Twisted City: (Twisted City Book 1)

by Rebekah Vasick

  She reaches out to grasp his shoulder, allowing her hand to slide down his arm until she finds his hand.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I should have invited you to dance with us,” she says.

  Only then does he look at me, wearing a forlorn expression. “As long as Eva doesn’t mind.”

  What am I supposed to say? “No, you can’t. Now leave us alone”? Despite Patsy’s reassurances of John, I still need to process all I’ve witnessed tonight.

  “Why don’t you two have some time alone? I need to go sit down and have a drink after my performance,” I say, scuttling away before either of them can respond.

  I squeeze through the crowd and find Angelo sitting in his usual position, with his hand resting along the back of the sofa, drumming his fingertips. I watch him, admiring his beauty.

  Though he’s watching Jane perform, he diverts his attention elsewhere, something he never does when I perform. After glancing around the room, he takes his phone from his inside pocket and taps on the screen, before returning it to its place of residence. He retrieves the tumbler from the table where he swirls the amber liquid before swallowing the drink. I expect him to return the glass to the table, but instead, he rises from the sofa.

  Once he notices me standing a few feet from him, a curve appears on his lips. “Hey,” he calls over. “I was going for another drink. Want one?”

  I sashay over to him and gaze into his ocean pools. My lips curve spontaneously as the hummingbird makes her appearance. “Sure. Want company?”

  “With you? Always,” he says, slipping an arm around my back to rest his hand on my hip. With ease, he guides me through the crowd.

  Before we reach the bar, Mary readies fresh glasses of whiskey and Coke.

  “I’m sorry. I planned to bring these over, but everyone ordered drinks the moment you finished,” she explains.

  “No worries, Mary,” Angelo tells her. “We’ve got legs.”

  I scrutinize her interactions with Angelo and notice something I hadn’t earlier. She allows her fingers to flutter to her curving lips, while her eyes glimmer as she looks at him. Though she doesn’t trip over her tongue, as I’ve seen many a girl do, she certainly emits a desire for him. Maybe if Patsy was watching this, she would retract her statement about mine and Angelo’s intimacy. Clearly, Angelo brings out an amorous characteristic dwelling within all women. However, it also creates jealousy within me.

  Angelo positions himself behind me, warming my back. After returning his empty glass to the bar, he rests his hands on my hips, though I no longer want to evade him. I turn my head to face him and nuzzle his neck with the tip of my nose. I lose myself within his fragrance, his touch, and forget Mary is witnessing our indiscretion. All jealousy evaporates as he displays his desires to be with me and no other.

  He kisses my forehead. “Shall we?” he asks.

  I lean away to allow our gazes to lock. A smile slinks across my lips as my eyelashes flutter, provoking a longing desire to emanate from his eyes. His hands slip from my hips to gather our glasses before leading us back to our empty table.

  “Your friends are still dancing,” he says.

  Do I detect a hint of relief in his voice? Though to be honest, I felt relieved to find the table empty myself.

  After settling our drinks on the table, he gestures with an open hand for me to sit, though I can’t abstain from gazing at him, nor can he as he slides in beside me, gliding his hand along the back of the sofa to rest on my shoulder. As he seals the gap between us, he lowers his head to allow his lips to caress my ear. I inhale his scent and allow my eyes to flutter closed, no longer caring who witnesses us or what they may think.

  “Patsy’s a nice girl,” he notes. “But John—”

  I turn my head towards him, allowing the tip of my nose to glide along his cheek until my own lips caress the softness of his ear. “Let’s not talk about them right now,” I breathe.

  Did his breath just shudder?

  The hummingbird flutters around my chest, creating a loud thrumming to pound in my ears.

  Kiss him! she screams, though I’m too timid to pursue it.

  “What do you want to talk about then?” he asks.

  A curve caresses my lips. I’d rather not talk.

  My fingertips seem to have a mind of their own as they glide along his suit jacket, caressing the soft fabric. Once they reach the lapel, they seek for his tie, only to caress the warmth of his shirt until they reach his collar. All the while, his hot breath deepens as it flows down my neck, exciting me further.

