True Intention

Ch 38- Janet Intrudes...

Soren POV

I was enjoying a spot in the student lounge area where I'd first approached Nao, sketching. I was working on yet another tattoo design, this time a delicate orchid for her shoulder blade. I was very focused while I waited. She was getting her food and should be showing up any minute. A shadow fell across my art pad and I smirked. My nose should have warned me before I spoke, because the overdone perfume was a clear indication that it was not my fiancee.

"How the roles have reversed, huh?" I quipped, still thinking it was my girl. And then I looked up.

Ever have that person in life that just seeing their face stresses you out? This was mine.

Shit. It was Janet.

"What the f**k do you want?" I demanded, sitting up and setting aside my work.

"Well, that was certainly a change in tone. And here I thought you would be happy to see me, baby." She purred. I immediately felt gross. And then my eyes met Nao's over her shoulder. f**k.

I just hoped this i***t didn't ruin all the work I'd done to win over my girl and put a ring on her finger.

Especially given that there was absolutely no comparison in terms of attractiveness between the two.

Is it terrible that I was glad Nao had dressed up a little today? She wore a mini black and gray plaid pleated skirt with a black studded belt and chains. She also wore a cropped black scoopneck baby tee, and black over the knee socks with black converse and her studded leather bracelets. It was warm enough she'd tucked her black hoodie into her messenger bag. Her hair was long and loose, with just her spiked black leather headband. Her makeup was on point too, with a black and ivory cut crease and nude lip gloss. I'd drooled when I saw her this morning.

I could look at her all day and be totally happy.

Janet noticed my glance and looked over her shoulder at where Nao stood. She looked back at me and smirked. Nao, quickly picking up on the situation, slid past her and sat in the seat next to mine and leaned over to kiss my cheek. It was possessive move, and I definitely appreciated the action. I was delighted she wanted to claim me.

I was wearing a tee myself, and my lotus tattoo was on full display as my arms rested on my legs. Janet spied the ink and flapped her fake eyelashes. I'm not knocking falsies, ladies, I just hate when they look like a mini post-it stuck to your eyelids.

And seriously, who ever thought flapping eyelashes at all was cute or attractive?

It just looked vacuous, to me.

"Nice ink, Ren." She cooed in a syrupy sweet voice that set me on edge. Nao grinned and lifted her own arm to display her identical lotus. Janet's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, person who has not introduced herself yet, pretty sweet matching one, huh? He made it for us." She quipped, all confidence. "I'm Naomi, by the way. Ren's fiancee." It was great to see her looking so sure of herself. We'd all worked hard to get here, and I just hoped that dumbass Janet didn't cause problems. Janet scoffed, shrugging one shoulder.

"No, honey. I'm Janet, and I'm Ren's fiancee. I mean, he promised to take care of me when we thought there was a baby. You're nobody. Right, Renipoo?" She flipped her shoulder-length and carefully curled lavender hair and turned to me like she actually thought I was going to agree. It's really weird how people have such selective memories, sometimes. I don't get it. I took Nao's hand in mine and laced our fingers together.

"Nope." I said, popping the p. "I broke up with you, oh, two years ago? It's been so long I don't think I remember the exact date. Think it was longer actually, because we only dated for two months. It's what, March now?" Nao nodded. "Naomi and I are engaged, and I have no plans on that changing. We're getting married once we graduate. And if you call me any pet name, of any kind again, I'll report you for harassment." Janet just stared at me, rage pouring out of her eyes.

Fucking delulu. What is wrong with people, seriously? What is with these people laying claims where they don't belong?

"You can't do this to me." She said shrilly, her voice on the verge of breaking, her lower lip trembling. "I was your first." She said as if somehow that revelation changed everything. It didn't. Nao snorted.

"Which you totally disrespected by f*****g anyone that asked you." I said directly. I'm not playing this game with this chick. She was a total mess. I kinda felt bad for her, since I could tell she needed emotional help, but her problem wasn't mine. I had zero obligation to care after the s**t she pulled. If she thought I didn't catch on that she wasn't actually pregnant once her period came- which she called a miscarriage, she's dumber than I thought. I shuddered at the thought that my d**k had ever gotten within a foot of her.

"I never said we were exclusive." She sniffed, as if her words made sense, and Nao's jaw dropped. Oh boy.

That statement was gonna go over like a lead f*****g balloon.

