The Bodyguard

Chapter 2 - A Bigger Mess

 I arrive at James’ house a little after 6pm and I ring the doorbell. He answers in sweatpants and a tight black t-shirt. He’s quite cute with his messy, dirty blonde hair and deep blue eyes. I can see why he usually gets the girls when he’s out with Jason and the boys. He’s short, but he has a great body and an infectious personality to match. It’s hard not to like him.

He’s not for me though. He lives with his parents who are total hippies. They go on long travelling trips in their van and fill the house with alcohol and food before they go. They allow him have insane parties that last all night and their house is always messy, but filled with fun. James knows where he’s going in life and what he wants next about as much as I do, the only difference is he doesn’t care. He lives for the present and is comfortable with that.

I follow him inside and sit on the plush, beige sofa that is littered with mismatched cushions.

“I ordered pizza. Extra olives.” He smiles at me, his wide smile revealing perfect shiny white teeth.

“Thanks, my favourite.” I reply. I don’t think I’m hungry, I just feel empty, but I don’t say anything since I don’t want to appear rude.

“I know it is. So, what did the girl look like?” He says frowning.

“Fake blonde hair, dressed like a w***e with ridiculously long fake nails. Like seriously, is there anything about that b***h that isn’t fake?” I say with complete venom.

“That’s Shona, I can’t believe he’s kissing her now, she’s so yuk!” he says in disbelief.

“What?! She’s not the girl you were telling me about?’

‘The girl I mentioned last week was Cassie, who isn’t much better to be honest.” He admits shaking his head.

“There are two of them!” I exclaim with horror. “Jason has been seeing two girls behind my back?!”

“Sadly, it seems so, yes. I just don’t get it...” he doesn’t get to finish his sentence because the doorbell rings.

He leaves and I hear him talking to the delivery guy briefly before he comes back in holding a huge pizza box. The smell is really getting to me and I know I can’t listen to any more until I’ve eaten. I shove mouthful after mouthful into my mouth and only slow down once I’m on the third slice. I now realise the emptiness was partly hunger.

I notice James watching me with an expression of amusement mixed with awe at the speed and amount I’ve put away. At this point I’m so hungry and I already look a mess so I don’t care.

“So these two sluts.” I say steering the conversation back and apparently my anger hasn’t gone anywhere. “How long has this been going on for?”

“As far as I know only a couple of weeks. It was like...” he stops and suddenly looks embarrassed.

“What?”

“It’s like after he lost his virginity and you seemed to think he was pretty good, he thought he was god’s gift to women.” He says quietly avoiding my eyes.

“He told you about that?!” My eyes are wide with horror.

“Of course. It’s just guy talk,’ he shrugs as if it’s nothing, “but it was like once he got the confidence to have s*x with you he wanted to see how many girls he could bed. His ego just took over and I don’t recognise him anymore.” He shifts uncomfortably.

“Have you got any alcohol?” I blurt out. I could really do with something to numb the pain and help me forget everything I’m hearing.

“I think my parents have some tequila in the cupboard.” He shouts the last few words as he’s already in the kitchen looking.

He returns with the bottle and two small glasses. I watch him as he pours into them and we both down the large shots, trying it to wince as the strong liquor burns our throats. He pours another into both glasses and I down mine while he sips his thoughtfully.

He finally breaks the silence, “what will you do?”

“I’m breaking up with him that’s for sure. I can never trust him now. I don’t want to set eyes on him ever again.” I can hear the anger in my voice, but at least I’m not crying anymore.

He refills my glass with a strange expression on his face. “If you don’t see Jason again then does that mean I won’t get to see you? I’d hate for you to become a stranger, I’ve kinda got used to you hanging out with us now.”

“I don’t know. Jason’s your best friend and I need to cut ties with him completely. It would hurt way too much to keep seeing him.” I say honestly.

“That would be a real shame because I really like you.” At these words, my eyes shoot up and his piercing blue eyes are staring into mine and I’m starting to feel like I can’t breathe properly.

I freeze because I am caught totally off guard by his admission. He puts his glass down and moves over to me. He takes my hand and looks into my eyes and says, “I’ve always liked you Kristen, I couldn’t tell you before because Jason met you first and it would have been wrong while you were with him, but now he’s treated you so badly that I don’t even feel guilty about letting you know.”

I look at our hands, which are entwined, and then at my glass before I down my drink. I’m suddenly feeling like I don’t care anymore and it doesn’t matter what I do because this whole situation is f****d anyway. I put the glass carefully on the coffee table in front of me and after a few seconds my eyes finally meet his again. I look from his eyes to his lips and the space between us is shrinking somehow. I know he’s going to kiss me and I kind of want him to. It feels like a revenge kiss on my part, like some sort of justice, but that doesn’t bother me.

I feel my eyes close slowly as I feel his breath on my face. He stops an inch before my lips as if in a dilemma. He pauses for what feels like minutes and I dare not open my eyes, but then I hear him whisper, “f**k it” before his lips meet mine.