  I lean back a little and gaze into his eyes, where I become mesmerized. My fingertips continue their journey, to caress his chin, feeling the slight stubbled heads protruding from his skin, before travelling along his cheek. I tenderly trace the outline of his jaw with my fingertip. One corner of his mouth curves, causing my gaze to fall to his lips. I moisten my lips as I envision kissing him. He leans into my touch, allowing the tips of our noses to touch. My lips part slightly as he glides his nose down the length of mine, while my eyes flutter closed.

  “Phew, I need to rest and have a drink,” Patsy sighs.

  With the spell broken, my eyes pry open and I sit away from Angelo, turning my face away from him, while he repositions himself away from me. A sharp, stabbing penetrates my stomach, while a hot blush stains my cheeks, and I’m sure I resemble a glowing beacon right now.

  Patsy slides along the sofa to meet me in the corner.

  “Everything okay?” she asks.

  With my face lowered, my hair cascades around my face, concealing the glow of my cheeks.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” I mumble.

  I glance past her to find John has taken his position on her other side. The forlorn expression he wore on the dance floor has vanished.

  “So, what have you two been up to?” He wears a smirk.

  We almost kissed! That’s what we’ve been up to.

  Icy tendrils slither around my spine. My vision obscures from the fresh coat of tears. How can I do this to Alice? What the hell’s wrong with me?

  A sudden wave of nausea penetrates my stomach. I need to get some fresh air. I twist my body towards Angelo, though I refuse to look at him. “Excuse me, I need a moment,” my voice quivers.

  Angelo remains silent as he vacates the sofa, granting me access.

  With my head lowered, concealing my shame, I rush towards the office and burst through the door.

  Only the single desk lamp shines, emitting a dim glow around the room. Once the door closes, I rest my back against it and slide down and bury my face in my hands, sobbing.

  She’ll never forgive me. And why should she? I can’t forgive myself for this.

  A gentle tapping on the door disturbs me. With my tears on display, I rise to my feet and open the door enough to peer through the crack to find Angelo waiting on the other side. Of course, I allow him access; it’s his office after all, though I turn away from him once he’s inside.

  The warmth of his hands rests on my shoulders, while concern saturates his voice. “Eva, what’s wrong?”

  What’s wrong? Is he serious? We were moments away from cheating on his girlfriend, my best friend!

  I turn to face him with my head remaining low, though I gaze at him through my lashes, displaying the anguish on my face. “We can’t do this,” I whisper.

  He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair.

  “Okay,” he says before turning away from me.

  Mr. Thompson was right. He isn’t what he seems. He was ready, eager even, to cheat on Alice.

  “I’m sorry,” he says as he turns to face me, mirroring my anguish. “I’m not sure what happened, but I’ll respect your wishes.”

  My wishes? If only it was that simple. My wish is that things were different. That I could give in to what I feel for him. That I could lose myself in it and forget about the world around us. But that world exists, and my best friend, his girlfriend, is a prominent part of it.

  “Angelo,” I
whisper. “I’m sorry too, and I wish things were different.”

  A heavy sigh escapes his lips. “I told you before, you can talk to me, angel.”

  We remain frozen, locked within one another’s gaze, only this time, the hummingbird departs, leaving my chest to tear wide open. And now my wish is to rip out my heart and tear out my eyes, and maybe then I can have Angelo as a friend only.

  “Oh Eva,” Patsy gushes down the phone. “I had the best night ever. Thank you for letting me come.”

  “No problem. Though you realize it’s a nightclub, right? It’s open to the public,” I tell her.

  I stretch my arms and use the heel of my hand to rub the sleep from my eyes. I prefer the morning sunshine to wake me. This morning, however, I awoke to the sound of my singing phone. Of course, I don’t mind talking with Patsy in the morning. I’m just surprised considering I left her a few hours ago.

