Xavier remained quiet, thinking about what she had just said. Would he let her go just like that?
He cleared his throat and gave her a smile, “I understand you perfectly. But if you ever need me, I’ll always be here for you. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’ll be there for you. Anything you need.”
Jessica said to him, “Thank you, Xavier.”
“I’m glad you forgave me,” He smiled again, “I was scared you would not forgive me. I respect your decision, but I just want to tell you that I still love you and I really hope we can start afresh. We might be friends, but I will always look forward to the day we will get back together. I believe it is not over yet, Jessica.”
Chapter Three
Wednesday night
His best friend, Kendall Emerald, was a detective who worked for the Phoenix Police Department. Kendall had been Xavier’s best friend for two years now and knew very well the problem he encountered in every one of his relationships – trying to stay faithful. When they talked about Jessica West, Kendall realized his best friend might actually be in love.
“I really miss her, but she doesn’t want me back. How long am I going to keep on pretending we are just friends?” Xavier said, gulping down a bottle of beer.
They were in a clubhouse not far from Xavier’s house, a place he and Kendall loved to hang out. Xavier was not a heavy drinker. Kendall was. Tonight, however, he looked like he wasn’t prepared to start drinking but wanted to listen to his best friend.
“Maybe you should give her time. You know she almost lost her life, and it happened on the same night you cheated on her.”
“I feel guilty like this was all my fault. How am I so sure it wasn’t because of the heartbreak that she had that accident?”
“She said it herself, another car collided with hers. I don’t think Jessica would go that length to harm herself.”
“You barely know her.”
“The way you’ve always been talking about her,” Kendall said and took a swig of his beer, “I think I do.”
They sat in silence, watching as sexy strippers danced and received catcalls from the crowd. The clubhouse was a reserved one, only for the rich people in Phoenix. Sometimes, it made Xavier wonder if the poor people were not humans themselves. They should be allowed to hang out in places like this, but according to his grandfather, Marcus Cage, the rich were above the poor so the poor should know their place. Maybe Jessica had felt that way too when she caught him cheating on her. Maybe she had felt Xavier saw her as a poor girl who should know her place, that she wasn’t entirely for him. Except he loved her. He really loved Jessica.
“Why did you do it?” Kendall was asking.
“What?” He asked his best friend even though he knew what he was asking.
“Why did you sleep with Karen? I thought you guys weren’t a thing anymore.”
Xavier took a deep breath and ran a hand down his hair. It was evident. He was feeling every ounce of regret. He wished he could turn back the hands of time and change everything that happened that day. It was too late. Jessica had forgiven him, but she wasn’t ready to have him back in her life.
“I really don’t know why,” Xavier could only say.
Kendall leaned forward as if he was about to whisper something to him, “If you really love Jessica, then you wouldn’t have done something like that to her.”
“I know, Kendall, and it hurts me. I wish I could change everything.”
“Be patient. I remember Yelena did this to me too. At first, I thought we were never going to be lovers again, but then, I figured out I still like her. Now, look at us.”
Xavier remembered Yelena. She was a beautiful, skinny cowgirl from a ranch in Wane city. At the time Xavier began to be friends with Kendall, the detective was seeing Yelena. Xavier didn’t like her. She talked too much and always distracted Kendall whenever he was working or hanging out with him. The day he heard Yelena cheated on him, he felt very happy, although that was a bad thing for a friend to do. A month later, Kendall told him he’d chosen to forget what Yelena did, and they were back together.
Xavier raised an eyebrow, “Do you even like that girl?”
“I do. If I don’t, would I even dream of getting married to her?” Kendall answered, and Xavier could see it in his eyes that he was sure.
He wished he was like Kendall. He wished he could bring himself to be committed to one girl. Maybe Jessica was that girl, and the fear of losing her was what prompted him to sleep with Karen. No, that was absurd. There was no justification for his unfaithfulness.
“So, when are you planning to tell her?” Xavier asked.
Kendall rubbed his eyes and drank his beer again, “I don’t know. I have the ring, but Yelena is working on this project. If she succeeds, she’d have to travel out of the city and live in Tyna city for a year. I’m not ready to leave my work here and stay with her in that place.”
True, Tyna city was the last place anyone would dream of going to. It was known for its never-ending crime and corrupt politicians. Xavier wondered why Yelena would choose a city like that to live in for a year.
“Maybe I should ask Jessica to marry me.”
Kendall almost choked on his beer, “What?! Don’t be so dumb. You cheated on her!”
“But she doesn’t hate me.”
“Maybe she doesn’t, but you need to give her time. Let her decide if she wants you or not.”
Xavier recollected the last time he’d gone to visit her; he almost swore Jessica had that familiar look in her eyes like she was craving him, dying to touch him again. He had that same feeling too, but they just let it pass. Jessica had stated specifically that she would allow him to pay for her treatment, but then they were friends, not lovers. He wanted to respect that, but how could he when she was always in his dreams every night?
“I think she still likes me. She is not saying it, but she does.”
“Don’t tell me you can feel it,” Kendall said, unable to stifle his laugh now, “This is not some Disney love story, Xavier! You cheated on that innocent girl!”
“I really wish he hadn’t,” someone said behind them.
Xavier turned around to find Sally Mayland, one of his former girlfriends, grinning at him. He had seen her last night at a friend’s party and had not spoken to her because he wasn’t prepared to. Sally was crazy and had just gotten out of the psychiatric hospital. He wondered what she was doing here, though. Was she stalking him?
“What are you doing here?” Xavier snapped.
Kendall glanced at him, surprised. He had not told Kendall about Sally. He figured out no one needed to know about the lady who almost destroyed his reputation. Sally looked calm and happy. She was way different from the girl he knew in the past, a girl who had been so obsessed with him that she did several evil things to keep him. The hospital must have done a lot to grant her sanity.
“Happy to see you too,” Sally replied and turned to face Kendall, “Looks like your friend here doesn’t know me. I’m Sally Mayland. Nice meeting you,” She added, and they shook hands.
“Kendall Emerald. Nice meeting you too.”
“You haven’t answered my question, Sally. What are you doing here?”