"Are you f*****g kidding me?" Nao exclaimed, jumping to her feet, panting with outrage. "Listen, I mean this in the nicest possible way I can when some chick with no morals is trying to snatch my man, but you seriously need some help. Therapy, maybe some kind of retreat or something. But you can't just act like this and not even remotely take any responsibility for your own behavior. Ren owes you nothing, not a bit. You probably won't hear me, but you have to own that s**t if you want to become a better person. Nobody else can do it for you."

Janet's eyes grew wide and wild as she whirled on Naomi, stomping closer. She was breathing hard, and I could see she was about to come unhinged. Nao stood her ground. Thank God there was nobody here to put all this s**t on socials. Jeez. When Janet lifted a hand to slap Nao, my girl smirked. Oh, I see, if Janet hits her first... she can retaliate. Nice, though I didn't much like the idea of this b***h laying a hand on my girl. Janet was bi, after all. Probably because it was just the attention she wanted, the who was irrelevant. A resounding clap was heard as her hand landed, and Nao was fast as lightning to tackle her, holding her arms behind her back and face in the floor.

She's lucky Nao is so skilled, because she did it so well that Janet didn't hurt anything but her pride.

"Very nice takedown babe." I praised Nao as Janet shrieked in rage as she thrashed to try and escape. It's always funny when people with no martial arts skills try to do anything against someone that's studied thoroughly. Silly.

"Thanks, Ren. Always nice to put all this training to actual use." She grinned at me with a wink. "So, Janet, you gonna behave yourself or do we need to call Lou?"

"Who the f**k is Lou?" Janet yelled. Nao gave me a look as if to ask what I thought she should do, and I shrugged. She giggled, realizing just how little I had bothered with Janet even when we were seeing each other. I could not even call it dating, because we didn't get to know each other at all, or go anywhere except my bed. I shuddered again. Looking in the face of the person I regretted giving even a greeting to, ever, was pretty damn uncomfortable.

There was a lot more to it, but I didn't feel like examining any more of the past at the moment.

Things that needed to be addressed, but... not right now.

"Lou is one of the security guys here, and he'd be more than happy to detain you for assault, which in case you didn't know, slapping counts." At Janet's gasp and sudden silence Nao laughed out loud. "Not so aggressive when there's a consequence, hmm? Perhaps that's just what you need. Ren, can you message Lou?" She asked me and I nodded, watching Nao just... sit on Janet as if she had nothing better to do, legs crossed rather elegantly. In less than five minutes, Lous had arrived.

He sighed when he laid eyes on Janet, hands on his hips.

"You kids sure do attract the worst hangers-on, hmm?" He said ironically. He was a funny guy, but right now I just wanted this b***h out of my sight. Something in his tone though, made it clear this was not the first time he'd met Janet.

"Oh, you know her?" I said and he nodded.

"She's been in our office plenty of times. Can't disclose the details, of course, but let's just say she's got issues." His expression showed weariness. Must have really dealt with her a lot, then. Hmm. Janet looked pissed as she glared at Lou, then at me.

"You're friendly with this motherfucker?" She screeched at me, as Naomi handed her over to the security agent. I lifted a brow. I'd known Lou since I was a kid. He was a good man, who did his job with a commitment to ethics that was rarely seen in this day and age. I don't know how it could possibly be a bad thing that I knew him.

Not that I cared what she thought either way.

"Yeah. He works for my dad's company. Known him since I was a kid. You got a problem?" I snarked, totlly done with her total bullshit. She looked from him to me and suddenly looked terrified. Lous smirked, and it was rare to see him enjoy someone's discomfort, but he clearly did in Janet's case.

"That's right, kiddo. Anytime he wants, he can find out everything, if he didn't already." Lou said cryptically as he pulled her away. Ah, guess that means I need a hack on her. Fun? Hard to say. I sent off an email with the request.

In less than an hour her file was sitting in my inbox, ready and waiting for my perusal. There was a lot of data, and I was surprised to see the size of it, even before I got ready to dive in.

Before I could do it though, I took a shower, feeling the need to wash away some of the gross feeling that dealing with the woman gave me. I didn't normally shower in the middle of the day, between classes, but it felt totally necessary. I scrubbed my skin as my experiences with Janet flooded my memory, making me rush to the toilet, naked and wet, losing everything in my stomach.

As gross as it was, I felt better after my body was purged and scrubbed. Janet had always made me feel dirty, and it was no surprise that I felt it on a physical level. I had to be stronger. It was the past, and I was never going to let her hurt me again.

Steeling myself, I dried off. It was time to face the music.

I knew she was full of s**t, but I guess I was going find out just how much,