  “Yes, I understand that, but if I had gone alone, I would never have met Angelo Cappellini.” She squeals and I hold the phone several inches away from my ear until I hear her gratified sigh. “When I got home, I told Lucas everything. He couldn’t believe it!”

  “And Lucas was okay with all that?”

  “Actually, he was pretty jealous, but only because I met Angelo and he didn’t.” An onslaught of girlish giggles saturates my ear. “Did Angelo say anything else about last night? Oh, my gosh. When I said hello, I couldn’t stop talking. So embarrassing.”

  I smile at hearing the delight in my friend’s voice. “I haven’t spoken to him since we left, but I’m sure he didn’t notice any wacky babbling. Besides, you two seemed like you were best friends once you overcame your nerves.”

  The phone remains silent.

  “Patsy? You still there?”

  “Yeah. I needed a moment. I still can’t believe I sat and spoke to Angelo Cappellini.” Once again, I hold the phone away from my ear until she finishes squealing.

  “Are you free tonight?” I ask.

  “Yes.”

  “Alice and I are having a movie night. Want to join us?”

  “Poor Lucas will have to spend another night without me. But yes, I’d love to,” she tells me.

  “Great. Come over around six for pizza.”

  “I can’t wait. Talk soon.”

  “Bye, Patsy.”

  The phone slips from my hand and lands on the pillow.

  I rub at my eyes with my fingertips and stare at the ceiling. I rest my hands on my chest to drum a rhythmic beat with my fingertips and replay the events of last night.

  On mine and Angelo’s return from the office, neither Patsy nor John questioned our sudden disinterest in each other. Patsy resumed her pleasantries with Angelo, and to my astonishment, the anger within John vanished, allowing him to join in the conversation. But I soon noticed the cracks in his charade. A sly grin emerged on John’s lips the moment he realized the distance I put between Angelo and me; not only physically, but emotionally too.

  By the time we were ready to leave, Angelo gathered Patsy’s hand to leave a kiss behind.

  She looked ready to faint.

  When she remained frozen, I whispered a reminder to breathe into her ear and she took a sharp gasp of air.

  Though John and Patsy offered to share a taxi with me, I opted to travel alone, needing solitude to process the emotional night. As we stood at the front of the club to say our goodbyes, Patsy and I engaged in a brief hug, while I had to pry John away from me, again. To my amazement, Angelo swiftly took his place, holding me tightly to him. Of course, I clung to him and buried my face into the collar of his jacket, while he buried his in my hair. Despite our indiscretion, his friendship means the world to me.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  “Don’t be, angel,” he murmured.

  At that moment, I hated Alice for taking him from me.

  It dissolved once I climbed into the taxi because I realized I was trying to steal Angelo away from her.

  I roll to my side to stare out the window and curl my legs into my chest. The gray clouds gather, creating ominous shapes to glare back at me. The image of John with his forlorn expression slithers into my mind.

  I know John likes me. Until now, I’ve ignored it. Maybe the time has come for me to delve into the feelings I may have for him. Besides, I have to get rid of my feelings for Angelo before I lose him as my friend, or worse still, lose Alice.

  I conjure the image of my first encounter with John at the cafe. As I sat by the counter, John stood before me gazing into my eyes. Nothing about his facial features attracts me to him, except his eyes. Those warm, caramel cups expel kindness and love. Maybe if I disregard his flaws, I could find love for him.

  But what about last night with his hostile, possessive manner? No matter how hard I try, I can’t omit that.

  And, well, he isn’t Angelo. But that’s not his fault.

  I slide my eyes closed as the image of Angelo materializes in my mind. As he gazes at me, his ocean pools glimmer and the mischievous grin I adore dances across his lips.

  A single tear escapes its confinement and slides down my face to soak into my hair. Why do I continue to torture myself like this?

  A light tapping on my door dissolves the image. I wipe my eyes before resting myself on my elbows.

  “Come in,” I call out.

  The door creaks as Alice slips inside my room.

  “Morning, birthday girl,” she sings. “I heard you talking on the phone, so I knew you were awake.”

