Old friend and jealousy
Sadie's pov
Is jealousy truly a part of love? I could see it etched into every crease on Justin's face. He didn’t say much when he dropped me off at home, but his expression was clear, lingering in my mind even after I closed the door behind me. When he finally asked who Paul was, his voice was edged with suspicion.
“Paul’s an old friend from college,” I explained, choosing my words carefully. “We were close, and he did ask me out a few times, but I was in love with Leo back then. Now he’s married, with a daughter named Carol.”
Justin’s face barely softened. “Then why would a married man come out of a room with you, looking as close as you two did?”
The accusation stung, and it caught me off guard. I wanted to bridge the distance I felt forming between us, to reassure him.
“What do you want, Justin?” I asked, taking a step closer. “I enjoy every moment with you. Don’t you see that?”
He didn’t answer at first, which left a heavy silence between us. I couldn’t shake the memory of his words, even later, alone in my room. Did Justin want a serious relationship with me? Could we even consider that, given the impossible situation between us? After all, he was my best friend’s father. He’d once looked at me, his voice hushed yet confident, and said, “Sadie, I think you’re my missing rib.”
At that moment, I’d almost laughed. It felt surreal, the thought of loving him. But truthfully, I did care deeply for Justin, even if the reality of who he was loomed between us.
“I can’t,” I’d whispered, my voice shaking. “Sir—”
He interrupted gently, his hands grazing mine. “Stop calling me sir. My name is Justin. I’ll do anything to make you feel loved and secure, Sadie. I’ll never let you down. Believe me when I say I’m in love with you.” His fingers lingered on mine, sending a warmth through me that I couldn’t ignore. He must have taken my hesitant smile as a silent acceptance, and he continued, “Will you be my love?”
In that moment, my heart had felt like it was running ahead of me. And here I was now, reliving every second of our time together, replaying his words until they drowned out the world around me. I didn’t hear my mum enter the room until she was standing right in front of me.
“When did you get here?” I asked, startled as I pulled myself out of my reverie.
“I’ve been calling you for a while now, dear,” she said, her tone a mix of amusement and concern. “What’s got you so lost in thought?”
There was no way I could tell her the truth — that the man capturing my every thought was my best friend’s father.
“When did you start hiding your thoughts from me?” she teased, and just as panic tightened my chest, an idea popped into my head.
“Mum, do you really want to know what I’m thinking about?”
She nodded, her eyes lighting up with interest.
“Well…” I took a deep breath, crossing my arms and glancing at the floor. “You’ve been dating Ben for a while now, but you haven’t taken that next step. Why can’t you just settle down with him?”
The change in topic worked better than I could’ve hoped. I watched the brightness fade from her eyes as she glanced away, her hands folding into her lap.
“I love Ben,” she began slowly, “but I’m afraid. I have a phobia of walking down the aisle, of someone telling me years later that they want a divorce. Sadie, I can’t forget what you and I went through when you were a child. That fear lingers, and I’d rather stay where I am than risk that kind of pain again.”
Seeing her vulnerable, I immediately regretted my diversion. I wanted to reassure her, to let her know that she didn’t need to feel alone in her fears.
“Don’t worry, Mum. I won’t bring it up again.” I wrapped her in a hug, and she kissed my cheek, her expression soft but weary as she left the room.
After she’d gone, my thoughts drifted back to Justin. My phone buzzed, and I saw Paul’s name flash on the screen.
“Hey, Paul.”
“Sadie,” his voice was quiet, weighed down with something heavy. “Are you home?”
“Yes, I’m home. Are you okay?”
“I’m at the bar, just… thinking,” he said, the noise in the background giving away his location. “It’s about Carol. She’ll be leaving with her mother soon, and I… I can’t stand it.”
His words made my heart ache. “Paul, don’t do anything drastic. Do you need someone to talk to?”
A long silence followed before he finally spoke. “Could you come?”
He sent the bar’s location in a text, and after a quick glance into my mum’s room, where she was already asleep, I grabbed my bag and headed out.
The cab ride felt like an eternity, and the whole time, my mind was racing. What if Paul was on the edge of something terrible? What would I say to him if he was?
When I reached the bar, it was buzzing with people, loud music and laughter filling the air. I dialed Paul’s number again, and after a few minutes, I found him slouched over a table, looking utterly defeated.
“Paul,” I said, touching his shoulder gently. His face lifted to meet mine, his eyes bloodshot and glazed over.
“Sadie, I didn’t know who else to call.”
“You don’t have to explain,” I said softly. I took the glass from his hand, stopping him from pouring another drink. “Let’s get you home.”
He laughed bitterly, his eyes fixed on some distant point. “Home? Carol won’t even be there. She’ll be with her mother… moving on with her life.”
I sat down beside him, searching for the right words to comfort him, but before I could speak, his face softened, and he looked at me in a way he hadn’t in years.
“Sadie, I wish things could go back to how they were,” he murmured. “I… I want to be with you.”
The words hung between us, and I felt a chill run through me. I’d told Justin that Paul was just a friend, and here he was, hinting at something more.
“What are you saying, Paul?” I whispered, my heart sinking as I remembered Justin’s face.
He moved closer, his eyes pleading, and before I could stop him, he reached for my hand, pulling me into an embrace. I felt torn, trapped between the lines I’d drawn and the reality unfolding in front of me. If Justin saw us now…
Just then, my phone rang. I looked down, and it was my mum.
“Hi, Mum,” I answered, trying to steady my voice.
“Sadie, where are you? Are you alright?”
“I’m with Paul. He’s going through a rough time,” I replied, hoping she’d leave it at that.
“Oh,” she paused, then continued, “Well, Justin stopped by. He asked about you, and I told him where you are.”
A wave of panic crashed over me. “Mum, no…”
But she didn’t hear my protest. She’d already hung up. The thought of Justin knowing I was here, with Paul, was overwhelming. How would I ever explain this?
I felt Paul’s gaze on me, a look of guilt and concern spreading over his face. “Sadie, what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.” I forced a smile, even though my heart was pounding. “I just need to go home.”
He seemed to sober up instantly, sensing the tension in me. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, it’s just… complicated.” I stood, grabbing my bag, my mind spinning with the thought of facing Justin.
And then my phone buzzed again, and I saw Justin’s name on the screen. My heart sank further. What would I tell him? Would he even believe me?
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