspecting my injured fin...