  I force a smile. “Thank you.”

  She ambles over to my bed with an envelope and gift, wrapped in baby-pink paper, nestled in her hand.

  “Alice,” I whine. “You know how I feel about birthdays.”

  She rests the gift and envelope on my bed and tightens the belt on her pink robe before she sits. “I know, but this time it’s different,” she insists. “You’re here with me, not with them.”

  I sit up and graze my hand down my face. “Fine, you win.”

  Her face lights up as the wide smile emerges. “Don’t worry, I didn’t spend a lot on the gift,” she says as she hands the package over.

  Once my fingertips grasp the gift, she covers her cheeks with her hands.

  With delicate movements, I open the package.

  “Oh, just rip it open,” Alice cries with excitement.

  A giggle escapes my lips before I obey her command.

  Beneath the pink paper, is a silver heart-shaped photo frame. Inside is a picture of Alice and me standing with our arms around each other’s shoulders.

  “This was the day I moved here,” I remember.

  “That’s right,” she says. “You changed my life that day as much as I changed yours.”

  I look into her sea-green eyes that glisten. I try to speak but no words emerge. I abandon the frame and lean forward to embrace her.

  “Thank you,” I whisper, just before my voice disappears, and I return to my original position.

  “There’s more in the card,” she whispers.

  I gather up the envelope and peer inside to discover a simple card with a child-like drawing of two friends standing side by side, smiling, with Happy Birthday written in thick, pink letters. Something slips from inside the card and lands in my lap. I gaze down to discover a silver chain with a pendant. I gather it and discover the pendant is half a heart with Friends etched on it. I wear a bewildered expression as I look at Alice.

  Without uttering a word, she removes a chain from the inside of her t-shirt. It is the other half of the heart with Best etched on it.

  “I know it’s pathetic, but—”

  “No, I love it,” I cut her off, putting the necklace on. “Alice, this is so sweet. Thank you.”

  “Well, enough with the sap. I need coffee. Will you join me?” she says before heaving herself from my bed.

  “Yeah,” I say, though I remain sitting with the photo nestled in my hands.

  I’m amazed by the changes that have occurred in the six mont
hs I’ve lived here, including my appearance. Back then, my face was gaunt from malnutrition and neglect. Though Alice matches my body size, the clothes she lent me hung loose, like sagging skin. Even my bedraggled hair lacked the rich auburn it has now. Despite my disheveled appearance, my smile beamed, nonetheless.

  Even Alice has changed considerably since that day. All along, I assumed my torturous past and running away had created the disarrayed Eva I once was. But now I realize that only played a small part, for Alice never shared that fate. It was the years of neglect we endured from those charged to love us. No wonder Alice said I helped her as much as she helped me. We gave each other something we both were lacking: love.

  With delicate precision, I rest the frame on my nightstand and heave myself from the bed. After putting a hoodie on, I join Alice’s side on the sofa. Already, she has her cup of coffee nestled between her palms.

  I rest my head on her shoulder. “I love you, Alice,” I say.

  She rests her head on mine. “I love you too.”

  “I invited Patsy to join us tonight.”

  She raises her head from mine. I turn to face her, resting my elbow on the back of the sofa and park my cheek against my fist.

  “What time is she coming?” she asks.

  “Around six.”

  “Sounds great. How did last night go?”

  A wide grin spreads across my face as I recall the events from last night. “Patsy had a great time. She gushed all over Angelo.”

  Alice’s eyes shift to her mug. Do I detect a hint of jealousy?

  “John, however, acted like a jerk.”

  She glances sideways at me. “Why?”

  I chew on the inside of my cheek and curl my legs up on the sofa, to rest my hand on my calf and play with my pajama leg. “It was bizarre,” I remember. “I introduced them to Angelo, and afterwards, John became hostile towards him and possessive over me. Then, he tried kissing me in front of Angelo and put his arm around me like we were dating, and why are you grinning?”

  Though she hides behind her cup, the creases in the corners of her eyes reveal everything.