Sweet Little Lies

by Hollyfield, J. D.

  Evan returns with a cup in his hand. “Here you go, madam.” I take a swig, trying to hide the burn of the cheap booze. “So, what’s your vice tonight? Physics or psychology? You know, I could help you with physics if you’d like.”

  I grunt, pulling my physics book out of my backpack. “At this point, I’m not sure there’s any hope for me in that class. I’ve missed too much and blew off the extra assignment he gave me. I’m not sure there’s any saving me now.”

  Evan claps his hands. “Never say never. How about we go into my room and let them work on psychology. I will work my magic and get you where you need to be.”

  I’m hesitant. Being alone with him in his room doesn’t sound like a good idea.

  “I promise I’ll be a complete gentleman. Studying only. I’m actually trying to get back together with Green Dress Girl, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to hit on me or make any moves.”

  He wears a goofy grin, and I roll my eyes at his ridiculous way of bringing me comfort.

  “Sure. Whatever you say. Hands to myself.” I can’t help but let a soft chuckle fall off my lips as we gather our things and drinks and head down the small hallway. We enter his bedroom, and I’m not surprised to find a typical college guy’s room: unmade bed, sports stuff everywhere, and in desperate need of someone to do his laundry. He throws a bunch of things off his bed, making space for me. I try to search for a better place to study, like a desk, but have no luck.

  “Sorry, it’s a little messy. Okay! So, what’s the last thing you have? We’ll go from there.”

  He gets right to business, and I find myself easing up a little. I set my stuff down, placing my cup on his nightstand. I open my notebook and groan, seeing how far I’m behind.

  “You sure you want to do this?” I ask. “This might be a pet project you’re going to regret later.”

  His hands go over his heart as he dramatically sighs. “How can anyone regret helping you?” He opens his physics book, and we get started.

  Time gets away from us, and before I know it, it’s close to one in the morning. We’re still heavily studying, but in between chapters, we find ourselves laughing at each other’s lame jokes and making small talk about our lives. I share minimal details, trying to stay away from the still bleeding wounds of Gabriel. Evan tries to pry about Violet and our psychology professor, but I keep to the basics of what was printed in the local paper. He lets it go but tries to be sly and asks me about a boyfriend. I keep my breathing steady when I tell him I don’t have time for one, hoping this time he gets my hint.

  “Fine, fine… Hey, you look like you’re on empty. I’ll be right back.” Evan excuses himself to fill our drinks for the third time. I should probably decline. I’m a bit drunk, and this is not the best environment for me to be in while intoxicated. It takes him a bit longer to return, so I grab my phone to jump on social media and keep myself busy. That’s when I notice the three missed calls, all from Gabriel.

  My heart races. My nerves are like a tight rubber band snapping as I contemplate calling him back. Why is he calling me? Why now? He hasn’t left a voicemail, and it kills me needing to know why he’s calling. Don’t do it, Hazel. He’s just going to suck you into his web of sweet lies.

  Evan returns, and I toss my phone in my backpack. Forgetting my own warning signs about overdrinking, I accept his hefty pour of booze, tip my head back, and down the entire cup.

  “Whoa there, cowboy.”

  I wipe the excess alcohol off my lips. “Sorry, I was just…” What am I doing? I need to get out of here. “You know what, it’s been a long night, and my head is at its limit with physics equations. Maybe we should call it a night—”

  “No way! We just got started. Plus, everyone in the living room is deep into a study session. It doesn’t look like Violet is anywhere near ready to go.” His comment throws me off. I know Violet takes school seriously, but considering the time, she’s probably just as concerned about getting home and not pissing off my dad for being out too late.

  “Yeah, well…maybe I should just go check on her and touch base. It’s late, and we have a full day of classes tomorrow.” Standing up, I sway on my feet. My hand immediately clutches the bed so I don’t fall into the nightstand.

  “Hey, be careful. You okay there?”

  My eyesight starts to blur. “Yeah, shit. That last drink must have put me over the edge.” My vision goes in and out. “Man, sorry. I think I just need to…” What the hell?

