Was it something I said? Torrie wondered watching him put his jacket back on.
“I just need some air.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek reassuring her everything was okay between them.
Way to go, Torrie, she whispered to herself.
《***》
“Get in here it's cold out there,” Ethan said letting Eileen inside to warm up her hands.
“Yeah, I know, thanks. I just wanted to see how you two are doing? And I brought lunch if you're hungry.”
Ethan puts the food down. She takes her coat off.
Footsteps came by as Michael came from the back. His face was beaming seeing her there. “H-hi,”
She smiles watching him. “Hi, see you're doing better,” she referred to his leg.
Ethan rolled his eyes turning away. It's so cute it's disgusting, he couldn't stand it.
“Yeah, doesn't hurt as much. Are you staying, or…” Michael hoped to spend some time with her after that kiss they experienced.
She didn't mind unless they already had planned without her. “If you two want. I could stay for a few hours. You can't be that bored without me.” She teased them with Ethan getting plates for the pizza she brought.
“Yes, please stay this cuteness between you two is more entertaining.” Ethan jokes.
“What are you talking about?”
Ethan scoffs. Both Michael and Eileen shared a glare nervous at each other.
“Please what you two are doing? You don't think I know what's going on?”
The two lovebirds shared the same abashed expression.
“W—we aren't doing,” her eyes glanced at the floor.
Ethan laughs. “I'm kidding guys.” Ethan walked into the living room. This is going to be fun, he thought.
《***》
Michael limped over towards her as they whispered among themselves. “Y—you didn't tell him anything did you?”
Eileen recalled how close their friendship is as of late. Eileen shook her head. Her brow rose at him. Wondering the same thing. “You did—?”
Michael shook his head as well. “We have nothing to worry about then, right?”
She glanced at Ethan for a moment before they joined him back on the couch ignoring his mind games. Ethan saw his phone vibrate. He glanced at it with a sigh as he rolled his eyes.
“Everything okay?” Eileen noticed his phone turned off.
《***》
“Fine, I kept getting some stupid texts notifications about some invitation to Kelli's party.” Ethan shrugs not sure what the deal was.
Eileen took a bite of her pizza.
Ethan shifted his eyes towards her after her silence. “Hey, you know it's just a dumb party. I wasn't even going to go at all.” Ethan reassured her. Parties were never his thing, to begin with. He could throw thousands of parties at his place to keep his popularity status with the team. He learned long ago, he doesn't need to be popular to fit in.
“I don't care if you decide to go or not. It's not up to me.” Eileen said in a snide tone. They weren’t dating anymore, right? She didn't have any right to tell him what to do.
Ethan raised his brow. He felt she was questioning his loyalty again. “Hey, I didn't say I was going to go. I know how you feel about Kelli.”
Michael remained quiet about this fight. He knew when to pick his battles. This wasn't one of those times.
“I told you I'm fine with what you want. If you want to go, then by all means, feel free to. I'm not going to be the one to stop you from having fun.” She got up from the couch. Sauntering into the kitchen.
He heard the tone in her voice rise. Ethan irked at Michael who remained silent shrugging his shoulders. Not ready to pick a side. “You aren't fine. Your attitude seems to be criticizing me.” Ethan who started to feel a little irked.
Eileen scowled folding her arms across her chest. “My attitude? I don't have one Ethan. I know how much being in the limelight means to you, you'd do whatever it takes. Thinking you own the place. Storming the halls like you were untouchable. Nobody would top you reign.” She paused her train of thought.
Feeling aggrieved about his past. Michael knew how close to home that was to him, much as it was to Ethan.
“That's the old me, Eileen.”
She raised her brow wondering, releasing a scoff. “Is it? Or are you trying to take back what you had?”
Unbelievable! He paced back and forth. Running a hand through his hair. “You'd actually accuse me of using everybody to what? Become the next Travis Bentley? Why would I want to envy him at all? You claim to be friends with me, but you don't know the first damn thing about me.” That was the first honest thing he admitted about himself.
She grabbed her jacket. “You're right. I never knew you from the start. Funny how I thought you wanted to be my friend. But, I should've known you were in Travis and Kelli's clique for months, even before you knew or even saw me.” She walked towards the door, but Ethan grabbed her hand stopping her. Her voice cracked as she asked this question. “Tell me something Ethan, do you report back to Travis or Kelli? After you hang out with me?”
Michael stood up wanting to defend but also, he started to doubt him. Reliving all his past encounters with the brothers. She released the grip before slapping him hard across the face. Her body was fuming with anger. She wasted enough time trying to help him.
