Chapter 10

Angela uncomfortably looked at her friend. “Thomas, what are you doing here?” She asked. His face showed that he was clearly upset at what he had just seen.

“What the fuck are you doing Angela? Who the hell is this?”

“Hey! There is no need to speak to her like that.” Steve stepped between them.

“Thomas! Calm down for Christ’s sake. This is Steve.” She stepped between them and closer to Thomas. “Steve, this is my roommate Thomas.” She looked back at Steve.

“It’s nice to meet you Thomas.” Steve extended his hand, trying to play nice.

Angela watched as Thomas just stared at him with an icy glare. “You’re being rude,” she told him with her hands on her hips. He had absolutely no reason to act like this.

“So I guess you’re fucking him, right?” He asked in a hostile voice.

Her hand came up and slapped him across the cheek. She was trembling uncontrollably at the comment her long-time friend had just made. She could not believe he just asked her that. Her blood was boiling.

She looked at Thomas and then at Steve as her heart raced feeling like she was trapped in between these two men. “I don’t need this shit. I didn’t move to L.A. for this!” Her voice was a ragged mess. The tears brimmed in her eyes and she couldn’t control them as they spilled down her cheeks.

“Angela. I’m sorry,” Thomas said softly, grabbing her arm.

Steve stepped in and grabbed Thomas’s hand. “Don’t fucking touch her.” He stood a good three inches taller than Thomas.

Angela looked at both of them again, her face showing the hurt and anger she was feeling. She looked at Thomas and said, “You! Don’t fucking talk to me until I cool down.” She then turned to Steve, “You! Stay the fuck away from me!” She was yelling and she didn’t care.

With that she wiped her tears away and she ran out of the lobby and onto the sidewalk. She was a mess and still trying to catch her breath, trying to control the emotions that were whirling through her. Her phone buzzed and she pulled it from her satchel. Her hands were shaking as she checked her messages. “Shit!” She missed four text messages from Joanne. She was supposed to meet her half an hour ago for drinks.

She text her back, “Can’t make it. Something happened. Meet me at the loft? Please!”

Angela began walking home. She knew the fresh air would help her calm down. Her mind was racing, trying to replay what had just happened. Why the hell would Thomas act like that? She has never seen that side of him in all the years she has known him...and big deal if he saw her kiss Steve. It was her life for Christ’s Sake! That was the point of moving away from Miami and starting fresh, to move on. She moved a strand of hair out of her face as she walked up to her building five minutes later. Angela entered the loft slamming the door behind her. She threw her satchel on the floor and went to her room and changed into a t-shirt and jean shorts. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she looked at her reflection in the mirror of the armoire in the corner. She hated her reflection at that moment, hated her life. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and dried black mascara ran down her cheeks. She looked like a raccoon.

Dipping down to the floor she grabbed the skirt that she was wearing and threw it at the mirror and yelled. “Fuck!” Her hands came up and covered her face. She curled into a ball on her bed and she started to cry uncontrollably again.

Ten minutes or so passed before Angela sat up in her bed. She’d heard the door to the loft open. The last thing person she wanted to see right now was Thomas. She jumped off the bed and slammed her door shut.

“Angela?”

With a sigh of relief she hollered, “In my room!” She pushed back against her headboard with her knees curled into her chest, holding them tight. She looked at Joanne when she entered the room and burst into tears again not being able to hold the emotions back.

Joanne rushed to Angela and sat beside her on the bed. “Honey, what’s wrong?” She wrapped her arms around her friend and just let her sob into her shoulders. “It’s ok, Ang,” Joanne whispered rubbing her back.

“I want my old life back Jo!” She sobbed in her girlfriends arms.

“Oh honey.” She ran her hand along Angela’s hair smoothing it. “Tell me what happened.” Joanne let go and moved back a little to take a look at her.

Angela wiped her tears away and looked at her friend. She shrugged her shoulders, not knowing where to begin. She was thinking of Blake now and how easy life had been with him. No complications, no hidden secrets or people playing games.

“It’s Thomas…” She finally said, and then added, “And Steve.” She wiped her cheek and took in a deep breath. “You were right Jo, about Thomas. He took me to this wonderful restaurant last night. We had a great time. Then he kissed me... I mean really kissed me.” Her voice was shaky and hoarse.

She watched Joanne cover her mouth in shock. “What did you do?” She asked her with eyes wide.

“I was caught off guard. I pulled away of course.” She frowned. “I don’t have feelings for Thomas... at all.” She looked down at her hands. “Don’t get me wrong. I love him like my brother. He has done so much for me... for Blake. I owe him everything.” Angela whispered, almost choking on her words.

“Ang, you don’t owe him anything for god’s sake. Yes he helped you. That’s what friends do. But it’s not like a damn I.O.U.” Joanne sounded almost angered at Angela’s words.

Angela leaned over and grabbed a Kleenex from her nightstand and blew her nose. Looking up she said, “There’s more. When we got home I told Thomas I was going to start looking for my own place. He didn’t really take it well but I finally convinced him it was a good idea.”

“I knew he had a thing for you. The way he stares at you, sizing you up like you’re a piece of meat.” Joanne’s body shook like she was creeped out.

“Today when I was leaving work and I was in the elevator, Steve showed up.” Angela watched the smile appear on her friends face.

“What happened? Did you ask him about Kimberly?”

“Yes. He said there was nothing going on.”

“Do you believe him?”

“I hardly know the guy. I don’t know if he is telling the truth or not. But...” Angela paused fiddling with her Kleenex.

Joanne pushed on Angela’s arm knowing there was more. “Keep going.”

“We made out again.” Angela looked at her friend feeling so confused by her emotions.

“In the elevator! Shut up!” Joanne let out a laugh. “Jesus girl, you’re getting more action than I have in months!”

“He stopped the elevator. We must have been in there for a good fifteen minutes. When we finally finished I started the elevator again. We were kissing and the doors opened. Thomas was staring at us.”

“Holy Shit!” Joanne gasped.

“Joanne, the anger I saw on Thomas’s face scared the shit out of me. I have never seen that side of him before. He yelled at me. He asked me if I was fucking Steve and I slapped him in the face and left.”

“Jesus Ang. Shit! I don’t blame you. He has no right to act like a jealous boyfriend. You’re roommates!” Joanne grabbed her hand, “Did Steve do anything?”

“He was pretty aggressive with Thomas. But I screamed at both of them. I told Steve to leave me the hell alone and that I didn’t want to see him again.” Angela jumped off the bed becoming angry again just thinking about it. The guy confused her, made her life difficult. She wanted no part of it!

“Come on. Let’s grab a glass of wine. I think we both could use a glass. Or two...Or three!” Joanne told her, leading her towards the kitchen.