  “Hey, why don’t you just sit down for a second. Let me get you some water.” I allow him to guide me back onto his bed, as if I have a choice, and rest my heavy head, needing the room to stop spinning. I close my eyes, and everything goes black.

  Gabriel

  I’m on the verge of exploding. Destroying everything and everyone in my path. Why does she have to be so goddamn childish? So naive? So fucking gullible to think this would end up anyway but bad?

  I need to fucking see her. I need her to realize she’s mine. If we came out, she no longer would be.

  I demand control in all aspects of my life. It’s how I stay on top of my career and my sex life. The second she stepped into my world, she ruined that. She broke down my steel walls and invaded a part of me I didn’t know existed.

  She loves me. She doesn’t know what she’s saying. She should never love a man like me.

  I pace my house having turned down a night at Exquisite, consuming more scotch than needed. She’s destroying my grip on control, and that angers the fuck out of me. She chose to walk out. This is her decision. But here I am, blowing up her phone, needing to hear her voice, demanding she understands my side of this tragic ending.

  Heath and I met on the first day of college. Two arrogant fucks who didn’t give a shit about anything but becoming the best while getting laid as much as possible. We drank like fish and went through women like kids go through candy. We were the same from the start—even when we both decided to get our acts together. We may have been playboys, but we were smart, driven, go-fucking-getters.

  Together, we each created a plan knowing the second we got out of college, we would start building our empire. I was quicker off the starting line, making my first million off a land deal, but he was right behind me. Deal after deal, company after company, we each climbed the corporate ladder until we found ourselves at the top. Business became second nature to us, and we stopped counting the dollar signs. There were just too many to count. We had so much damn money, it was sick. But through it all, we remained trustworthy to one another. And in this business, you only need one person you trust.

  I hated his wife, Rebecca, right off the bat. She was a lying, cheating cunt, and I saw through all her bullshit. I was more than glad Heath threw her ass to the curb. She was a horrible wife and an even worse mother to Hazel. I always wondered what would’ve come of Hazel if she’d had two present parents. Probably wouldn’t have fallen for a bastard like myself.

  Heath did the best he could, but no matter his attempt to put Hazel first, work always took precedence.

  There was no hiding her sadness. She tried hard to pretend she was this perky little kid, unfazed by the abuse from her mother and absence of her father. But damn, as she got older, the more resilient she actually became. She grew up to be the most beautiful, talented, strong-willed woman.

  “Fuck,” I growl, taking my crystal glass and whipping it at the fireplace. What the hell have I done? I know I can’t let her go, but my friendship with Heath means too much.

  I’ve never failed at anything. But right now, I feel trapped with no win in sight. And her avoiding me has created this monster that’s ready to slay anyone who gets in the way of putting her back in her cage. Because she’s fucking mine. I can’t stop myself as I dial her number a fourth time. It rings three times, and I clench my fists, expecting it to go to voicemail again. Then the line connects.

  “Hello?” A male voice has me pulling away to stare at my phone. I must’ve dialed the wrong number. When I s
ee Hazel’s name across my screen, I freeze, my blood chilling at the mere thought of her being…

  “S’up? Hello? You there?”

  I don’t say anything. I can’t trust myself to. I listen for Hazel’s voice but hear nothing but this motherfucker’s deep breathing.

  “Dude, bro, why do you keep calling? She obviously doesn’t want to talk to you. Kind of fucked up. You should really get the hint. Don’t worry, I got her. I’ll take real good care of her.”

  Before I can threaten him, he hangs up on me.

  Hazel

  I stir in bed while it feels like boulders smash inside my head. Opening my eyes, I move to rub my temples and freeze. The view around me is wrong. “What the—?” I shoot up to a sitting position, dizziness almost knocking me back down.

  “Hey, morning. Thought you were going to sleep the day away.” My eyes lock on Evan dressed in a pair of sweats and a school football shirt. I scan the room. Why? How?

