Stray

Chapter 7

“You feel like you’re falling backwards,

Like you’re slipping through the cracks”

                -Lady Antebellum (One day you will)

                The ride hadn’t been anything less than perfect. Conversation had been constant and laughter filled the car. This morning hadn’t been awkward at all. It had felt natural; I curled up into his hard bare chest. We hadn’t left the hotel until 11; we had just laid in bed. There was no conversation; we just lay there peacefully…

                We were driving through a hillier area with forests all around us. It was really beautiful. The rain rolled down the windshield peacefully and for the first time in hours, Rhyet and I were quiet. At first it was serene and quiet, giving me a minute to catch my breath finally. But then something clicked and it wasn’t so lovely anymore. The look on Rhyet’s face wasn’t happiness anymore, it was the complete opposite. It was almost sorrowful.

                I looked over at him, giving him a questioning look, but he didn’t look over at me. He didn’t turn his head and look me in the eyes with his own deep hazel ones. He never gave me his dazzling smirk. He didn’t even chuckle cause he was joking, trying to make me worry, because he wasn’t joking.

After a moment he looked at me pitifully, “Lacey… god I screwed this up…look Lacey, what happened yesterday? That can’t happen!” He was getting angry and I couldn’t tell if it was mostly at me or at himself, but he wasn’t making it clear who… I flinched back in my seat.

“I’m sorry, Lacey, but I have a job and it doesn’t let this happen. Neither does Omrey and your fucking four years younger than me!” He never made eye contact with me, his eyes never left the road, but the veins in his hand were bursting out of his hands and his neck. I didn’t understand him at all. No matter how hard I tried. One moment he’d be sneaking into bed with me, yet the next he was yelling how our heads would be chopped off if anyone knew!

I wouldn’t take it anymore, I wouldn’t let him just yell at me while I sit and take it “Well then why the hell would you let it happen Rhyet? I’m pretty fucking sure it wasn’t me who snuck into my bed last night or me who made you kiss me. That was you Rhyet. That was all you!”  I flipped on him. This wasn’t my fault. I mean yes, I hadn’t necessarily said no, but that didn’t mean it was my fault what had happened.

Rhyet look over at me finally, “No, it’s my fault. I was stupid; I shouldn’t have let that happen. But we can’t let it happen in Setlia. Ever. Don’t show any sign of anything that happened, Lacey. Trust me, it for your own good.” He had calmed down, but I was still fuming. Of course in my muddled confusion, I still couldn’t tell if I regretted it or mourned it…

The bell in the kitchen rang loudly, making itself heard from the back of the restaurant all the way to the front. It echoed in the empty dinner. Rhyet was sliding his fork in his hands, hitting the table in a repetitive sequence. Outside, the only light was from a lamp post on the lonely highway, a couple empty gas stations down the road and the full moon. The silence was about to kill me, until finally the young waitress came with our food.

                She looked like she couldn’t be more than twenty-four and her long blonde hair made her look like a model. The blue tag that was sitting on her unnaturally oversized chest read “Chelsea”. Chelsea could not keep her eyes off Rhyet… Chelsea was starting to piss me off.

“Your Baked Spaghetti” Her tone was overtly seductive and the wink she gave him was oh too obvious. In her other hand was my chef salad which she continued to practically throw on the table in front of me without taking a second look at me. The worst part of it all? The ring on her left hand, sparkling away under the bright dinner lights.