“Hey Eileen, let him—” Michael started to say, but she opened the door to see Kasper standing there?
《***》
“Am I interrupting?” Kasper saw her flustered expression.
Looking back at her direction to see a dumbfounded Ethan stunned.
“Nope, he's all yours.” She stormed back out in the cold.
Michael grabbed his stuff following behind her. “I'm going to go make sure she's okay.”
Ethan nodded rubbing the back of his neck.
Kasper closed the door behind him. “You sure it's okay that I drop by?” Kasper asked.
Ethan sighs shrugging his shoulders. Not like he wanted any more drama today. “Yeah, I need the distraction. What's up?” Ethan went for another slice.
Offering Kasper some who nods walking over. “Just wanted to see how you were doing after what happened,”
Ethan remained silent chewing. “Just peachy,” Ethan told Kasper without uttering another word.
Kasper knew that tone far too well. “Girl trouble?”
Ethan needed something stronger to drink if he was going to keep wallowing in self-pity. Grabbing a beer from the fridge. Drinking he rarely does since he practices a lot. Trying to keep his position on the team. “Want one?” Ethan handed him one.
Kasper never turns down a beer, but he could tell something was bugging him. “Isn't it kind of early?” Kasper watched as Ethan chug a few sips.
“It's been a long weekend." After everything, they were through, wouldn't it be nice not to worry about anything for a change? Fair enough as Ethan had a point.
Kasper chugged back his beer. It felt so good right about now. He needed one after his information about Kelli.
Chapter 26
With only a few months left everybody was planning to celebrate. One person who wasn’t in a celebratory mood was Tiffani Alistair.
“You’re still pouting over what happened?” Morgan’s voice distracted Tiffani who had her eyes glued to one person in particular.
“How could you even ask me that?” She hissed as Morgan grinned.
“Face it Tiff, you got exactly what you deserved for playing them.” She pointed out her flaws.
“No, they only caught me off guard. It won’t happen again.” She gritted her teeth.
《***》
The night of the party Ivanna excused herself to change for tonight. As she left her house she was in her car when she texted Kate.
Ivanna: You still want to do this?
Kate smiles as she was waiting for Flynn to return for tonight. She had to c
onvince Tiffani she could pull off Ivanna’s accent.
Kate: More than anything. See you soon.
Ivanna knew the location to meet up as she left to get ready.
Tiffani still had a sneaky suspicion Ivanna was up to something.
“What’s that look on your face? You having doubts again?” Morgan pondered as she came over early to help.
“Call it intuition. Ivanna’s keeping something from me.” A tensed Tiffani told her. This feeling wouldn’t go away.
“Relax will you. She knows not to cross you. Just shake it off and have fun tonight.” Morgan tried to reassure her that everything will be fine. If she needs to, she’ll keep Ivanna in check.
《***》
A nervous Ivanna was pacing back and forth at the park. She texted Kate as she had the items she needed to trick Tiffani tonight.
Kate waved as she came up. Flynn told her they would see each other there after he dropped her off. “Thanks again Ivanna. Your positive she won’t recognize me in these?”
Ivanna shook her head. “Positive. You still have time to back out.”
Kate had zero intention to do so as she grabbed the handle tightly on the bag. “I’m suspended because of her, Ivanna. No, she deserved every second of it. I plan on making her not only confess but to return the favor in front of her own peers.”
Ivanna knew what to do on her end tonight as she promised to record the whole thing. Once they go over the plan once more, they go their separate ways until tonight.
《***》
“I’m here as requested. Anything I need to help set up?” Flynn asked as he hopes nothing will backfire.
Morgan shook her head. “Nope, all taken care of Flynn. Tiffani’s getting ready. So, you need to scatter before she comes down.”
“I’ll escort him out, Morgan.” A calm Ivanna told him.
He shrugs and follows her out. Morgan raised her brow, watching. Tiffani was right. It feels like Ivanna will do something tonight. That won’t happen on her watch.
《***》
“Everything’s set for tonight,” Ivanna whispered to Flynn as they reached his car. “Once I confront Tiffani, you two take over from there.”
“You don’t need to help us, you know. There’s still time too—” Flynn said they had it under control as he opened the driver's side and went in.
“I’m tired of Tiffani thinking she has everything to her on a silver platter. It’s time she feels some payback for her actions. I’ll text you in a little bit.”
Flynn nods and starts the car. “Be careful, okay.” He would feel bad if something happened to her because of this plan.
She nodded and gave him a peck on the cheek as he drove off. Ivanna headed back inside as Morgan wanted to know.
《***》
“What are you doing?”