  “What do you mean? Did I sleep here?” Oh god, why am I in his room? I fight back a wave of nausea, my hands grazing down my body. Thank God. I’m still in my own clothes.

  “You passed out. Swear, I was a perfect gentleman.”

  “What do you mean I passed out?” There’s no way I would have. “Violet? Is she still here?” There’s no way she would have left me.

  “Yeah, she left last night. Tried to wake you up, but you were out. I told her to let you sleep. I slept on the couch.” This is not happening. I reach for my phone to check the time or see if I have a text from Violet—anything that explains this bizarre turn of events. I scroll through my log. He called again, but it’s not showing up as a missed call.

  “Did you answer my phone?” I snap.

  “Um, yeah, he kept calling. I thought it was important.”

  “And? Did he say anything?””

  “No…he hung up on me. That family friend again? What kind of friend is he exactly?”

  Fuck! I scramble out of his bed, searching for my things. “Where’s my backpack? I have to go.” How could Violet leave me here?

  “It’s…it’s out in the living room. What’s wrong? Nothing happened, I swear.”

  It doesn’t matter. If I thought we were done before, Evan just put the final nail in my coffin. I grab my things and race out of there. My head is jumbled, caught in the fog of last night. Why would Violet leave me there? I run through campus, ignoring the stares, and dash into our dorm. When I burst into our room, Violet is sliding on her jacket.

  “Hey—”

  “Don’t fucking hey me,” I snap. “What the fuck, Violet?”

  Her brows shoot up. “What do you mean what the fuck? What’s your problem?”

  “Why did you leave me there?” I scream, confused.

  “Haze, I texted you and told you I was leaving. You texted back saying you wanted to stay.”

  “No, I didn’t. I never would’ve said that.” I scramble for my phone and scroll through my text messages, finding the one I apparently sent her saying I would work through the night with Evan and to take off without me. “No way. I would have never sent this.” Would I have?

  This doesn’t make sense. I was really tired, and I had too much to drink. Maybe I was just too exhausted to leave. I trusted him, right?

  “Hazel, you’re starting to scare me.”

  “Well, I’m freaking out!” I yell, causing her to jump.

  “Did something happen? Did Evan do something to you?”

  Did he? He wouldn’t. I’m just so stressed out. I knew I shouldn’t have drank with everything on my mind. “No, it’s just…I’m not right. I must have just passed out.”

  “Hazel, I’m not sure what’s going on. I’ve been super patient with you, but I’m done waiting for you to come around. Tell me what’s going on, or I’m telling Heath.”

  “Are you kidding me?” I snap.

  “No! I’m worried about you! You’re not okay. If you won’t open up to me then—”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I can’t. Because when I do, it will change everything.”

  She comes up to me, cupping my shoulders. “Whatever it is you’re going through, you can’t do it alone. Not anymore. You’re suffering. I see it daily.” I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut. I can’t tell her. Once this secret is out, I can’t take it back. It will no longer be our dirty little—

  “Hazel, tell me. Are you in some kind of trouble? Did someone do something—”

  “No, it’s nothing like that.” She waits for me to explain, but I stay silent. I don’t even know where to start. She squeezes me again and wraps me in her arms. The weight of my secret and the pain I’m carrying becomes too much, and I break down and cry.

  “Oh, Hazel, it kills me to see you this way. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.”

  “I’m sleeping with my dad’s best friend,” I cry, hiccupping into her shoulder.

  “Oooh…okay, wow. Didn’t expect that. That’s bad.”

  “I know.” I sob harder.

  “Oh, Hazel, how did this happen? Did he force you—”

  I instantly pull away. “No. It’s not like that. I pursued him.” Her brows raise in shock. “I flirted and taunted him until he finally gave in, and now…”

  “Jesus, don’t tell me you’re pregnant.”

  I shake my head. “No, but he cut it off. He told me we could never be together because of Dad. He stole my heart and claimed every part of me, and then let me go. He doesn’t want me anymore.” I lose it again, and Violet captures me in her arms, letting me soak her shirt.

