4. Behind Bars

I was sitting next to Noah in silence, neither of saying anything to the other. Tyler had gone out, doing good on my wanting to talk to the authorities.

Something my mother always told me, was that no matter where life took me, I should never owe anyone. Because it always ends up slapping you in the face.

I thought back to before she passed, how easy everything was even though it was difficult.

Yes, she was sick. But she never acted like it. Even after her treatments when I would take care of her, she would tell me to stop fussing over her.

I missed her greatly, I missed her words of comfort and wise words. She always knew exactly what to say. Whenever I felt sad because I did bad on a test or when I would fight with a friend, she would always make me feel better. She was my whole world, and now I was letting her down.

”So,” I jumped in my seat, scared by Tylers sudden voice filling the room. I hadn't noticed him getting back in. He walked around the desk and took a seat in his chair.

”When will they arrive?” I asked him, not wanting to beat around the bush.

”I didn’t talk to the police, I called my layer. Thought you might want to know what you’ll loose if and when I do call them,” he placed his hands on the desk and leaned over.

”And what is that exactly?” I wasn't sure I wanted to know, probably not, but I had to.

”Five years of you life by the looks of it.” He didn't wait for a beat, he didn't pause for dramatic effect, he just blurted it out.

Five years.

Five years of my life behind bars.

I’d be twenty-six when I got out.

I felt my palms getting sweaty and body starting shake. My nerves were a bundled mess and my eyes must’ve looked like saucers. I could feel the tears trying to break the surface, but I wouldn't go there, I wouldn't cry.

I chose this.

I chose to place myself in a situation where this would always be a plausible outcome. I had no right to cry about it now. I took a deep breath and tried composing myself.

I couldn't spend five years in prison, I knew my mother would already be disappointed in me but there was time to make things right. I couldn't do that from behind bars.

”I’ll do it,” I said quietly, with no confidence at all.

”You’ll go to jail?” He asked me, his brows tiliting down, making his eyes squint. Even though I could barley see them, I could feel them. I could feel his burning gaze leave patches of heat on me.

”No, I'll get naked and dance,”

  * * *

We were in a restaurant. Tyler said it was a friend of his that owned it, it was high-class and not my scenery what so ever. I felt out of place.

These were the people I stole from, they made my living, they weren't the ones I socialized with.

”Relax,” Tyler said and guided me to our table. It was by a window, overlooking the sea.

You could see people out on the boats and windsurfing, living their lives.

I wondered what Elvis was doing, but I found it odd that I didn't care. Not really.

He and the guys abandoned me. When I first started, they gave me a lecture on how you never leave another man behind, or woman. How we would always stick up for each other, regardless of the situation.

Tyler ordered food for me too, as soon as I opened the menu I felt ready to barf.

I didn’t have an appetite, even though it was a month away, it felt close, too close.

”Here you go,” I had been staring out of the window for so long I hadn't seen the waiter come with our food. He pushed a plate of pasta in front of me.

I could smell the garlic, and I saw the pieces of chicken in the sauce, it looked delicious.

Tyler and Noah had both ordered steaks, one was bloodier than the other.

”Until it’s time, I’ll set you up in one of my hotels,” I nearly chocked on a piece of chicken when Tyler spoke.

I patted my chest and caughed, taking a drink of water to wash it down.

”Um, no you won’t,” I said and looked at him funny.

His face was void of any emotion and I couldn't tell wether or not he was making a joke.

I wasn't some paid doll he could just place wherever he wanted.

”Is that so?”

”I have an apartment, I’ll go there until it’s time.” I saw how his jaw clenched and he narrowed his eyes.

”Do you live there alone?”

”No, I share it with my,” I shocked on the word. Something that had never happened before.

”My boyfriend,” I said, forcing it out.

It felt wrong though. As the word rolled of my tongue, it didn't feel true.

”Is he one the guys that bailed on you earlier?”

That’s one way to put it.

”Yes,”

”Some boyfriend,”

”You don't know him,” I said defensively.

”Do you?” He asked me. Taken aback by his question, I asked it to myself.

Did I know him?

I knew Elvis, I knew his favorite foods, movies, activities, I knew a lot about him.

”I know a lot about him,” I said aloud.

”Yes, but do you know him?”

I shook the question of, not bothering to answer him.

”I’m staying at my apartment.”

”Fine,” and then he dropped it. I expected more arguing but it never came.

I contued eating my pasta, cleaning of the entire plate. It was indeed delicious.

But I had no interest in knowing how much it cost.

    * * *

Tylers driver had dropped me of by the aprtment complex. I looked up at the building, it was merely hours since I was here yet it felt so foreign.

I shook yet another thought out of my head and starting walking up the stone stairs.

The elevator pinged and I got out. I searched my bag for the keys and unlocked the door.

I let it slide open and was expecting for Elvis to come rushing over to me. But instead I was met with blasting music. I walked in and placed my bag on the coat rack.

I checked In the kitchen and by the tv but he wasn't there. I continued walking through the rest of the apartment but didn't see him.

I decided to go take a shower and freshen up, perhaps he was at the gym.

I knew I needed to talk to him about eralier, about how he just left me. But I didn't have it in me. I was exhausted from todays events to even be bothered by his betrayal.

I walked up the stairs and to the right.

I opened the door to the bedroom and stepped in, and there I found him, lying on top on another woman. I stared aghast at what was happening before my eyes, in my bed.

Our bed.

”Who are you?” The woman said and pushed Elvis back. He turned his head and his eyes grew three times the size.

”Fuck, Rose,” he backed away quickly and got of the bed. He pulled a sheet of the bed and covered himself. Like it was anything I hadn't seen before.

I couldn't find the words to speak. I didn't know what to say.

”Rose, I'm so fucking happy you're okay,” he said and came up to me.

”You are? Because it sure as hell seems like you were a lot happier with the thought of me not being okay,” I said and took a step forward.

The woman on the bed had covered up too, she pressed herself against the wall.

”I should probably leave,” she said quietly and was about to get of the bed.

”No, you stay, I'll go.” I ran over to the closet and pulled out a suitcase. I started putting down everything that could fit and then zipped it up.

”Wait, rose, no,” Elvis came up in front of me, holding his hands out to stop me from leaving.

”You’re a dick, and we’re over. Have fun with her,”

”You can't leave me!” He shouted as I pushed past him.

”Watch me!”

”I fucking made you, rose. You're nothing without me!”

He had a fair point.

I didn’t have anything without him, but something told me I would be way better of that way.