wanderlust (edited)

Chapter Twelve (Pt. I): Betrayals

Chapter Twelve Pt. I
Betrayals
[unedited]

            The sad thing about having a life such as mine, is that it seems just as everything is going well and dandy and life is just perfect – even for a moment – everything must come crashing down.

            I was away from Hunter, so that was a plus. And, okay, I was in New York with my boyfriend, who know knew I was suffering and continued to help me daily. I relied so heavily on him, I'd forgotten how I'd survived without him. It was now early July. New York had become our temporary home, and I was fine with that. The city, though muggy, was beautiful, and so were the people. Lots of plusses, right?

            So of course it was only fair that Geoff Everett, a friend of James, would through a party and my life would fall apart.

            ♪

            "I'm not wearing a bikini."

            "Tare, he has a swimming pool and a hot tub in his penthouse!"

            "So? I don't want to get groped."

            "I'll be your loyal protector."

            "...promise?"

            "Cross my heart."

            "Fine."

            I leave James in the kitchen and quickly pull on a bikini in the bathroom, and pull a large off-the-shoulder t-shirt and some shorts on over it.

            After grabbing my phone and stuffing it in my pockets, then slipping on some flip-flops, I re-entered into the kitchen. James was eating some weird snack that kind of looked like crackers with cheese, along with little pieces of bacon, slathered in some goopy white cream I could only guess was...mayonnaise?

            "That looks appetizing." I say flatly, opening the front door to the apartment.

            "You look appetizing." James retorts, trying to mean it as an insult but failing miserably.

            "I try," I winked, "now c'mon, are we going to the pool-and-Jacuzzi-in-a-penthouse party or not?"

            "We shall!" James announces, finishing off his last cracker. He wipes off his mouth and grabs the two towels from off the counter, then follows me out.

            I lock up behind us and James's hand finds mine and together we walk to the end of the street to the subway.

            Millions of smells and sounds and taste are flung at me, and my senses are overloaded with all the varieties of flavors. I can smell churros, pretzels, hot dogs, grilled cheese, pizza, corn dogs, a buttload of perfumes and so many other things clouded in the thick air.

            We head into the subway station, use our MetroCards, and wait for the next ride to Lenox Hill. I pulled out my phone to check out the neighborhood and my eyes widened. I nudged James.

            "Is Geoff rich?"

            "Yeah," my boyfriend nodded, pulling me a little closer to him.

            "How rich?"

            "Like mommy-and-daddy-divorced,-daddy-own-big-mega-million-corporation-and-mommy-married-into-even-more-money rich."

            "Makes sense."

            "How come?"

            "Because, according to New York Curbed, Lenox Hill is the richest neighborhood in New York. Like, almost 37K a month in a regular apartment. Let alone a penthouse with a Jacuzzi and pool."