Just a Fling

Chapter Nine

My teacher-planning class was interesting, as per usual, gifting me the necessary skills I would need in my career. I thought about it a lot recently. My future. I already had my resume typed out, alongside a kickass cover letter. But was it enough?

"Ebony, do you have notes from last Wednesday's lesson?" asked Daisy–my classmate. "I was absent and still haven't caught up."

"Sure," I replied, ripping out the required page.

I handed her my rough notes and told her to take her time. I made it my personal mission to type up every lesson on my laptop and no longer required my messy scribbles.

"Thanks, you're the best."

I watched her scamper off and dug for my phone, seeing a string of missed messages upon finding it.

Mom: Hey, honey. How's things? xx

Jez: Meet @ Coffee-To-Go after class?

Unknown: You have something belonging to me.

I scowled at the last one, composing my reply.

Ebony: Who is this?

I offered Jez a 'yes', followed by a smiley face and hit the call option next to Mom's name.

"Hey, baby. You good?"

"Hi, Mom. All good. How are you?" I asked, making my way towards Coffee-To-Go.

I passed a bunch of sorority girls on my way, appreciating their enthusiasm when one of them handed me a flyer advertising their latest charity event; pub golf.

"Great. Me and the girls went for cocktails yesterday. Nancy twisted her ankle doing that dance move kids these days insist on doing."

I laughed. "Which one?"

"Oh, you know...that one with the peculiar name. Something to do with dentists."

"Flossing?" I questioned, imaging Nancy in some cocktail bar, attempting the move.

She was Mom's oldest friend and my honorary aunt. The woman was mad but I loved her to death.

"That's it!" she delighted, full of joy. "It was hilarious, Ebony. She went ass over elbow."

I could picture it, clear as day.

"Is she okay?" I asked, a little worried.

"Fine," she ensured, easing my concerns. "Anything new with you?"

My mind immediately went to Alex but I squashed the possibility of telling her about our night together. I was still trying to figure out what it meant for me. The last thing I needed was my mother's delightful opinion on things.

"I aced my outreach presentation," I informed, seeing the coffee house up ahead. "If you count that as news."

"Of course I do!" She stressed. "We'll have to celebrate when I next visit."

I caught sight of Jez and offered him a wave.

"I have to go, Mom but please visit soon. I miss you so much."

"We'll organise something," she promised, sounding just as excited as I felt.

We hung up and I made my way towards Jez, cup of coffee in hand.

"Hey, girl! How's it going?"

"Great. You good?"

He looked at me strangely, seemingly suspicious.

"What?" I asked, checking my teeth for any left over food.

"You seem...different."

"Different how?" I asked, feeling my phone's vibration against my thigh.

I pulled if from my pocket, seeing the reply I had from the unknown number.

Unknown: Oh, you know who I am. We got pretty close to each other on Saturday night. ;)

I couldn't help the smile that claimed my face.

Ebony: Hey, Alex. What could I possibly have that is yours? x

I quickly saved his number and set my phone aside, focusing my attention on Jez.

"You were saying I seem different..."I pressed, taking a sip from my latte.

Jez nodded. "Yeah. I can't put my finger on it though."

My phone chimed with a message, taunting in its arrival. Its positioning was in Jez's direct line of sight, gifting him the perfect opportunity to read Alex's reply.

Alex: You appear to still have my boxers in your bedroom from Saturday night. May I stop by tonight and retrieve them?

"You didn't?" he asked, eyes widening. "Ebony, what the fuck?"

I snatched my phone away, hiding the screen in a fruitless attempt to undo the last thirty seconds.

"You shouldn't read other people's texts!"

"And you shouldn't be screwing the brother of the guy you're supposedly in love with!"

His sneer didn't sit well with me.

"Watch your tone, Jez!" I advised, pissed. "Don't speak to me like I'm a child who doesn't know what she's doing."

"Do you know what you're doing?" he asked, still sneering. "Because you're definitely going to get heartbroken if you continue this affair."

Affair!

"Can you hear yourself?" I asked, red with rage. "You're making me out to be some home wrecker. Yes, I slept with Alex and yes, I liked it. Will I do it again?" I asked, struggling to catch breath. "Possibly. That's a decision I will make. Not you, not Jason. Me."

I grabbed my coffee, grateful that I had taken the liberty to get it in take-out form and stormed out the building in a hot rage. I was unable to wrap my head around his judgemental attitude.

What an ass!

Treating me as though I was a child, incapable of making my own decisions was a hard limit of mine. An absolute no-no. I was aware my predicament was sticky. Alex and Jason were brothers and for that reason alone, I should be steering in the opposite direction. But, honestly, I didn't want to. And Jez's insistence that I do only made me all the more determined.

I deserved a little fun after working my ass off for three years, solid. I deserved to be wanted. Desired. So what if the person offering me that also happened to be related to Jason?

Alex was right. I was going after the wrong brother.

Well, not anymore.

****

Yes, girl! Get it!

What do we think about Jez and his reaction? He's too protective sometimes but means well.