  “Haze, this…this…maybe he’s right. Heath—your dad, he will murder Gabriel if he caught wind. This…this isn’t like—”

  “You and my dad? I know. Gabriel’s made that very clear. Unlike you, we don’t get our happily ever after.” I pull away, needing space.

  “Hey,” she says to me, “that’s not fair.”

  Shit. I’m a jerk. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. It’s just…I want it to be like you and Dad. I want us to be okay. I want us both to go to my dad. He has to understand. I did for him and—”

  “Hazel, I get where you’re coming from, and I agree with you, but you have to understand. You’re his daughter, his only child, who he loves and would do anything to protect. Gabriel is his best friend. Shit, as far as I can tell, his only friend.” We both chuckle, knowing how true that is. “This will truly crush him. It will be like being stabbed in the back and front. I…I don’t know what to say here, but I…I…shit…” Dropping her bag, she goes to our mini-fridge and pulls out our mini bottles of vodka. She twists off the top of one, hands it to me, then grabs another and takes a swig.

  “Fuck,” I grunt, the liquor unsettling my already weak stomach.

  “Fuck is right. I mean…Gabriel, huh?” She turns to me, her curious stare asking for more.

  “Yeah.” I throw myself in my chair. “He’s so powerful, and ruthless, and dominating. He’s this entity in my world that breathes life into me. He’s attractive and kind in this broody sort of way. He handles me with utter care yet dominates me in a way I can’t even put into words. He…owns me. And I’m in love with him.” Forgetting my upset stomach, I swallow the rest of the shot.

  Violet does the same, looking just as lost. We’re both quiet for some time before she breaks the silence. “So, what’s your plan?”

  “I don’t have one.”

  “Have you talked to him about any of this?”

  That question has my bottom lip quivering, remembering the missed call and Evan answering. “No.” I wipe at my wet face. “He called me last night, but I guess I passed out. Evan said he kept calling, so he answered. Gabriel didn’t say anything, then hung up.”

  “Oh shit.”

  “Yeah. So, who knows what he thinks. He had rules, and I disobeyed.” Her brow raises again, her eyes widening, but I hesitate to further explain. She has that do-tell expression on her face, but I’m not rea
dy to share those details. “I just want to talk to him. Tell him it’s not what he thinks. I love him. Maybe I am being selfish. I’m asking him to give up everything to be with me. Maybe that makes me the one in the wrong.”

  Violet comes up to me, placing her hand on my shoulder. “I think you’re acting human, like anyone who has a heart would. I think he is too. There’s a lot at stake. I can’t lie to you and tell you things will work out because let’s be honest, I’m scared for you, but whatever happens, I’ll support you. I’ll do what I can to smooth things over with your dad. But I think you need to talk with Gabriel. Do you know he doesn’t want this?”

  His silence tells me so. “He let me leave without a fight.”

  “Maybe he was torn. Maybe he didn’t know how to react. Guys are dumb sometimes, no matter how old they are.” She gets a sly smile out of me. “What do you want to do?”

  I say the first thing that comes to me. “I want to talk to him.”

  Violet nods. “Then let’s go talk to him.”

  I sit up straighter. “Wait—as in go home?”

  “Yep. Screw classes. Let’s hop in the car and drive to his place. Or work. Or…shit, do you know where he would be?”

  I put some thought into the day and time. “Normally, he works from home.” She nods and grabs for her purse and keys. “Wait, what will Dad say? What are you going to tell him?”

  “Nothing. We can be in and out, and I’ll be home before he calls. Our little secret.”

  My eyes tear up. “You’re willing to do that? Lie for me?”

  “It’s not a lie. It’s forgetting the truth.” She winks at me, then pulls me from my seat and drags me to her car as we make the short trek home.

  It’s early evening by the time we pull into Gabriel’s driveway. I relay the code to Violet, the gate opens, and we pull up to his lavish estate. Violet gasps. “Is he from some kind of royal descent?” She pushes her head into the windshield, staring up at the house.