Page 134 of Light My Fire Three Times
The phone rings twice before he picks up.
“Jesse? What’s going on?”
I swallow. I can’t hold it in anymore. “I just… I need to talk to someone. Can I come over?”
“Yeah, get over here. Now.”
I let out a shaky breath, already knowing that there’s no going back from this. I stand up, grab my jacket, and head for the door.
As I’m about to leave, I glance back at my half-hearted Christmas tree, the pathetic little decorations that were supposed to be for Olivia. For us.
It feels so damn wrong now.
“You look like shit,” Karl says the moment I step into his place. “What the hell is going on?”
“Yeah, well…” I mutter, shoving my hands into my pockets. “Just as we feared, Ivy found out about me and Olivia. She doesn’t seem to know that you and Leo are involved in therelationship, too, and I didn’t tell her because I think Olivia should make that choice. But it still got ugly.”
Karl doesn’t flinch, doesn’t look surprised. He just watches me. “What happened?”
I shake my head, frustration crawling up my throat. “She’s pissed. Like… really pissed. And hurt. I tried to explain it, but it’s like nothing I said mattered. I mean, how could it? I’ve been so damn hypocritical about everything, and I’ve been lying to her. I never meant to hurt her, Karl. But it feels like I’ve done everything wrong.”
“What happened?” Leo’s head pops around the door.
I let out a long, exasperated breath, running a hand through my hair.
“Ivy knows,” I say, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “She found out about me and Olivia.”
Leo purses his lip. “Fucking town gossip.”
“I know, and that’s what’s pissed her off more. Apparently, everyone knows except her.” I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, staring at the floor. “I should’ve told her.”
“And now,” Karl interjects. “You need to warn Olivia that her best friend knows everything.”
Shit.
My heart sinks, but I know he’s right, especially because Ivy’s wrath might come her way too.
“Shall I call her?”
Karl nods. “I would do it now. Sooner rather than later. If we’ve learned anything from this mess…”
I pull my phone from my pocket, staring at the screen, my thumb hovering over Olivia's name. My chest tightens. I know Olivia isn’t going to be happy about this, but I have to do it.
I glance at Leo, then Karl, both silent but watching me closely, making sure I’m going to do the right thing.
Which, of course, I am. But I’m nervous about it all.
With a shaky breath, I hit the call button. The phone rings twice, and each second drags on. When Olivia picks up, I feel the rush of relief, but it’s short-lived.
“Jesse?” Her voice comes through the line, a little breathless, as if she’s just stepped outside or something. I can hear the faint sound of the wind in the background. “What’s up?”
“Olivia, hey…” My voice cracks, betraying the nerves I’ve been trying to suppress. “I need to talk to you.”
There’s a brief pause on the other end, and I imagine her pausing whatever she’s doing, the same way I’m standing here. Frozen, staring at the floor, trying to figure out where to start.
“What’s going on?” she asks, concern creeping into her tone.
I take a deep breath, pulling myself together as best I can. “It’s about Ivy.”