Ivanna bit her lower lip from getting antsy. “Nothing. Why would you assume I’m doing anything?” She heads into the kitchen with Morgan on her trail.
“Oh, I don’t know exactly. Maybe from the way you’ve been acting. Are you hooking up with Flynn Claybourne?”
Ivanna batted her lashes in utter shock. Her face felt red all of a sudden. “W—What are you talking about? I know not to cross a boy Tiffani likes Morgan. I’m not that clueless.”
Morgan studies her a bit more. “Good. Because I will not have another Tiffani tantrum. You know how those get. Tonight things need to go smoothly.”
“And they will trust me. Now let’s go get ready, shall we?” Ivanna suggested.
Morgan watches her leave as Tiffani came from a different direction.
She noticed an addled Morgan. “Everything okay?” Tiffani asked her.
Morgan nods. “Fine, I’m going to go get ready for tonight.”
Tiffani watched her head upstairs to get ready.
《***》
Unknown: Everything's all set good luck.
Morgan heard Ivanna's phone go off. "Everything okay?" After she came from the bathroom.
Ivanna nods. Fixing her hair to make sure it doesn’t fall out. "Fine. No need to worry." And she leaves Morgan alone.
With the party underway. The girls were having a grand time. Ivanna knew Morgan was waiting for the right time to strike. Between bathroom breaks, Ivanna texted Kate and Flynn to see if they were ready.
“Okay, do I need to ban phones for slumber parties now? What is going on with you, Ivanna?” A curious Tiffani kept peering over to see, but a skittish Ivanna blocks her vision.
“You have nothing to worry about. We’ve done these many times. Unless you have a boyfriend, we don’t know—” Tiffani’s brow rose as Ivanna failed to show a poker face.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you sooner.” She blushed.
Morgan lurks on wondering how far if any of this is true.
“Well, well, this is a surprise … do I know him?” She knows everybody, after all in school. Tiffani tries to figure it out on the spot.
“Actually, you do. But I’m not sure you’ll approve. I’m not sure myself on if he’s the one.”
“Who is he?” The doorbell rang moments later. Ivanna walks towards the door to open it. The other follows to sneak by. However, they got distracted by the sound of their phones vibrating.
《***》
“Sorry, I’m late. I wasn’t sure when you wanted me by.”
Tiffani knew that voice. Why did it sound familiar? Morgan gasped as she looked at the photo that was sent to both of them.
“It’s okay, baby. Come on in. I was telling the girls about us.” Ivanna’s voice trailed off as they closed the door.
Tiffani and Morgan emerged from behind as Tiffani gawked. Indeed, she knew who it was. “This is some kind of sick joke, right?” Morgan showed Tiffani the photo and boy did she lose it.
“Now Tiff, don’t get mad at her. It sort of happened. We were surprised by it too. We didn’t know how to tell you.” Flynn explained as Tiffani saw them holding hands. It took her a minute to let it sink in.
“Excuse us for a moment.” Morgan and Tiffani rushed her into the kitchen, leaving Flynn by himself.
“Give me one good reason why you kept this from me! Of all, people!” Tiffani’s voice rose as she tried to remain calm.
“I know okay, believe me, I know it comes as a shock. We knew how upset you’d get. Which is why we kept it from you instead of coming forward with it.” She took a pause. “I’m sorry I lied to you and Morgan about it.”
“Wait … you knew about this also?”
A flabbergasted Morgan was stunned to be thrown under the bus like that. “O—Of course, I had no idea about this! I mean ...” Morgan’s eyes narrowed at the floor.
“Wow, really? So, everybody’s going to lie behind my back now?” Tiffani shook her head in disappointment.
“Can you blame us from holding it against you? You don’t exactly have a good track record lately.” Ivanna’s voice trailed behind as they followed her back into the living room.
“Excuse me?! After everything, my family has done for yours. This is how you retreat me?”
“And what about what you did to Kate Lennox huh? What did she do to deserve what she got?” Morgan’s forehead furrowed. ‘Why does she care about her’?
Irked, Tiffani rolled her eyes. “I did what I had to do. She should know that the queen of the jungle fights for what she wants.”
“And so do I.” The wig comes off to reveal her brunette hair as Morgan gawked at the impersonator.
《***》
Kate fixes her hair as she smiles. “Surprise.”
Flynn comes up towards her to make sure Tiffani doesn’t lose her gasket.
“What the hell is going on here? I thought I got rid of you!” Tiffani snarled wanting to pounce her, but she tried to maintain her livid temper.
True Love:Follow Your Heart Page 21
