Chapter twenty-seven: Stay Away

Chapter twenty-seven: Stay Away

Jessica

We were getting ready for tonight's party. It was Saturday night and I was beyond ready for this weekend to start. I already went to Jeffrey's office to do the shoot, I did my best to ignore Jeffrey and only focus on my new found modeling career. I just hoped he would still allow me to continue working for him after the incident with his ex-wife.

"Do you think this costume is too basic for the party?" Janice said and l shrugged.

"We have planned this for weeks now, there is no going back.

"Ugh, why don't we just change costumes?"

"No! We are in this together. You can't bail on me now."

"Okay, fine." She groaned, dramatically.

"Only for you, you are lucky I like you."

"Yes," I clapped my hands together excitedly.

"Did you get the alcohol ready?"

She smirked before opening the drawer in her closet pushing some socks aside before revealing her vast collection of vodka bottles.

"I have also got some coke and juice in the mine fridge. Are you good with getting some hard lemonade or maybe some angry orchard to start the night?" I nodded.

"Perfect, I think we will be going to Daniel's around eight or nine."

Daniel is Evelyn's boyfriend, he is really a nice guy, probably way too nice for her. She was very overprotective of him and didn't give him much space so it was always awkward when he visited.

I looked at my phone and noticed tons of missed calls from Jeffrey. I cleared all the missed calls and read his message telling me to be at the office by one o'clock tomorrow. I ignored anything following that, just a ramble on how he was sorry.

"Was that Jeffrey?" She asked, I looked up and shook my head.

"No, it was nothing." I looked down at my lap.

"I am really sorry this happened, Jessica."

"You don't have to be."

"No, Jessica. I should be, I told you to go for a multimillionaire and put you in a bad situation. I thought it would be fun for you to try something so daring that I didn't even think much about his motives." I sighed.

"Seriously, Janice. It is over now, we can focus on everything else but Jeffrey, please." She gave me a small smile and then nodded.

"Okay, but does this mean you and Steve.."

My stomach dropped, I kept avoiding Steven because of Jeffrey. Steven even hooked up with a girl while he was trying to get with me. Was it because I kept saying no? And if I say yes, would I be loyal? I dropped my face into my hands.

"I don't even know, I always avoid him because of Jeffrey. I feel like I could give him a chance now, you know?"

"I am going to tell you no but I am going to tell you to be careful." I was thankful.

At Daniel's there were a lot more people than I expected. It was almost like the party Harry had thrown. There were so many people I knew and others I had no idea what their first name was. Janice and I were only buzzed but we were determined to make this a night worth remembering or possibly forgetting.

"Shots!" Janice shouted as we stood in the kitchen, clinking our glasses together before tapping them against the counter and throwing them back.

The liquid burned all the way down my throat but I loved it. I was enjoying it with my friends and just letting loose after what I experienced this week. I kept ignoring the voice telling me not to do this. Besides, Jeffrey is not around to boss me anymore.

Honestly, I missed him a lot, especially the sexual aspect. My whole body felt empty without his touch, his lips and his tongue in my…

"Jessica?" Evelyn called out to me, she came to meet us.

"Did you know Steven is here?" My stomach fell, he is here? I didn't even think Evelyn or Daniel knew him.

"He is here?" Janice nodded, looking over my shoulder at what I assumed was him but I was not about to turn around.

"He is with Harry but I didn't Olivia."

"Do I talk to him?" I asked, her eyes instantly averted back to me.

"What? I thought you were going to talk to Jeffrey?"

"Is he here?"

"No," she groaned.

"I mean, what are you going to talk to Steven about?"

My head was already spinning and I couldn't comprehend what was happening around.

The next morning, I woke up and my head was pounding. I fluttered my eyes open, this was the biggest mistake ever. Janice told me that we we going to get absolutely hammered and she wasn't lying

In the afternoon, I had lunch in the student union in between classes, reading my book and enjoying my time alone. Then I saw Steven walking towards me.

"Hey, Jessica." He flashed his beautiful white smile.

"What's up?" He sat next to me, instead of feeling awkward. I decided to be a little nicer towards him.

"I saw you at Daniel's party." I felt my stomach twist a little.

"Oh, yes." I pushed aside my nervousness.

"But I didn't see you."

"Well, I was going to say hi but I saw you get rushed off to the bathroom. Were you okay?" I sighed.

"Yes, I just drank a little too much, I am better now, it is not a big deal."

"Oh, well as long as you are good now. Anyway, I will see you around, okay and take it easy." He smiled and I nodded with a grin.

He walked away and left me alone. Suddenly, Janice rushed over and sat down where Steven previously was, catching me off guard and nearly giving me a heart attack.

"Goodness, Janice." I was holding a hand to my chest.

"Where did you come from?"

"My mother's vagina." She waved.

"Anyway, why were you all buddy-buddy with Steven?"

"He just stopped to say hi and asked me how I was doing?"

"I am trying to be nice."

"Oh yeah. I can see you. Jeffrey is not going to be happy, by the way have you spoken to him yet?"

"No and I am not intending to do so." She shook her head.

The next day, as I was completing my assignment for my Philosophy class. I had a knock on the door, I went to open it to reveal the one person I really didn't want to come to my room.

"Hey Jessica." Steven said with a smile on his face.

"Can I come in?"

He took a step past me and I remembered Janice telling me it was a wrong idea getting closer to him. I moved in front of him, stopping him from coming inside and I shook my head.

"Uh, I don't think that's such a great idea." He shrugged.

"Why not?"

"Because Olivia is in the bathroom and she would be coming out soon to change. She would appreciate the privacy."

"Okay, so why don't we just find another place for ourselves to talk?"

"Talk about what?"

"About us, Jess. I want us to work." I looked at him in shock.

"No, Steven. I don't like you like that."

Even though I am upset with Jeffrey, l still can't let myself get closer to another man other than him no matter how hard I wanted to.

"Baby, please." He reached forward, grabbing my waist and pulling my body into his. I quickly pushed him away and tried to close the door on him but he stopped it with his foot, preventing me from being able to shut it.

"Come on, Jessica. Don't be like this?"

"Please go away." I said, wishing my phone was near so that I could call Janice.

"Please just leave."

"Jessica, baby. Seriously….

"Whoa, dube." Harry's voice cut him off.

"What are you doing, Steven?" He asked.

"Uh, nothing." He quickly blurted and I felt the weight removed from the door.

"Just trying to talk to Jessica, that is all."

Harry looked at me and I subtly shook my head, fright evident in my eye, he then turned back to Steven.

"Dude, why don't you head back to the apartment, I will see you there in a little bit."

"I was really hoping to talk to Jessica…."

"Steven, seriously, go back to the apartment." Harry said firmly.

"I have to talk to Jessica about some other things now, so buzz off."

Steven flared his nostril and looked at me for a moment before turning on his heel and walked away. I let out a sign of relief and looked at Harry.

"Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it." I opened the door for him to enter.

"Steven is one of my best friends but he definitely has a shitty way of treating women sometimes." I nodded but my body was still shaking. I wished Jeffrey and I were still together, I would have called him to pick me up.

"Hey." He walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I will talk to him tonight, I will make sure he doesn't pull this shit again." I smiled.

"Thanks, Harry.

"No, problem."

And with that, he walked out the door, leaving me to shut and lock until Olivia came after her shower.